NeuroImage最新文献

{"title":"Multimodal Radiomics of Precisely Segmented Hippocampal Subfields: Iron Deposition and Structural Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease","authors":"Dongxue Li ,&nbsp;Junjie He ,&nbsp;Benqin Liu ,&nbsp;Lin Zhu ,&nbsp;Yuezong Yang ,&nbsp;Yunsong Peng ,&nbsp;Lisha Nie ,&nbsp;Rongpin Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121900","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121900","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Profiling imaging biomarkers of prodromal Alzheimer’s disease (AD) against AD dementia may aid earlier diagnosis, yet approaches jointly capturing iron-related pathology and hippocampal subfield heterogeneity remain scarce. We developed a hippocampal-subfield multimodal radiomics framework integrating quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and 3D T1-weighted MRI. A primary cohort of 92 participants (50 prodromal AD, 42 AD dementia) and an independent external cohort of 30 (15/15) were included. Twenty-four hippocampal subfields were segmented on super-resolution T1 images and propagated to co-registered QSM for feature extraction. Radiomic features were condensed into a radiomics score (Rad-score) via a training-only selection pipeline. Using the Rad-score as the sole predictor, a support vector machine (SVM) classifier was trained. On the external cohort, the SVM achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.85 and an accuracy of 0.83. The predictive signature was dominated by QSM texture features in Cornu Ammonis 1 and the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus, complemented by T1 first-order heterogeneity. Modality ablation suggested potential—but not definitive—complementarity of multimodal integration. This framework shows promise for AD stage classification and warrants further validation in larger independent cohorts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19299,"journal":{"name":"NeuroImage","volume":"332 ","pages":"Article 121900"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147584850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of teacher-student closeness on interpersonal emotion regulation in graduate students: Evidence from behavioral and hyper-scanning studies","authors":"Wenmei Sun,&nbsp;Xubo Liu,&nbsp;Sasa Ding,&nbsp;Daixin He,&nbsp;Qiaoyu Wu,&nbsp;Shang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121779","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121779","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The relationship between graduate students and their advisors is regarded as the core relational bond within the educational ecosystem, and serves as a crucial factor influencing the mental health of graduate students. Communication between graduate students and advisors not only facilitates the intergenerational transfer of knowledge but also embodies dynamic interpersonal emotion regulation. As a cornerstone of relational harmony, individual mental health, and collective well-being, interpersonal emotion regulation aligns with Social Baseline Theory, which posits that emotional and behavioral regulation operate more smoothly and require fewer psychological resources when individuals are surrounded by familiar and predictable others. This study recruited 62 teacher-student dyads to examine the interaction between graduate students and teachers and explored the impact of teacher-student closeness on the effectiveness of graduate students’ interpersonal emotion regulation and underlying neural mechanisms. Higher levels of teacher-student closeness were associated with stronger interpersonal emotion regulation in graduate students when using both cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression strategies (<em>F(1, 60)</em> <em>=</em> <em>4.28, p</em> <em>=</em> <em>0.04</em> <em>&lt;</em> <em>0.05, η_p²</em> <em>=</em> <em>0.07</em>). Hyper-scanning revealed that when the teacher-student closeness was high, the interpersonal brain synchronization in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was significantly enhanced (<em>F(1, 39)</em> <em>=</em> <em>7.22, p</em> <em>=</em> <em>0.01</em> <em>&lt;</em> <em>0.05, η_p²</em> <em>=</em> <em>0.16</em>). Moreover, it positively predicted the effectiveness of interpersonal emotion regulation (<em>R²</em> <em>=</em> <em>0.18, Beta</em> <em>=</em> <em>0.43, t</em> <em>=</em> <em>2.12, p</em> <em>=</em> <em>0.048</em>). These findings provide support for both the behavioral and neural underpinnings for the interpersonal emotion regulation mechanisms in teacher-student interactions, thereby offering theoretical and practical insights for building mental health support systems for graduate students.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19299,"journal":{"name":"NeuroImage","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 121779"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146132791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Leadership-driven persuasion: Neural network reorganization supports decision-preference updating and dyadic consensus formation","authors":"Yangzhuo Li ,&nbsp;Jiaqi Zhang ,&nbsp;Junlong Luo ,&nbsp;Xianchun Li","doi":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121790","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121790","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Persuasive communication is fundamental to information propagation and human social interaction. However, prior work has predominantly focused on immediate persuasive process, neglecting how decision-preferences updating following persuasion and its underlying neural reorganization. Using a naturalistic dyadic persuasion task and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning, we examined how distinct persuasion models—Role-Differentiated Leadership and Egalitarian-Reciprocity—shape decision-preference updating and group decision consensus at both behavioral and neural levels. Behaviorally, the Role-Differentiated Leadership model, rather than Egalitarian-reciprocity model, as the predominant form of persuasive communication, wherein persuadees significantly updated their decision-preferences while persuaders remained relatively stable. Intra-brain network revealed that persuadees exhibited pronounced reorganization in both global and nodal network metrics (including global efficiency, small-worldness, degree centrality, and nodal efficiency), particularly in the left temporo-parietal junction and frontoparietal regions. These neural changes predicted the magnitude of individual decision-preference updating. Furthermore, inter-brain network synchronization in fronto-temporo-parietal circuits such as rDLPFC-lSFG, lSTG-lDLPFC, and lITG-AG increased in post-ranking session compared to pre-ranking session and robustly predicted group decision consensus through support vector regression. Together, these findings provide converging neurobehavioral evidence that structured persuasive roles shape decision-preference updating through coordinated intra- and inter-brain network reorganizations, offering novel insights into how interpersonal persuasion operates in real-time social influence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19299,"journal":{"name":"NeuroImage","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 121790"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146142996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stimulus-driven and behavior-driving activity along the cortical auditory hierarchy","authors":"Kirill V. Nourski ,&nbsp;Mitchell Steinschneider ,&nbsp;Ariane E. Rhone ,&nbsp;Matthew A. Howard III","doi":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121801","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121801","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Auditory areas on the superior temporal plane and lateral convexity are key initial stages of speech processing in the human cortex, representing acoustic and phonetic attributes in a temporally precise manner. More complex representations in auditory-related cortex along the ventral and dorsal processing streams and prefrontal cortex are associated with perception and action. In this study, we used intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) to clarify where and how activity leading to perceptually driven behavioral events emerges. Participants were patients undergoing iEEG monitoring for medically intractable epilepsy. Stimuli were monosyllabic words, and participants pressed a button in response to a semantic target category. Significant high gamma activity after stimulus onset and immediately prior to motor response defined stimulus- and behavior-related activity patterns, respectively. The stimulus-related pattern was more common than behavior-related throughout the cortical auditory hierarchy as well as sensorimotor cortex. Behavior-related activity was sparsely represented, with the highest prevalence in the prefrontal cortex and a more limited representation in anterior temporal and parieto-occipital cortex. Hemispheric asymmetries included a higher prevalence of stimulus-related activity in the right sensorimotor cortex and a higher prevalence of the behavior-related pattern in the left prefrontal cortex. Faster behavioral responses were associated with greater stimulus-locked high gamma power in non-core auditory, prefrontal, and premotor cortex. Results reveal the cortical distribution of sensory stimulus-driven responses and activity time-locked to behavior and provide insights into neural substrates of speech perception.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19299,"journal":{"name":"NeuroImage","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 121801"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146195130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Alteration of water exchange rates following focused ultrasound-mediated BBB opening in the dorsal striatum of non-human primates: A diffusion-prepared pCASL study","authors":"Dong Liu ,&nbsp;Xingfeng Shao ,&nbsp;Fabian Munoz Silva ,&nbsp;Soroosh Sanatkhani ,&nbsp;Ray Lee ,&nbsp;Elisa E Konofagou ,&nbsp;Danny JJ Wang ,&nbsp;Vincent P Ferrera","doi":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121805","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121805","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study applied diffusion-prepared pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (DP-pCASL) to quantify cerebral blood flow (CBF), arterial transit time (ATT), and blood-brain barrier (BBB) water exchange rate (<span><math><msub><mi>K</mi><mi>w</mi></msub></math></span>) before and after focused ultrasound (FUS)-mediated blood-brain barrier opening (BBBO) in the dorsal striatum of four non-human primates. Six baseline and seven BBBO sessions were performed. DP-pCASL was acquired approximately 45 min after FUS sonication combined with intravenous microbubbles, and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging was subsequently used to confirm the BBBO region. Whole-brain analyses revealed no significant changes in CBF or ATT following BBBO (permutation <em>p</em> &gt; 0.05). Region-of-interest analysis within the sonicated caudate demonstrated a significant localized decrease in <span><math><msub><mi>K</mi><mi>w</mi></msub></math></span>, with median (IQR) values of 45.0 (40.6 - 55.6) min⁻¹ at the BBBO site versus 61.6 (58.3 - 70.4) min⁻¹ in the contralateral control region (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), confirming spatially specific suppression of transendothelial water flux. In contrast, whole-brain <span><math><msub><mi>K</mi><mi>w</mi></msub></math></span> increased significantly following BBBO, with median (IQR) values of 49.8 (46.3 - 55.9) min⁻¹ in non-BBBO sessions versus 59.4 (56.6 - 66.3) min⁻¹ in BBBO sessions (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01), indicating a diffuse enhancement of water exchange across the brain. These findings establish DP-pCASL-derived <span><math><msub><mi>K</mi><mi>w</mi></msub></math></span> as a sensitive, non-contrast biomarker for both local and global BBB permeability changes induced by focused ultrasound, supporting its potential for longitudinal monitoring in preclinical and clinical neurotherapeutic applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19299,"journal":{"name":"NeuroImage","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 121805"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146197767","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rapid engagement of salience and prefrontal systems during emotional processing in children: An MEG study","authors":"Ioannis Ntoumanis ,&nbsp;Mally Townsend ,&nbsp;Crystal M. Cooper ,&nbsp;Christos Papadelis","doi":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121806","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121806","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Children’s ability to process emotional information is central for social development and for understanding risk factors for affective disorders. Prior neuroimaging studies have identified brain systems underlying emotional processing, but most have relied on functional MRI, which cannot capture rapid neural dynamics. Moreover, these studies utilized emotional stimulus sets with outdated, adult-focused content, which may not effectively engage children, thereby reducing sensitivity to developmental effects. Here, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to examine the spatiotemporal dynamics of emotional processing in children and adolescents. Fifty-seven participants viewed pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral pictures from the Nencki Affective Picture System (NAPS), a recent database with child-appropriate content. Source-reconstructed responses were analysed using cluster-based permutation tests. Both pleasant and unpleasant pictures elicited stronger activity than neutral ones in salience and prefrontal regions, including the insula and orbitofrontal cortex, as early as 50–100 ms. Unpleasant pictures evoked stronger and more sustained activity than pleasant pictures in salience and default mode network regions, consistent with negativity bias. Finally, developmental analyses revealed that younger children exhibited greater medial prefrontal response amplitude to pleasant than to unpleasant pictures between 650–700 ms post-stimulus, whereas older adolescents showed greater medial prefrontal response amplitude to unpleasant than to pleasant pictures during the same time window. Overall, these results suggest that children rapidly differentiate emotional from neutral input, prioritize negative information in salience and default mode network systems, and that age influences emotional processing in prefrontal and default mode network regions. Our findings clarify the timing of affective brain responses across development and inform pathways of risk for affective disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19299,"journal":{"name":"NeuroImage","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 121806"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146197854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unmasking the bias: Can diffusion-weighted imaging reliably assess glymphatic function in awake and anesthetized brain?","authors":"Ryszard Stefan Gomolka ,&nbsp;Antonio Ladrón-de-Guevara ,&nbsp;Søren Grubb ,&nbsp;Lydiane Hirschler ,&nbsp;Isabelle Strom ,&nbsp;Pia Weikop ,&nbsp;Matthias van Osch ,&nbsp;Maiken Nedergaard ,&nbsp;Yuki Mori","doi":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121761","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121761","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated whether magnetic resonance (MR) diffusivity parameters derived from diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can serve as biomarkers of glymphatic function in awake and anesthetized mice. Spectral apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) analysis, obtained using an inverse Laplace transform, revealed that both Isoflurane (ISO) and Ketamine/Xylazine (K/X) anesthesia reduced the magnitude and range of diffusivities associated with interstitial fluid space (≤1 µm²/ms) compared with the awake state. Perfusion-related diffusivities (20–80 µm²/ms) increased under ISO but decreased under K/X. Monoexponential ADC and biexponential intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) modeling showed that ISO dose-dependently elevated, while K/X reduced, both slow and fast diffusivities across the brain. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) indicated intermediate glymphatic influx in awake mice relative to both anesthetic conditions, without regional correlation to DWI-derived parameters. Perfusion micro–computed tomography (µCT) further demonstrated that ADC and IVIM metrics correlated regionally with mean transit time, suggesting a confounding by cerebral blood flow (CBF). Two-photon microscopy confirmed anesthesia-induced changes in cortical microvessel diameters consistent with perfusion alterations. Collectively, these findings indicate that MR diffusivity measures are strongly influenced by state-dependent physiological changes, and in particular perfusion. This represents an important limitation that warrants caution when using DWI to compare extracellular space, interstitial fluid flow, or glymphatic activity across different physiological or anesthetic states. Therefore, although technically challenging, we suggest that DWI studies aimed at assessing glymphatic or interstitial dynamics should be performed in awake conditions to minimize variability and anesthesia-related perfusion confounds across studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19299,"journal":{"name":"NeuroImage","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 121761"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146093446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficient Whole-Brain Quantitative Magnetization Transfer Imaging at 3T Using Segmented EPI Readout with Variable Power Magnetization Transfer Pulses (EP-vpMT)","authors":"Se-Hong Oh ,&nbsp;Ken E. Sakaie ,&nbsp;Gawon Lee ,&nbsp;Katherine A. Koenig ,&nbsp;Devon S Conway ,&nbsp;Sarah M Planchon ,&nbsp;Daniel Ontaneda ,&nbsp;Stephen E. Jones ,&nbsp;Mark J. Lowe","doi":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121630","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121630","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT) imaging is sensitive to myelin-related macromolecular content and brain microstructure but is limited by long scan times. We present a fast, SAR-efficient qMT technique using a segmented echo-planar imaging readout with variable power MT preparation (EP-vpMT).</div><div>EP-vpMT was implemented at 3T (1.5×1.5×4.0 mm³ voxels; 9 µL) using a 3D segmented EPI readout with modulated MT RF pulses to reduce SAR while preserving contrast. Pseudo bound pool fraction (pseudo-BPF) maps were obtained from healthy participants. Consistency with pseudo-BPF derived from conventional GRE-MT and repeatability was subject to Bland-Altman analysis. Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients were examined at 3T and at 7T (2.0 mm isotropic voxels; 8 µL) to explore feasibility for assessing tissue integrity and for application at ultra-high field.</div><div>EP-vpMT achieved whole-brain qMT in 6 min 25 sec, reducing scan time by 76% compared to GRE-based qMT (26 min 20 sec) while maintaining similar SAR levels. Strong agreement was observed between methods, and test-retest reliability showed minimal bias with 95% limits of agreement within a clinically negligible range. In MS patients, EP-vpMT delineated lesions at 3T and at 7T.</div><div>EP-vpMT enables fast qMT imaging at 3T with strong agreement with conventional methods. Its ability to detect MS lesions and to translate to ultra-high field MRI supports future use for assessing myelin-related macromolecular content.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19299,"journal":{"name":"NeuroImage","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 121630"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145687741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating AI-aided approaches for 18F-FDG PET quantification: Indirect synthetic MR-based versus direct partial volume correction","authors":"Yu Jin Seol ,&nbsp;Hye Bin Yoo ,&nbsp;Eun Jin Yoon ,&nbsp;Yu Kyeong Kim ,&nbsp;Seongho Seo ,&nbsp;Jae Sung Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121756","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121756","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Compatible deployment of AI-aided methods for PET quantification is an important prerequisite to maximizing their benefits. We focus on partial volume correction (PVC), which can substantially improve the precision of radiotracer uptake quantification in brain PET for intricate and atrophic regions. Conventional post-reconstruction PVC requires anatomical MR images that are often unavailable or of inadequate quality. We address this limitation by systematically evaluating two AI-aided strategies: (1) indirect PVC, which uses synthesized MR images for anatomical guidance, and (2) direct PVC, which predicts corrected PET images without anatomical processing. Multiple AI architectures were assessed under both strategies, using paired ¹⁸F-FDG PET + CT + MR datasets from multiple scanner sites. Indirect PVC consistently outperformed direct approaches across all tested architectures with the Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Model yielding the best overall performance while preserving compatibility with standard PET processing pipelines. Both AI-aided approaches increased the utility of standalone ¹⁸F-FDG PET in clinical and research applications without requiring anatomical MR images. Indirect PVC showed advantages in transparency and performance for quantification in smaller anatomical regions, whereas direct PVC may be more suitable for rapid assessment in larger brain regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19299,"journal":{"name":"NeuroImage","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 121756"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146100347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of cardiac phases on cortico-spinal excitability: Insights from input-output curves","authors":"Paolo Di Luzio ,&nbsp;Mauro Gianni Perrucci ,&nbsp;Francesca Ferri ,&nbsp;Marcello Costantini","doi":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121789","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121789","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Visceral signals, such as cardiac oscillations, are considered a significant source influencing ongoing cortical activity. Research has shown that perceptual and cognitive functions fluctuate with the heart cycle. Seminal studies proposed that upstream signals tied to cardiac contraction (i.e., systole) inhibit brain activity. However, a clear relationship between cardiac phases and cortical excitability, measured by motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) via transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), is not yet established.</div><div>To examine the link between cardiac signals and corticospinal excitability (CSE), we combined electrophysiological measures with TMS targeting the left motor cortex (lM1) in healthy individuals. Input-output (I/O) curves of MEPs were modelled relative to cardiac phases, assessing CSE variations between systole and diastole. We also investigated how different cardiac output affect MEP amplitudes on a trial-by-trial basis. Overall, I/O curves highlighted a greater inhibition of CSE during systoles, characterized by decreased MEP amplitudes at maximal stimulation intensities and a diminished corticomotor gain. Trial-by-trial assessment also indicated that MEPs amplitude may be negatively affected by the strength of cardiac output, indexed by the length of interbeat-intervals (IBIs).</div><div>These findings suggest that cardiac signals actively modulate brain excitability, which holds significant implications. Accounting for the cardiac cycle can reduce variability in TMS and electrophysiological studies, improving reproducibility. Clinically, aligning non-invasive brain stimulation or neurorehabilitation protocols with phases of higher excitability (e.g., diastole) may enhance treatment efficacy and motor recovery. More broadly, the results contribute to models of brain–body interaction and may provide a physiological marker of altered heart–brain coupling in clinical populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19299,"journal":{"name":"NeuroImage","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 121789"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146143043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}