The European Journal Of Neuroscience[JOURNAL]
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200 papers
Beyond Context-Transfer Effects: Attenuated Familiarity During Virtual Reality-Based Retrieval Across Different Encoding Modalities.
Kisker J, Soethe M, Sagehorn M … +1 more , Gruber T
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41788081 · Full text
Whereas the circumstances under which episodic memory benefits from Virtual Reality (VR)-based encoding remain elusive, preliminary findings suggest that the contributions of the underlying retrieval processes might depe...
Whereas the circumstances under which episodic memory benefits from Virtual Reality (VR)-based encoding remain elusive, preliminary findings suggest that the contributions of the underlying retrieval processes might depend on the encoding modality. Previous research indicates that engrams obtained from VR conditions elicit enhanced recollection alongside attenuated familiarity. However, it remains unclear whether this pattern depends on the congruence of the encoding and retrieval contexts. Consequently, this study examined potential context-transfer effects on the electrophysiological correlates of familiarity and recollection after VR-based and PC-based encoding. A source memory paradigm was employed to test the retrieval of objects and their encoding context, i.e., item and source memory under VR conditions. The electrophysiological results indicated attenuated familiarity of PC-based engrams reflected in the frontal old/new effect (FN400), yet the same held true for VR-based engrams. Moreover, a strong old/new effect in the late positive component (LPC) linked to recollection was evident under both conditions. In contrast, the late posterior negativity (LPN), linked to the search for and reactivation of contextual details during retrieval, was observed under neither condition. In summary, the present results indicated comparable contributions of familiarity and recollection to retrieval, independent of the encoding modality, when retrieval occurred under VR conditions. While effects on engrams retrieved without their correct source might, to some degree, depend on context-transfer effects, familiarity was attenuated across encoding modalities. Consequently, the present results demonstrate that disparities between VR- and PC-engrams depend on the combination of encoding and retrieval modalities and extend beyond context-transfer effects.
DREADD-Induced Inhibition of the Medial Amygdala and Ventromedial Nucleus of the Hypothalamus Affects Experience-Induced Enhancement of Paced Mating Behavior in Female Rats.
Meerts SH, Shao A, Reynaga GL … +1 more , d'Auria CH
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41788054 · Publisher ↗
The acquisition of sexual experience leads female rats to return to the male more quickly after intromissions, receive intromissions at a faster rate, spend more time with the male during mating, and exhibit more procept...
The acquisition of sexual experience leads female rats to return to the male more quickly after intromissions, receive intromissions at a faster rate, spend more time with the male during mating, and exhibit more proceptive behaviors during paced mating tests, suggesting heightened sexual motivation. Brain areas critical for sexual experience-enhanced paced mating behavior are unknown. Here, designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) were used to test the hypothesis that silencing the medial amygdala (MeA) or ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) across four paced mating tests would disrupt not only the display of paced mating behavior but also the enhancement of mating with sexual experience. Sexually naïve, ovariectomized rats received bilateral infusion into the MeA or VMH of a viral vector containing the gene for an inhibitory G-protein-coupled receptor (hM4Di) 3 weeks before behavioral testing. Rats were hormone primed with estradiol benzoate + progesterone and received either 1 mg/kg i.p. clozapine n-oxide (CNO) or vehicle 30 min before each of four 15-intromission tests of paced mating behavior. CNO given to rats lacking DREADD infusions did not exhibit disruptions to paced mating behavior. CNO-induced inhibition of the MeA altered paced mating behavior beginning with the first test, pointing to a role for the MeA in sensory processing of sexual stimulation. In contrast, inhibition of the VMH only led to changes in paced mating behavior on Tests 2-4, indicating that neural plasticity is induced in the VMH by sexual experience.
Modulation of Corticomuscular Coupling With Split-Belt Locomotor Adaptation in Healthy Young Males.
Oshima A, Yokoyama H, Kaneko N … +3 more , Takahashi R, Takiyama K, Nakazawa K
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41784285 · Full text
Humans can adjust their walking patterns in response to both internal and external demands, a process referred to as locomotor adaptation. This process is crucial for walking in complex environments and is thought to be...
Humans can adjust their walking patterns in response to both internal and external demands, a process referred to as locomotor adaptation. This process is crucial for walking in complex environments and is thought to be driven by sensory prediction errors. While the involvement of supraspinal structures is known, how the oscillatory coupling between the sensorimotor cortex and spinal motor neurons is involved in locomotor adaptation remains unclear. This study aimed to characterize the modulation of corticomuscular coherence (CMC), an index of this coupling, using a split-belt locomotor adaptation paradigm. We recorded electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) from the tibialis anterior muscle and calculated CMC in the alpha (8-12 Hz) and beta (12-32 Hz) bands. Results revealed that immediately following the application and removal of the perturbation, both alpha and beta CMC temporarily decreased compared to normal walking, suggesting a disruption of established corticomuscular coupling. However, during the adaptation process, alpha CMC in the slow leg's heel contact phase significantly increased toward normal walking levels. During de-adaptation, both alpha and beta CMC increased, and finally, CMC in all gait phases returned to normal walking levels. These results suggest that corticomuscular coupling was enhanced during the adaptation and de-adaptation processes. Thus, modulation of corticomuscular coupling may be associated with the adjustment of gait patterns to meet environmental demands. These findings will advance our understanding of neuromuscular control of gait and offer valuable insights for gait rehabilitation.
Fidelity of Sensory Reinnervation in Peroneal and Sural Nerves to Lumbar Dorsal Root Ganglia 4 and 5 After Segmental Injury to the Sciatic Nerve.
Allgood J, Wong KM, Bushman J
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41782380 · Full text
Recovery after axotomy of a peripheral nerve is dependent on regrowth of axons from the point of injury to distal sensorimotor tissues and can be complicated by nerve branching. Little is known about regeneration of sens...
Recovery after axotomy of a peripheral nerve is dependent on regrowth of axons from the point of injury to distal sensorimotor tissues and can be complicated by nerve branching. Little is known about regeneration of sensory axons that encounter branch points distal to injuries. The experiments reported here focused on this question and sought to assess the fidelity of sensory axon regeneration, where fidelity is defined as an axon that originally innervated a distal branch of the sciatic nerve regenerated into that same distal branch after injury, with serial retrograde labeling. Rats with segmental sciatic nerve injuries were treated with linear or branched grafts, with retrograde labels injected into the peroneal and sural branches of the sciatic nerve prior to injury and 12 weeks after. Lumbar dorsal root ganglia 4 and 5 were collected after 12 weeks and were imaged to determine the fidelity of sensory axon regeneration. Results show that the fidelity of sensory regeneration into these two branches differed by the branch and the graft type. Interestingly, the fidelity of sensory axon reinnervation was greater into the peroneal nerve, which is a mixed sensorimotor nerve, compared to the sural nerve, which is a sensory nerve. This occurred in both graft types and suggests that the fidelity of sensory regeneration is improved into mixed branches distal to the PNI compared to sensory branches and supports why regeneration of segmental branched defects may be superior using anatomically matching branched grafts.
MuloAD: A Multiomics Integration Model Utilizing Graph Convolutional Networks for Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis and Biomarker Identification.
Zhou H, Zhu Y, Shi X … +1 more , Wang L
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41782334 · Publisher ↗
Early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains challenging due to the limitations of single biomarker approaches and the complexity of disease pathogenesis. In this study, we present MuloAD, a graph con...
Early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains challenging due to the limitations of single biomarker approaches and the complexity of disease pathogenesis. In this study, we present MuloAD, a graph convolutional neural network-based framework that integrates multiomics data for enhanced AD diagnosis and biomarker identification. The MuloAD leverages GraphSAGE to extract features from DNA methylation, mRNA expression and microRNA expression data independently, followed by a view correlation discovery network that captures cross-omics relationships in a higher dimensional label space. Using 350 samples from the ROSMAP cohort, MuloAD demonstrates superior classification performance compared to existing multiomics methods, delivering robust accuracy across different omics combinations. Feature-importance analysis identifies several key molecular biomarkers that exhibit significant differential expression between patients with AD and healthy controls. The results of ablation studies confirm the complementary value of multiomics integration compared to single-omics approaches. These findings highlight the potential of deep learning-driven multiomics integration in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases and offer novel molecular targets for AD detection and therapeutic development.
Measures of Human Position Sense Do Not Always Include Contributions From Peripheral Sensory Receptors.
Proske U, Weber BM
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Mar · PMID 41755364 · Full text
Our position sense helps to guide us as we move about in our environment. The position sensors are believed to be the muscle spindles. We have asked the question, are spindles always involved in generating position sense...
Our position sense helps to guide us as we move about in our environment. The position sensors are believed to be the muscle spindles. We have asked the question, are spindles always involved in generating position sense? We have identified three methods of measurement of position sense, applied to the passive forearm: two-arm matching, one-arm pointing and repositioning, carried out by blindfolded subjects in the sagittal plane. In matching, one arm is brought to a position where it is perceived to be aligned with the other. In pointing, the participant points with one arm to the perceived position of the other, hidden from view. In repositioning, the passive arm is moved to a test angle, and the participant is asked to remember that angle and, after a delay, to reposition the arm at the remembered position. We have used two ways to detect spindles contributing to position sense: using muscle history effects to alter spindle sensitivity and changes in gravity during parabolic flight to alter spindle responses. Both methods disturbed position sense in matching and pointing, but not in repositioning. It suggested that the repositioning mechanism did not directly involve peripheral receptors. Therefore, when interpreting measurements made with this method, it must be remembered that signals of spindles do not contribute to the position signal. We cite examples of studies where wrong conclusions have been drawn, based on assumptions about the peripheral origins of the position signal. This has led to wrong interpretations and confusion in the field.
Neural Correlates of Dynamic Predictions and Prediction Errors in Response to Unexpected Silence and Sound.
Aurich F, Widmann A, Dercksen TT … +4 more , Korka B, Richter A, Stenner MP, Wetzel N
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41740982 · Full text
To interact efficiently with our environment, our brain predicts the sensory effects of our actions and compares them with the actual outcomes. This allows us to adapt our actions when predictions and sensory outcomes mi...
To interact efficiently with our environment, our brain predicts the sensory effects of our actions and compares them with the actual outcomes. This allows us to adapt our actions when predictions and sensory outcomes mismatch. While this process is generally well understood for action-sound predictions, it is an open question whether these predictions can flexibly switch in frequently changing environments, as they occur in real life. To investigate the flexibility of top-down predictions, we asked participants (N = 41) to press one of two buttons, a left-hand and a right-hand button, and switch hands autonomously. One button frequently produced a sound (80%) and rarely no sound. The other button frequently generated no sound (80%) and rarely produced a sound. In a third, separate condition, each button produced a sound in 50% of the trials. Unexpected sounds and unexpected sound omissions elicited a series of error-related brain responses in the electroencephalogram (EEG) at different levels of auditory processing, including a mismatch negativity (MMN) and the P3 complex for unexpected sounds, and the oN1, oN2, and oP3 complex for unexpected omissions. Moreover, unexpected sounds elicited an equivalent MMN, regardless of whether silence was expected (80%) or no reliable expectation was possible (50%), while later P3 components showed different amplitudes. Our results demonstrate flexible action-sound predictions at sensory and higher cortical levels. Furthermore, they indicate that predicted silence does not have an explicit sensory representation at lower levels but emerges at later stages, when higher-level information has been integrated.
The EEG-Indexed Impacts of Caffeine on Auditory Novelty Processing Across Phases of the Human Menstrual Cycle.
Puiras EE, Bissonnette JN, MacNeil AO … +8 more , Hull KM, Myles EM, Napier K, Schryver B, Slaunwhite-Hay S, Newman RL, Perrot TS, Fisher DJ
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41740974 · Full text
Caffeine, the most used global stimulant, can impact neurocognition. Hormonal fluctuations occurring across the human menstrual cycle affect similar cognitive domains. Research is needed to identify whether the purported...
Caffeine, the most used global stimulant, can impact neurocognition. Hormonal fluctuations occurring across the human menstrual cycle affect similar cognitive domains. Research is needed to identify whether the purported cognitive-enhancing effects of caffeine vary across menstrual cycle phase. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of caffeine on EEG-derived markers of auditory change detection and novelty processing (MMN, P3a, P3b and RON) across phases of the menstrual cycle in naturally cycling females. Participants were randomly assigned to complete the experiment while in their menstrual (n = 31), follicular (n = 26) or luteal (n = 29) phase, completing two sessions wherein they were administered either a caffeine pill (200 mg, oral) or a placebo in a counterbalanced order using a randomized, double-blinded procedure. Auditory tone detection was assessed via a novelty oddball task while EEG data were collected. Caffeine significantly enhanced target detection at both the neural (P3b, MMN and RON) and behavioural levels, with effects most prominent in the menstrual phase. Additionally, P3a and P3b amplitudes differed significantly between phase groups under placebo conditions but not under caffeine conditions. Caffeine significantly enhanced target detection at both the electrophysiological and behavioural levels, with these effects mostly limited to the menstrual phase. Additionally, there were significant differences in ERP activity between all menstrual phases under both placebo and caffeine conditions. Our results suggest that caffeine enhances auditory novelty processing, particularly during the menstrual phase, though future research is needed to further explore the intersection of caffeine and the HMC.
Benefits of Dual-Tasking on Implicit Sensorimotor Adaptation.
Miller-Mills B, Kwan T, Carroll TJ … +1 more , Poh E
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 · PMID 41732130 · Full text
Attention plays a crucial role in maintaining precision and effectiveness in goal-directed actions. Although there is evidence that dividing attention across tasks impairs performance in various domains, the impact of at...
Attention plays a crucial role in maintaining precision and effectiveness in goal-directed actions. Although there is evidence that dividing attention across tasks impairs performance in various domains, the impact of attention on sensorimotor adaptation remains inconclusive, with some studies reporting deficits and others showing no effects. Because sensorimotor adaptation arises from the interaction of explicit and implicit processes, this discrepancy may reflect differential effects of attention on each process. Here, we investigate how divided attention influences implicit sensorimotor adaptation using an error-clamp paradigm, coupled with a random-dot kinematogram (RDK) motion coherence discrimination task. We also assessed whether the timing of the secondary task affects error processing during sensorimotor adaptation by presenting the RDK either during the outward movement (coinciding with error feedback) or the inward movement (following error feedback). We observed that attentional manipulation influenced implicit sensorimotor adaptation only when the RDK was presented on the outward movement, not the inward movement. Remarkably, implicit sensorimotor adaptation was enhanced when attention was divided, compared to when attention was focused entirely on the adaptation task. This suggests that implicit sensorimotor adaptation is sensitive to attentional demand, particularly during the time window where error feedback is received.
Vision Fine-Tunes Predictions of Bimanual Self-Touch.
Cemeljic N, Kilteni K
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41725123 · Full text
Self-touch is attenuated compared to external touch due to internal forward models predicting the somatosensory consequences of our movements. These self-touch predictions are continuously updated during the movement usi...
Self-touch is attenuated compared to external touch due to internal forward models predicting the somatosensory consequences of our movements. These self-touch predictions are continuously updated during the movement using the available sensory input, resulting in a precise temporal tuning of somatosensory perception. However, the contributions of different sensory inputs, such as vision, to the predictions of the forward models and thus the resulting modulation of somatosensory perception remain unknown. In this pre-registered study, participants discriminated forces applied to their left index or ring finger during a reaching movement of the right hand towards the left hand, performed both with and without visual input. When vision was available, somatosensory perception was gradually attenuated during the movement and peaked at the time of self-touch, replicating our previous findings. Without visual input, this temporal tuning was reduced, as somatosensory perception was more uniformly, rather than gradually, attenuated throughout the movement. Our findings thus indicate that vision increases the precision of self-touch predictions, thereby fine-tuning the temporal modulation of somatosensory perception during movements to self-touch.
Role of Odour Perception in Health and Disease.
Bhola A, Sharma A, Vashisth K … +1 more , Dixit A
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41725075 · Publisher ↗
The sensory system gauges the external environment to maintain homeostasis and regulate the behaviour of animals. One of the sensory modalities, olfaction, has gathered considerable attention in recent years due to its d...
The sensory system gauges the external environment to maintain homeostasis and regulate the behaviour of animals. One of the sensory modalities, olfaction, has gathered considerable attention in recent years due to its direct impact on the survival of animals. Research conducted on human, vertebrate and invertebrate model systems has revealed that the odour perception ability of an animal not only helps in the identification of palatable, stale or toxic items but also regulates a wide range of physiological functions such as appetite, lipid storage, metabolic homoeostasis, reproduction, lifespan and immunity. Moreover, olfactory impairments are often observed at early stages of disease and can be associated with progression, susceptibility or diagnosis of various systemic and neurological diseases. A growing number of evidence indicates that odorant molecules present in breath, body fluids or skin of patients are manifestations of underlying pathological conditions. Screening of such samples is being done for the detection of human diseases by leveraging the exceptional olfactory ability of certain animal species or artificial devices mimicking the olfactory ability of such animals. Understanding the link between olfaction and health may help in enhancing longevity, improving the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. The current review for the first time describes the recent research conducted on human and animal models, depicting the role of olfaction in health and longevity and how olfactory function might be linked to disease diagnosis, susceptibility and treatment.
Contextual Updating in Attentional Orienting Relies on the Right Temporoparietal Junction: Evidence From rTMS.
Parisi G, Mazzi C, Colombari E … +2 more , Mele S, Savazzi S
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41720629 · Full text
The right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) has been associated with multiple cognitive functions. Particularly, its involvement in attentional processes has been proposed, representing a key node in shifting and reorienti...
The right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) has been associated with multiple cognitive functions. Particularly, its involvement in attentional processes has been proposed, representing a key node in shifting and reorienting visuospatial attention toward unexpected stimuli. However, more recent evidence has demonstrated a more postperceptual function, suggesting a crucial engagement of rTPJ in contextual updating mechanisms. Therefore, considering the lack of consensus, the aim of the current study was to elucidate rTPJ contribution to attentional processes by applying repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) throughout the administration of a location-cueing paradigm. Importantly, the latter was built in order to permit the disentangling of two critical attentional mechanisms: visuospatial reorienting and contextual updating. Data were collected from young healthy participants performing a discrimination task in a Posner-like paradigm while online rTMS interfered with rTPJ activity starting from 250 ms after the target onset (three pulses at 20 Hz per trial). Comparing behavioral outcomes of the active rTMS condition with a Sham condition (i.e., no stimulation), allowed us to directly observe rTMS effects on the neural processes at hand. Our findings showed an intact advantage of being attentionally focused on the attended location along with the cost of rearranging attentional resources to the unattended location in both rTMS and Sham condition, thus supporting that rTPJ should not be involved in triggering the reorienting of attention toward unexpected locations. Rather, rTMS selectively affected participants' ability to update the predictive attentional context, letting us conclude that rTPJ could be engaged in postperceptual and contextual updating mechanisms.
Cortical Beta Oscillations Contributing to Precision Stepping at Gait Initiation.
Nishioka Y, Kokabu T, Hada M … +2 more , Kono R, Matsuura A
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41720618 · Publisher ↗
Precision step control during gait initiation is essential for stable locomotion. This study examined the role of the central nervous system in this process. In Experiment 1, 14 healthy young adults (21.9 ± 0.9 years) pe...
Precision step control during gait initiation is essential for stable locomotion. This study examined the role of the central nervous system in this process. In Experiment 1, 14 healthy young adults (21.9 ± 0.9 years) performed a control task (normal gait initiation) and a precision task (targeted foot placement with the first step). Task movements were divided into three phases: planning, preparation, and swing. Event-related desynchronization (ERD) in the alpha and beta bands (α-ERD and β-ERD) was calculated at Fz, Cz, and Pz for each phase. Step accuracy was evaluated as the outcome measure. In Experiment 2, 10 healthy young adults (22.1 ± 0.8 years) received 30-Hz transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) targeting the primary motor cortex, using a randomized crossover design consisting of active and sham stimulation conditions, to modulate β-ERD. Δβ-ERD and Δstep accuracy were calculated as the difference between post- and pre-stimulation values. In Experiment 1, a significant interaction effect was observed for ERD. Greater β-ERD during the preparation phase of the precision task was observed compared with the control task. Reduced β-ERD at Cz was significantly correlated with better step accuracy. In Experiment 2, no significant stimulation × time interaction was observed for β-ERD or step accuracy, and no significant correlation was found between Δβ-ERD and Δstep accuracy following tACS. These results indicate a close relationship between β-ERD in the sensorimotor cortex and step accuracy, suggesting that beta-band cortical activity plays an important role in precision stepping.
Role of α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor and Protein Kinase C in Rat Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival In Vitro.
Miranda RL, Santos LC, Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque CF … +4 more , Silva AR, Castro-Faria-Neto HC, Giestal-de-Araujo E, Dos Santos AA
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41717902 · Publisher ↗
Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death profoundly impacts vision because RGC axons form the optic nerve, which transmits information to central visual areas. The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) participates in t...
Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death profoundly impacts vision because RGC axons form the optic nerve, which transmits information to central visual areas. The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) participates in the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway and plays a neuroprotective role in the central nervous system. Previously, we showed that protein kinase C activation by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) treatment for 48 h increases the survival of neonatal rat RGCs by modulating muscarinic receptor levels. Herein, we aimed to investigate the effects of the selective α7nAChR agonist PNU-282987 in rat retinal cell cultures and analyse whether the activation of this receptor is involved in PMA-mediated RGC survival. Our results showed that α7nAChR inhibition using methyllycaconitine (MLA) abolished the effects of selected cholinergic agonists on RGC survival. We also observed that PNU-282987 regulates TNF-α and IL-1β levels and release. Moreover, PNU-282987 promoted RGC survival, and its neuroprotection was partially mediated by the induction of TNF-α and IL-1β during the initial stages of culture. MLA blocked the effect of PMA (50 ng/mL) on RGC, whereas PMA slightly increased the α7 subunit levels at 48 h. Further, PMA treatment decreased intracellular TNF-α and p-NF-κB p50 levels through α7nAChR activation. In conclusion, we provide evidence that α7nAChR activation leads to the modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines in rat retinal cell cultures, thereby increasing RGC survival. Furthermore, activated α7nAChR enhances PKC activation and increases RGC survival after axotomy, corroborating the role of this receptor in neuroprotection.
Active Task Engagement Enhances Auditory Brain-Behaviour Prediction From Single-Trial EEG Compared With Passive Listening.
Ma Z, Wang X, Yang X … +3 more , Guo C, Kärkkäinen T, Cong F
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41717878 · Full text
Auditory neural processing during active task engagement and passive listening reflects distinct task contexts with potentially different behavioural relevance. While both contexts elicit deviance-related responses, it r...
Auditory neural processing during active task engagement and passive listening reflects distinct task contexts with potentially different behavioural relevance. While both contexts elicit deviance-related responses, it remains unclear, which yields neural measures that more reliably predict individual differences in behavioural performance. To address this question, we employed a multi-feature auditory paradigm in which frequency, duration, and intensity deviants were presented under passive (no response required) and active (explicit detection required) conditions. EEG was recorded from 47 participants; passive listening was characterized by a prominent mismatch negativity (MMN), whereas active discrimination was characterized by an additional P3b component. Beyond conventional ERP measures, we quantified individual-level neural discriminability using EEGNet, a neural-network-based classifier, by classifying deviant versus standard single-trial epochs and deriving cross-validated decoding accuracy. Behavioural performance was quantified using an efficiency score (ES) that integrates hit rate and reaction time. Participants were stratified into high- and low-performance groups based on a median split of ES. Results showed that the expected MMN during passive listening and the P3b during active discrimination were elicited, as confirmed by spatiotemporal cluster-based permutation analysis. Furthermore, decoding accuracy derived from the active discrimination condition robustly separated high- and low-performance groups (Group × Task: F = 29.62, p < 0.001) and predicted behavioural efficiency across individuals (r = 0.53, p < 0.01). In contrast, passive-listening decoding showed reduced overall discriminability and minimal group separation. Together, these findings indicate that task engagement amplifies the behavioural relevance of single-trial neural discriminability, enabling stronger auditory brain-behaviour prediction than passive listening.
Bi-Cephalic Self-Attended Model to Classify Parkinson's Disease Patients With Freezing of Gait.
Mitin SJ, Rizk R, Scherer M … +4 more , Koeglsperger T, Lench D, Santosh KC, Singh A
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41714177 · Publisher ↗
Parkinson's Disease (PD) often results in motor and cognitive impairments, including gait dysfunction, particularly in patients with freezing of gait (FOG). Current detection methods are either subjective or reliant on s...
Parkinson's Disease (PD) often results in motor and cognitive impairments, including gait dysfunction, particularly in patients with freezing of gait (FOG). Current detection methods are either subjective or reliant on specialized gait analysis tools. This study aims to develop an objective, data-driven, multi-modal classification model for FOG-specific classification, distinguishing PD patients with FOG (PDFOG+) from those without FOG (PDFOG-) and healthy controls using resting-state EEG signals combined with demographic and clinical variables. For our main analysis, we utilized a dataset of 124 participants: 42 PDFOG+, 41 PDFOG-, and 41 age-matched healthy controls. Features extracted from resting-state EEG and descriptive variables (age, education, disease duration) were used to train a novel Bi-cephalic Self-Attention Model (BiSAM). We tested three modalities: signal-only, descriptive-only, and multi-modal, across different EEG channel subsets (BiSAM-63, -16, -8, and -4 for primary analysis). For the main analysis, signal-only (BiSAM-4) and descriptive-only models showed limited performance, achieving a maximum accuracy of 55% and 68%, respectively. In contrast, the multi-modal models significantly outperformed both, with BiSAM-8 and BiSAM-4 achieving the highest classification accuracy of 88%. These results demonstrate the value of integrating EEG with objective descriptive features for robust PDFOG+ classification. This study introduces a multi-modal, attention-based architecture that objectively classifies PDFOG+ using minimal EEG channels and descriptive variables. This approach offers a scalable and efficient alternative to traditional assessments, with potential applications in routine clinical monitoring and early diagnosis of PD-related gait dysfunction.
Anatomical and Neuronal Distribution of the G-Coupled Protein Receptor 75 mRNA in the Mouse Central Nervous System.
Becher MK, Knox T, Wilson K … +2 more , Kromer LF, Mocchetti I
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41714167 · Full text
G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) 75 (GPR75) is a 540 amino acid member of the G class of GPCRs, with no homology with other classic GPCRs. The current focus on GPR75 has centred on its potential role in metabolic disord...
G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) 75 (GPR75) is a 540 amino acid member of the G class of GPCRs, with no homology with other classic GPCRs. The current focus on GPR75 has centred on its potential role in metabolic disorders and cancer. GPR75 expression is abundant in the central nervous system (CNS) more so than in the peripheral tissues; however, much remains unknown about the distribution and role of this receptor throughout the CNS. In this study, we quantified GPR75 mRNA expression in the mouse CNS using RNAscope fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) technology, combined with immunohistochemistry (IHC) to detect GPR75 transcripts in specific neuronal cell types. GPR75 knockout (KO) mice were used as controls and specificity of hybridization. Our results show that GPR75 mRNA expression occurs in several neuronal populations including GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons. In select areas, such as the substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area, locus coeruleus and raphe nucleus, GPR75 mRNA is also highly expressed in monoaminergic neurons. Moreover, we found high expression of GPR75 mRNA in the cerebellum, in both GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons, suggesting a potential role for this receptor in motor/equilibrium activity. Indeed, GPR75 KO mice perform significantly better than wild-type littermates on the rotarod test. Our data suggest that this receptor may play an important role in brain physiology and function.
Ideal Versus Real Group Mental Representations During Communicative Exchange: A Hyperscanning Study.
Acconito C, Allegretta RA, Angioletti L … +1 more , Balconi M
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41711421 · Publisher ↗
Group decision-making is a cognitive and emotional process influenced by mental representations of the group in terms of ideal and real dimensions. This study explored how communication about these representations affect...
Group decision-making is a cognitive and emotional process influenced by mental representations of the group in terms of ideal and real dimensions. This study explored how communication about these representations affects decision-making as well as neural and autonomic responses. Using an electroencephalography (EEG), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and biofeedback (BIO) hyperscanning paradigm, 28 participants divided into dyads discussed group decisions while self-representing either an ideal (Phase 1) or a real (Phase 2) group. EEG bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma bands), oxygenated (OHb) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (HHb), and autonomic measures (i.e., heart rate variability [HRV]) were recorded for individual and dyadic analyses. Single-subject analyses showed increased frontal low-frequency EEG bands, suggesting emotional involvement in all communication exchanges. Higher beta/gamma bands and HHb levels while subjects self-represented the real group indicated greater cognitive and perspective-taking effort. Increased HRV when discussing a group decision while mentally self-representing the ideal compared to the real group suggested greater emotion regulation. Euclidean distance analyses revealed increased delta dissimilarity within dyads, indicating higher emotional and cognitive engagement regardless of group representation. Beta dissimilarity increased when discussing a group decision while mentally self-representing the real group, reflecting higher attentional and cognitive control demands. The multimodal hyperscanning paradigm (combining EEG/fNIRS/BIO) offers complementary insights into the study of communicative exchanges. These findings enhance the understanding of decision-making dynamics and support strategies to improve group communication.
Cross-Modal Transfer as a Window Into the Investigation of Recent Stimulus and Response History in Perceptual Decision-Making.
Fitze DC, Schlunegger D, Mast FW
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 · PMID 41711361 · Full text
Perceptual decisions are shaped by recent stimulus and response history, yet these history effects vary with experimental design and task structure. Their origins, the processing stages involved, the factors that determi...
Perceptual decisions are shaped by recent stimulus and response history, yet these history effects vary with experimental design and task structure. Their origins, the processing stages involved, the factors that determine their magnitude and the sources of individual differences require further investigation. We propose a multisensory approach that leverages cross-modal transfer of history effects as a diagnostic tool to address these open questions. Visual-vestibular stimuli are particularly suitable because both modalities contribute to estimating the body's position in space and they likely share central processing stages. This approach allows for manipulation of response format, independently of sensory stimulation. By moving beyond isolated sensory channels and examine perceptual decisions as they occur in everyday multisensory environments, we provide a framework to investigate when, how and why recent history shapes perception.
Abnormal Spontaneous Brain Activity in Alcohol Use Disorder Patients: A Meta-Analysis Based on Resting-State fMRI.
Ran X, Zhang W, Lv M … +4 more , Huang R, Wang L, Zhang G, Wang A
Eur J Neurosci · 2026 Feb · PMID 41704208 · Publisher ↗
Previous neuroimaging studies have revealed abnormal functional activity in multiple brain regions among individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, due to the heterogeneity in study designs, these findings lac...
Previous neuroimaging studies have revealed abnormal functional activity in multiple brain regions among individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, due to the heterogeneity in study designs, these findings lack consistency, leaving the core neuropathological mechanisms of AUD unclear to date. To address this, we conducted a quantitative whole-brain meta-analysis of relevant resting-state functional imaging data to identify persistent brain region characteristics in individuals with AUD. A systematic literature search was conducted across six databases from their inception to August 8, 2025. Subsequently, a meta-analysis employing the anomaly effect size-marked difference mapping (AES-SDM) method was performed to identify abnormal brain activity patterns in patients with AUD. This was supplemented by jackknife sensitivity analysis, heterogeneity testing, publication bias assessment, subgroup analysis, and meta-regression analysis. The results showed that a total of 16 articles (20 datasets) were included, involving 520 patients with AUD and 523 healthy controls (HCs). SDM meta-analysis revealed enhanced functional activity in the right pars opercularis of the inferior frontal gyrus of AUD patients compared to healthy controls, while reduced functional activity was observed in the bilateral postcentral gyrus and left precuneus. Sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses demonstrated high robustness across all regions. Meta-regression analysis indicated that reduced activity in the left posterior central gyrus was significantly correlated with AUD severity and moderated by age. This study shows AUD patients have abnormal activity in brain regions linked to sensory processing, emotional regulation, and self-awareness, offering comprehensive insights into AUD's neuropathology.
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