Journal of neurophysiology最新文献

{"title":"Resistance training for migraine in females: mechanistic review of hormonal, CGRP, autonomic, vascular and nociceptive pathways.","authors":"José Francisco Tornero-Aguilera, Mario Muñoz-López, María Casas-Gómez, Aitor Zabaleta-Korta, José Francisco López-Gil","doi":"10.1152/jn.00195.2026","DOIUrl":"10.1152/jn.00195.2026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Migraine is the second leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide and disproportionately affects women, in whom the disorder tends to be more frequent, longer-lasting and functionally more disabling than in men. This female preponderance, which emerges after menarche, is tightly linked to changes in estrogen levels, reproductive phases and sex-specific responsiveness of the trigeminovascular and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) systems. Against this backdrop, non-pharmacological interventions that modulate the same physiological processes involved in migraine are particularly attractive. Resistance training (RT) has emerged from recent systematic reviews and network meta-analyses as one of the exercise modalities with the largest effect sizes on monthly migraine frequency, yet its mechanistic rationale in women is rarely addressed as a coherent biological argument. In this narrative review we integrate the pathophysiology of migraine in females with the adaptations induced by structured RT across four convergent axes: autonomic regulation, neurovascular and endothelial function, systemic and neurogenic inflammation, and endogenous pain modulation. We interpret the current clinical evidence in light of these mechanisms, outline how the hormonal milieu in females may shape individual responsiveness, and propose a translational framework for prescribing RT as part of a comprehensive, sex-informed migraine management plan. We explicitly distinguish between robust findings, emerging signals and hypotheses that remain to be tested, and highlight the main methodological barriers that should be addressed before RT can be firmly embedded in clinical guidelines for women with migraine.</p>","PeriodicalId":16563,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neurophysiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148990275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"TrkB signaling modulates neuromuscular transmission in a frequency-dependent manner in the mouse diaphragm muscle.","authors":"Braydon A Crum, Robert C Martinez, Sepideh Jahanian, Heather M Gransee, Gary C Sieck, Carlos B Mantilla","doi":"10.1152/jn.00276.2026","DOIUrl":"10.1152/jn.00276.2026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Signaling via tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB) plays an important role in synaptic function and plasticity at the neuromuscular junction. Multiple conditions show selective effects on the most forceful and fatigable motor units that require high-frequency activation and are necessary for maximal force generation. The goal of the present study is to investigate the effects of inhibiting TrkB kinase activity on neuromuscular transmission in mouse diaphragm muscle during repeated stimulation at frequencies that reflect the recruitment of different motor units (10 vs. 75 Hz). <i>TrkB</i>^F616A mice, which possess a mutation that renders TrkB kinase activity susceptible to rapid inhibition by 1NMPP1, were used at 6-8 mo old (<i>n</i> = 12; 6 females). Neuromuscular transmission failure (NMTF) was estimated in diaphragm-phrenic nerve preparations following 1 h treatment with 1NMPP1 or vehicle by assessing the difference in forces evoked by 2 min of repetitive nerve and muscle stimulation at either 10 or 75 Hz. There was no effect of 1NMPP1 on muscle contractile properties, but there was a frequency-dependent effect of 1NMPP1 treatment on the extent of NMTF. At 10-Hz stimulation, 1NMPP1 decreased the extent of NMTF compared with vehicle by 35%. At 75 Hz, 1NMPP1 increased the extent of NMTF compared with vehicle by 28%. The greater negative effect of TrkB kinase inhibition during higher-frequency stimulation suggests reliance on TrkB signaling for sustained activation predominantly at higher force, more fatigable motor units, which are responsible for the high forces necessary for airway clearance (i.e., coughing and sneezing).<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> This study found that inhibiting TrkB kinase activity decreases the extent of neuromuscular transmission failure during repetitive stimulation at low frequency while increasing failure with high-frequency stimulation. The frequency-dependent effect of 1NMPP1 treatment suggests that the role of TrkB signaling in maintaining neuromuscular transmission during repetitive stimulation may differ between motor unit types (slow-twitch, fatigue-resistant vs. fast-twitch, fatigable) and likely reflect effects at the presynaptic terminal without major effects on the muscle itself.</p>","PeriodicalId":16563,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neurophysiology","volume":" ","pages":"959-968"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148684852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physical activity shapes corticospinal capacity and neural efficiency during progressive motor demands.","authors":"Suhaila Basim, Omama Taleb, Iman Khowailed, Monica Raghunathan, Ibrahim Moustafa","doi":"10.1152/jn.00166.2026","DOIUrl":"10.1152/jn.00166.2026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Habitual physical activity may influence neural strategies used to control posture during increasing motor demands. This study examined whether self-reported physical activity moderates task-dependent changes in corticomuscular coherence (CMC) and electroencephalographic (EEG) spectral power during graded postural challenges in healthy young adults. Sixty-four participants were recruited; four were excluded due to signal quality, resulting in a final sample of 60 (21.3 ± 2.1 yr; 48.3% male). Participants performed four levels of increasing postural difficulty while simultaneous EEG and electromyography (EMG) were recorded. Peak beta-band CMC (13-30 Hz; Cz-tibialis anterior) and log-transformed EEG spectral power (theta 4-7 Hz, alpha 8-12 Hz, beta 13-30 Hz, low-gamma 30-50 Hz) were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models including task difficulty, physical activity level, and their interaction, adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking status. False discovery rate correction was applied. Task difficulty significantly influenced all neural outcomes (<i>P</i> < 0.001). Significant Difficulty × Physical Activity interactions were observed for peak CMC and EEG spectral power in theta, alpha, beta, and low-gamma bands (<i>q</i> < 0.01). Individuals with higher physical activity showed stronger CMC scaling and greater low-gamma modulation with increasing task difficulty, whereas individuals with lower activity levels demonstrated greater alpha and beta desynchronization and larger theta increases. Habitual physical activity is associated with differences in frequency-specific neural responses during progressively challenging postural tasks. These findings suggest that physical activity level may influence neural control strategies during motor challenge. However, the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported activity limit causal inference.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> This study is the first to demonstrate that habitual physical activity moderates the scaling of corticomuscular coherence and EEG spectral power across progressively challenging postural tasks. Physically active individuals exhibited enhanced corticospinal coupling and gamma synchronization alongside reduced theta and alpha/beta desynchronization, suggesting that physical activity optimizes neural resource allocation during motor challenge. These findings provide novel neurophysiological evidence supporting the coexistence of corticospinal capacity enhancement and neural efficiency in physically active individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":16563,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neurophysiology","volume":" ","pages":"1011-1023"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148549564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Can you run from your worries? The effects of exercise on anxiety-like behavior and immune signaling in female and male mice.","authors":"Madeleine Gene Maheu, Julia Mazur, Evelin Melekh, Madeleine King, Gurprince Attlas, Emma L Cook, Sarah Bellaflor, Sunny F Qureshi, Ahmad Mohammad, Shawn M Beaudette, Rebecca E K MacPherson, Paula Duarte-Guterman","doi":"10.1152/jn.00161.2026","DOIUrl":"10.1152/jn.00161.2026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Exercise is a positive health behavior associated with improved mood. However, the mechanisms underlying the benefits of exercise on affective health are unclear, particularly with respect to type of exercise and sex. Chronic exercise decreases neuroinflammation, which is linked to improvements in mood and anxiety. However, exercise is also a physiological stressor that can transiently upregulate systemic inflammation, and its effects on neuroinflammation are not well understood. This study examined how acute and chronic exercise affect circulating and brain cytokine levels and anxiety-related behavior in young healthy male and female mice. In <i>experiment 1</i>, mice were placed on a treadmill for a 2-h bout of moderate exercise. Two hours after exercise, animals were either tested in the open field or euthanized for measurement of cytokines (IL-1β, TNF, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p70, IFN-γ, KC/GRO). In <i>experiment 2</i>, mice underwent an 8-wk moderate treadmill exercise paradigm followed by open field testing and tissue collection. Acute exercise decreased time spent in the center of the open field in males only, suggesting increased anxiety-like behavior in males. Acute exercise increased IL-6 and decreased TNF in serum, and increased amygdala principal component 1 (loading IL-12p70, IL-10, IFN-γ, and TNF) in both sexes. Chronic exercise increased open field center entries, increased IL-6 in the prefrontal cortex, decreased TNF in the dorsal hippocampus, and had minimal effects on circulating cytokines in both sexes. These results demonstrate that the effects of exercise on anxiety-related behavior and cytokine levels depend on recurrence, tissue, and brain region.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> Our work highlights the contrast between anxiogenic and anxiolytic effects of acute vs. chronic exercise, respectively, in healthy mice. Acute and chronic exercise differentially affected circulating and brain cytokines, providing insight into physiological adaptations to exercise. Both sexes demonstrated similar cytokine responses to exercise. These similarities are novel with respect to exercise research and noteworthy given sex differences in anxiety with respect to acute exercise.</p>","PeriodicalId":16563,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neurophysiology","volume":" ","pages":"1231-1245"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148794605","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Age-related hearing loss begins with gain, not silence: physiological compensation in dorsal cochlear nucleus fusiform cells during auditory aging.","authors":"Reginald J Edwards, Michael R Kasten, Kendall A Hutson, Malcolm P Lutz, Paul B Manis","doi":"10.1152/jn.00364.2025","DOIUrl":"10.1152/jn.00364.2025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the most common cause of sensorineural hearing loss. The cochlear nucleus, the first central auditory structure to receive input from the cochlea, has been shown to be disrupted by ARHL. Fusiform cells (FCs), the principal output cell of the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN), mature physiologically during hearing onset. Specifically, FCs increase in the rate of action potential (AP) rise and decay, stabilizing by <i>postnatal day 14</i> (<i>P14</i>) in mice. However, whether FC intrinsic electrophysiological properties or morphological characteristics continue to change throughout the life of mice, and how they change due to ARHL, is unknown. We characterized electrophysiological and morphological properties of FCs from CBA/CaJ mice at five stages of age: preweaning (<i>P15</i>-<i>20</i>), pubescent (<i>P21</i>-<i>49</i>), young adult (<i>P50</i>-<i>179</i>), mature adult (<i>P180</i>-<i>364</i>), and old adult (<i>P550</i>-<i>578</i>). Old adult mice had smaller auditory brainstem evoked response amplitudes and loss of hair cells, indicative of ARHL onset. We observed no change in FC membrane properties with age. FCs from the old adult group had faster action potential (AP) repolarization rates, shorter AP half-widths, and elevated firing rates. Morphologically, there was no change in FC soma shape or size. However, significant pruning of basal dendrites occurred between preweaning and pubescent ages. Interestingly, FCs alter their spatial organization of basal dendrites with age, likely due to the loss of auditory nerve input. Together, these results suggest that FC physiology and morphology are relatively stable post-weaning and begin to exhibit intrinsic and structural compensation during the onset of ARHL.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> Ex vivo patch-clamp recordings within the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) are traditionally performed using young mice, rarely exceeding weaning age. Here, we were able to successfully record fusiform cells (FCs) from mice that were 15 days old up to 578 days old. We observed changes in FC firing properties, action potential (AP) half-width, repolarization rate, and basal dendritic complexity in our old adult group, suggesting compensation for the development of age-related hearing loss.</p>","PeriodicalId":16563,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neurophysiology","volume":" ","pages":"1266-1285"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148818702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fatigue-induced decline and recovery of maximal motor unit firing rates does not differ between males and females in two muscles of the quadriceps femoris.","authors":"Jacob Fanous, Alexander M Zero, Charles L Rice","doi":"10.1152/jn.00035.2026","DOIUrl":"10.1152/jn.00035.2026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Studies on sex-related differences in motor unit (MU) behavior with muscle fatiguing tasks are limited, particularly during contractions of maximal intensity and usually to one muscle within a synergistic group. Therefore, the purpose was to investigate the influence of sex and muscle on maximal MU firing rates during and following a sustained maximal contraction. Ultrasound-guided intramuscular tungsten microelectrode MU recordings were obtained from the vastus intermedius (VI) and lateralis (VL) of 16 participants (8 females) during a sustained fatiguing 1-min maximal voluntary isometric knee extension task and throughout a subsequent 5-min recovery period. Contractile properties of the quadriceps were assessed via electrically evoked doublet (100 Hz) responses. Despite a decline of force and MU firing rates (both by ∼50%; <i>P</i> < 0.05) at task termination, there were no differences in the reduction and subsequent recovery of maximal firing rates in both muscles (VI vs. VL) and between males and females. In addition, there were no sex-related differences in parameters of electrically evoked contractile speed immediately following the fatiguing task. Instantaneous force measurement at the end of the task was better maintained in the females (<i>P</i> < 0.01); however, there were no significant differences in the area of the force-time curve (i.e., fatigue index; <i>P</i> > 0.05). These findings indicate that firing rate adaptations are not different between males and females in either muscle when the neuromuscular system is stressed with sustained maximal contractions.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> Motor unit firing rates were compared between sexes in two quadriceps muscles during a 1-min maximal voluntary contraction and 5-min of recovery. No sex- or muscle-specific differences were observed in fatigue-induced declines or recovery of maximal firing rates. No sex-related difference was observed in the fatigue index or normalized contractile properties. Therefore, there appears to be no difference in motor unit control between sexes and in two synergistic quadriceps muscles during maximal fatiguing contractions.</p>","PeriodicalId":16563,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neurophysiology","volume":" ","pages":"1321-1331"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148794235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vestibulomotor coupling and gain associated with cybersickness in virtual reality.","authors":"Megan H Goar, Michael Barnett-Cowan","doi":"10.1152/jn.00209.2026","DOIUrl":"10.1152/jn.00209.2026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cybersickness is a major barrier to the adoption of virtual reality (VR), yet its underlying neurophysiological mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated whether vestibulomotor responses, quantified using coherence and gain between electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS) and mediolateral center-of-pressure (ML-CoP) responses, are associated with susceptibility to cybersickness. Thirty-eight healthy young adults (21 females, 17 males) completed a standing VR rollercoaster task while receiving continuous stochastic EVS (0-25 Hz; ±4.5 mA), with ML-CoP responses measured using a force plate. Cybersickness was assessed using the Fast Motion Sickness Scale (FMS), and participants were classified as nonsick (FMS < 5), medium-sick (FMS ≥ 5), or high-sick (terminated the VR exposure early due to intolerance). Baseline EVS-ML-CoP coherence and gain were significantly greater in high-sick than in nonsick participants, with gain increasing by 61%, indicating stronger vestibulomotor responses before symptom onset. During VR exposure, coherence declined over time in symptomatic participants but remained stable in nonsick participants. Despite this reduction in vestibulomotor coupling, postural sway variation increased in the high-sick group relative to the medium- and nonsick groups (+29% vs. -7% and -30% ML-CoP RMS, respectively), whereas vestibular-evoked response amplitude decreased. These findings indicate that greater baseline vestibulomotor responses were associated with increased susceptibility to cybersickness, whereas reductions during VR exposure were insufficient to prevent increases in sway variation and symptom progression. Together, the results suggest that baseline vestibulomotor responses are more strongly associated with cybersickness susceptibility than changes occurring during VR exposure.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> We provide the first evidence that baseline vestibulomotor responses predict susceptibility to cybersickness in virtual reality and are dynamically reduced during exposure. Using electrical vestibular stimulation, we show that individuals who develop cybersickness exhibit greater baseline vestibulomotor coupling and larger vestibular-evoked postural responses, followed by progressive reductions in vestibulomotor coupling during VR exposure.</p>","PeriodicalId":16563,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neurophysiology","volume":" ","pages":"993-1010"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148604139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vestibular contributions adapt to the balance strategies adopted during incline and decline walking.","authors":"Sadiya Abdulrabba, Anthony Chen, Jessica C Selinger, Gerome A Manson","doi":"10.1152/jn.00513.2025","DOIUrl":"10.1152/jn.00513.2025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Vestibular contributions during walking are not uniform, but vary with gait phase, muscle group, and balance demands. Most previous experiments have focused on level-ground walking, with little known about how vestibular contributions change with terrain-imposed balance demands, such as slope. Our purpose was to quantify vestibular contributions during sloped walking. Participants walked on an instrumented treadmill at 1.0 m·s^-1 across five slopes (level, ±3°, ±6°), with and without stochastic electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS). To assess stability and gait adaptation, we measured step rate, length, width, and their variability from force plates. To probe vestibular contributions, we assessed time-frequency coherence between EVS and both whole body responses, measured via mediolateral ground reaction forces, and lower-limb muscle responses, measured using electromyography. We found that whole body coherence increased during incline but, unexpectedly, decreased during decline. Coherence for more proximal muscles, acting at the hip, mirrored whole body responses-increasing during incline and decreasing during decline, particularly during mid-to-late swing. More distal muscles acting at the ankle showed lower coherence across all slopes. This may reflect a balance strategy during incline walking that upregulates the vestibular system to guide limb trajectory throughout swing, rather than rely on active ankle control during stance, and a strategy during decline walking that downregulates the vestibular system and reduces balance demands through gait adaptations, such as shortened steps. Our findings highlight that vestibular contributions may be modulated in unexpected ways, reflecting not only the balance demands created by the terrain but also the adaptive strategies adopted by the person.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> Little is known about how vestibular contributions adapt to sloped walking. Using electrical vestibular stimulation while allowing participants to adapt their walking to sloped surfaces, we found that vestibular contributions may be modulated in unexpected ways-decreasing during decline and increasing during incline walking. This likely reflects the adaptive gait strategies adopted in response to terrain and suggests that those experiencing vestibular disruption may not demonstrate the greatest deficits on terrains thought to most challenge balance.</p>","PeriodicalId":16563,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neurophysiology","volume":" ","pages":"1332-1343"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148794485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Active motor preparation drives corticospinal facilitation during interception planning.","authors":"Justin R McCurdy, Brendan Jarvis, Emma Whitman, Krithi Ariga, Asher Khan, Deborah A Barany","doi":"10.1152/jn.00017.2026","DOIUrl":"10.1152/jn.00017.2026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intercepting a moving target requires integrating visual motion information with motor preparation, yet how active motor preparation and gaze strategy jointly shape corticospinal excitability during interception planning remains unclear. We applied single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation over primary motor cortex to probe corticospinal excitability while participants either prepared to intercept a moving target or passively viewed its motion. Targets moved at one of two speeds, and participants judged target speed relative to a reference after each trial. Across blocks, participants were instructed to either smoothly pursue the target or fixate their eyes on the interception zone. Motor-evoked potentials were elicited at baseline, after task instruction, early during target motion, or shortly before target arrival. Task and gaze strategy interacted to influence both perceptual judgments and corticospinal excitability. Preparing to intercept produced a robust facilitation of corticospinal excitability immediately before movement onset, regardless of gaze strategy. In contrast, corticospinal excitability during passive viewing did not differ from baseline. Smooth pursuit improved perceptual accuracy and reduced interception timing error compared with fixation but did not independently influence corticospinal facilitation. These findings demonstrate that active motor preparation is the primary determinant of the transition to a state of facilitated excitability during interception planning, whereas eye movements modulate perceptual estimates and support behavioral performance.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> This study dissociates the contributions of visual tracking, eye movements, and active motor preparation to corticospinal excitability during interception. Here, we show that corticospinal facilitation emerges primarily when an action is planned, whereas passive viewing remains at baseline despite identical visual input. Smooth pursuit enhanced perceptual accuracy and interception timing but had a limited effect on corticospinal excitability, highlighting active motor preparation as the key driver of corticospinal output.</p>","PeriodicalId":16563,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neurophysiology","volume":" ","pages":"1098-1109"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148794492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Differential local synchronization in human nucleus accumbens vs. caudate and putamen.","authors":"Peka Christova, Apostolos P Georgopoulos","doi":"10.1152/jn.00178.2026","DOIUrl":"10.1152/jn.00178.2026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We investigated local synchronization in three nuclei of the human striatum (nucleus accumbens, caudate nucleus, putamen; <i>n</i> = 1,055 participants) by computing, for each nucleus, the zero-lag cross-correlations (CC0) between prewhitened resting-state blood level oxygenation dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) time series recorded from voxels 2-12 mm apart (2-, 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, 12-mm bins). CC0 was strongest at the shortest distance (2 mm) and decreased with distance in a power (log-log) fit, reaching a plateau at 8 mm. CC0 was highest in accumbens, where it decreased more sharply (by ∼1.4×) with distance than in the caudate and putamen. These results document a distinct difference in synchronization in accumbens as compared with caudate and putamen, where this synchronization was very similar. Given that the cellular layout is fairly comparable in all three nuclei, our findings could be reasonably attributed to a different neuromodulatory environment between accumbens and caudate/putamen, a hypothesis supported by the findings of differential neuromodulatory distributions in humans using positron emission tomography (PET). The role of local synchronization and its different strength among striatal nuclei on their overall function and relations to behavior remains to be elucidated.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> We report on a differential local synchronization between nucleus accumbens vs. caudate/putamen. Zero-lag cross-correlations (synchronization) were computed between prewhitened resting-state blood level oxygenation dependent (BOLD)-functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) time-series, recorded in 1,055 participants from 2-mm isotropic voxels 2-12 mm apart. In all nuclei, cross-correlations were strongest at 2 mm, declined with distance as a power-fit, and plateaued at 8 mm. However, they were higher and fell more sharply with distance in accumbens than caudate/putamen, a feature whose significance remains to be elucidated.</p>","PeriodicalId":16563,"journal":{"name":"Journal of neurophysiology","volume":" ","pages":"884-892"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148604156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}