{"id":210,"date":"2017-07-17T05:25:40","date_gmt":"2017-07-17T05:25:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sr-research.com\/?page_id=210"},"modified":"2026-02-23T13:43:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T18:43:36","slug":"eeg-fnirs-publications","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sr-research.com\/zh\/eeg-fnirs-publications\/","title":{"rendered":"EEG\u3001fNIRS\u548cTMS\u51fa\u7248\u7269\u4e2d\u7684EyeLink\u773c\u52a8\u4eea"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

EEG, fNIRS, and TMS Eye-Tracking Publications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All EyeLink eye tracker EEG, fNIRS, and TMS research publications (with concurrent eye tracking) up until 2025 (with early 2026s) are listed below by year. You can search the eye-tracking publications using keywords such as P300, Gamma band, NIRS, etc. You can also search for individual author names. If we missed any EyeLink EEG, fNIRS, or TMS articles, please email us<\/strong><\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/form>
982 entries<\/span> «<\/a> ‹<\/a> 1 of 10 ›<\/a> »<\/a> <\/div><\/div>\r\n \r\n
\r\n

2026<\/h3>\r\n <\/td>\r\n <\/tr>

Benjamin G. Lowe; Alexandra Woolgar; Sophie Smit; Anina N. Rich<\/p>

Using EEG to detect lapses in sustained attention to moving stimuli<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Cortex, <\/span>vol. 195, <\/span>pp. 1\u201314, <\/span>2026<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Lowe2026,
\r\ntitle = {Using EEG to detect lapses in sustained attention to moving stimuli},
\r\nauthor = {Benjamin G. Lowe and Alexandra Woolgar and Sophie Smit and Anina N. Rich},
\r\ndoi = {10.1016\/j.cortex.2025.12.002},
\r\nyear  = {2026},
\r\ndate = {2026-02-01},
\r\njournal = {Cortex},
\r\nvolume = {195},
\r\npages = {1\u201314},
\r\nabstract = {Sustaining attention is effortful but crucial for daily life. Despite this, attentional lapses are common and can have fatal consequences (e.g., when driving). The spontaneous nature of these lapses makes studying their underlying phenomena elusive. As such, methods capable of determining when lapses have occurred may be fruitful research tools, with the potential to save lives if implemented within real-world settings. Here, we capitalised on a recent hierarchical classification method, which uses multivariate decoding to index how well human observers sustain their attention within a dynamic visual environment. We asked whether this method could be used to anticipate behavioural errors based on neural activity measured with electroencephalography (EEG},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Estelle Raffin; Roberto F. Salamanca-Giron; Krystel R. Huxlin; Olivier Reynaud; Loan Mattera; Roberto Martuzzi; Friedhelm C. Hummel<\/p>

Causal disconnectomics of motion perception networks: Insights from transcranial magnetic stimulation-induced BOLD responses<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>The Journal of Physiology, <\/span>vol. 604, <\/span>pp. 503\u2013526, <\/span>2026<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Raffin2026,
\r\ntitle = {Causal disconnectomics of motion perception networks: Insights from transcranial magnetic stimulation-induced BOLD responses},
\r\nauthor = {Estelle Raffin and Roberto F. Salamanca-Giron and Krystel R. Huxlin and Olivier Reynaud and Loan Mattera and Roberto Martuzzi and Friedhelm C. Hummel},
\r\ndoi = {10.1113\/JP289699#support-information-section},
\r\nyear  = {2026},
\r\ndate = {2026-01-01},
\r\njournal = {The Journal of Physiology},
\r\nvolume = {604},
\r\npages = {503\u2013526},
\r\nabstract = {Understanding how focal perturbations trigger large-scale network reorganization is essential for uncovering the neural mechanisms that support perception and behaviour. Here we used a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) perturbational approach by applying brief 10 Hz TMS to early visual areas (EVAs) or the medio-temporal (MT) area in healthy participants while recording concurrent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). TMS delivered during the early stages of motion processing specifically impaired direction discrimination at both sites,whereas disruption of the later processing phase impaired performances only for the MT condition. Despite a similar local increase in BOLD activity induced by EVA and MT stimulation, the broader network responses diverged significantly. Perturbation ofEVA elicited a more robust and efficient pattern of functional reorganization, manifesting as more constrained BOLD changes, consistent with greater resilience to focal disruption. In contrast behavioural impairments induced by MT stimulation were accompanied by a disorganized and less-efficient network configuration, characterized by smaller small-world properties and longer path lengths. The decrease in performances induced by MT stimulation scaled with lower clustering coefficients, implying a more random or decentralized network structure. These findings demonstrate that TMS-fMRI coupling provides a powerful framework for causally mapping the relationships between local neural perturbations, large-scale network dynamics and behavioural performance.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Understanding how focal perturbations trigger large-scale network reorganization is essential for uncovering the neural mechanisms that support perception and behaviour. Here we used a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) perturbational approach by applying brief 10 Hz TMS to early visual areas (EVAs) or the medio-temporal (MT) area in healthy participants while recording concurrent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). TMS delivered during the early stages of motion processing specifically impaired direction discrimination at both sites,whereas disruption of the later processing phase impaired performances only for the MT condition. Despite a similar local increase in BOLD activity induced by EVA and MT stimulation, the broader network responses diverged significantly. Perturbation ofEVA elicited a more robust and efficient pattern of functional reorganization, manifesting as more constrained BOLD changes, consistent with greater resilience to focal disruption. In contrast behavioural impairments induced by MT stimulation were accompanied by a disorganized and less-efficient network configuration, characterized by smaller small-world properties and longer path lengths. The decrease in performances induced by MT stimulation scaled with lower clustering coefficients, implying a more random or decentralized network structure. These findings demonstrate that TMS-fMRI coupling provides a powerful framework for causally mapping the relationships between local neural perturbations, large-scale network dynamics and behavioural performance.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Sara LoTemplio; Jack Silcox; David L. Strayer; Brennan R. Payne<\/p>

Single\u2010trial relationships between the error\u2010related negativity, pe, error\u2010related pupillary dilation response, and post\u2010error behavior<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Psychophysiology, <\/span>vol. 63, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>2026<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{LoTemplio2026,
\r\ntitle = {Single\u2010trial relationships between the error\u2010related negativity, pe, error\u2010related pupillary dilation response, and post\u2010error behavior},
\r\nauthor = {Sara LoTemplio and Jack Silcox and David L. Strayer and Brennan R. Payne},
\r\ndoi = {10.1111\/psyp.70216},
\r\nyear  = {2026},
\r\ndate = {2026-01-01},
\r\njournal = {Psychophysiology},
\r\nvolume = {63},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\nabstract = {The amplitude of the error\u2010related negativity (ERN) is known to be correlated with attention to task and general cognitive control abilities. However, previous research has struggled to consistently link ERN amplitude with behavioral accuracy or reaction time in the task from which the ERN is being measured. This lack of relationship could be due to many factors that are difficult to control for, so explorations of other converging measures to understand error\u2010processing and subsequent behavior adjustment are warranted. The current study examines how two other physiological markers of error\u2010processing\u2014the phasic pupillary dilation response (PDR) and the positivity following an error (Pe)\u2014relate to post\u2010error behavior. Additionally, we also examine relationships between the three physiological indices of error\u2010processing. In the study, EEG and pupillometry were simultaneously recorded while participants completed 24 blocks (50 trials each) of an Ericksen Flanker task. For post\u2010error accuracy, we found that on a single\u2010trial level, the amplitude of all three physiological error\u2010processing indices for error trials predicted post\u2010error accuracy. At the subject level, only the PDR predicted average post\u2010error accuracy. For post\u2010error slowing, at the single\u2010trial level, only the Pe predicted post\u2010error slowing, whereas only the ERN predicted post\u2010error slowing at the subject level. We also found that both the ERN and Pe correlated with PDR amplitude. This is consistent with our hypothesis that the Pe and PDR may share underlying neural mechanisms, but qualified by the fact that the ERN, which is not hypothesized to have shared neural mechanisms, also predicted unique variance in pupillary amplitude. Collectively, these results suggest that the PDR and Pe might represent promising indicators of post\u2010error behavior adjustment and highlight the need to examine relationships at multiple levels of analysis.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
The amplitude of the error\u2010related negativity (ERN) is known to be correlated with attention to task and general cognitive control abilities. However, previous research has struggled to consistently link ERN amplitude with behavioral accuracy or reaction time in the task from which the ERN is being measured. This lack of relationship could be due to many factors that are difficult to control for, so explorations of other converging measures to understand error\u2010processing and subsequent behavior adjustment are warranted. The current study examines how two other physiological markers of error\u2010processing\u2014the phasic pupillary dilation response (PDR) and the positivity following an error (Pe)\u2014relate to post\u2010error behavior. Additionally, we also examine relationships between the three physiological indices of error\u2010processing. In the study, EEG and pupillometry were simultaneously recorded while participants completed 24 blocks (50 trials each) of an Ericksen Flanker task. For post\u2010error accuracy, we found that on a single\u2010trial level, the amplitude of all three physiological error\u2010processing indices for error trials predicted post\u2010error accuracy. At the subject level, only the PDR predicted average post\u2010error accuracy. For post\u2010error slowing, at the single\u2010trial level, only the Pe predicted post\u2010error slowing, whereas only the ERN predicted post\u2010error slowing at the subject level. We also found that both the ERN and Pe correlated with PDR amplitude. This is consistent with our hypothesis that the Pe and PDR may share underlying neural mechanisms, but qualified by the fact that the ERN, which is not hypothesized to have shared neural mechanisms, also predicted unique variance in pupillary amplitude. Collectively, these results suggest that the PDR and Pe might represent promising indicators of post\u2010error behavior adjustment and highlight the need to examine relationships at multiple levels of analysis.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Thomas Seacrist; Elizabeth A. Walshe; Shukai Cheng; Emily Brown; Charlotte Birnbaum; Victoria Kaufman; Flaura K. Winston; William C. Gaetz<\/p>

A novel paradigm for identifying eye-tracking metrics associated with cognitive control during driving through MEG neuroimaging<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, <\/span>vol. 116, <\/span>pp. 1\u201313, <\/span>2026<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Seacrist2026,
\r\ntitle = {A novel paradigm for identifying eye-tracking metrics associated with cognitive control during driving through MEG neuroimaging},
\r\nauthor = {Thomas Seacrist and Elizabeth A. Walshe and Shukai Cheng and Emily Brown and Charlotte Birnbaum and Victoria Kaufman and Flaura K. Winston and William C. Gaetz},
\r\ndoi = {10.1016\/j.trf.2025.103434},
\r\nyear  = {2026},
\r\ndate = {2026-01-01},
\r\njournal = {Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour},
\r\nvolume = {116},
\r\npages = {1\u201313},
\r\npublisher = {Elsevier Ltd},
\r\nabstract = {Understanding the neurocognitive underpinnings of driving behavior in adolescents is critical to improving road safety. To address this, we established a novel paradigm linking magnetoencephalography (MEG)-recorded frequency-specific brain activity to simulated driving performance, identifying periods of increased cognitive control. However, this initial paradigm did not incorporate eye-tracking \u2013 a potentially scalable proxy for cognitive control that could be leveraged by in-vehicle driver monitoring systems. This proof-of-concept study expands our paradigm by integrating eye-tracking to identify scanning behavior metrics associated with periods of increased cognitive control validated by MEG. Typically developing adolescents (n = 11; mean age = 15.1 \u00b1 1.5 yrs) completed three driving tasks of varying cognitive demand, and MEG frequency specific analysis confirmed periods of high (Hi) and low (Lo) cognitive control via the established biomarker of frontal midline theta (FMT). Fixation count, fixation duration, horizontal\/vertical mean gaze position, saccade amplitude, and horizontal\/vertical spread of search were compared between Hi vs. Lo periods of cognitive control. Task-specific differences in fixation count (p < 0.05), mean gaze position (p < 0.01), saccade amplitude (p < 0.05), and spread of search (p < 0.01) were observed between Hi compared to Lo cognitive control periods. These differences corresponded to expected task-specific changes in scanning behavior that would accompany cognitive control over behavior, suggesting a signal that eye-tracking may serve as a proxy for underlying neurocognitive processes. This integrated approach demonstrates methodological rigor and offers a promising framework for further research and informing development of in-vehicle driver monitoring systems for detecting cognitive deficits in real time, with implications for enhancing teen driver safety.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Understanding the neurocognitive underpinnings of driving behavior in adolescents is critical to improving road safety. To address this, we established a novel paradigm linking magnetoencephalography (MEG)-recorded frequency-specific brain activity to simulated driving performance, identifying periods of increased cognitive control. However, this initial paradigm did not incorporate eye-tracking \u2013 a potentially scalable proxy for cognitive control that could be leveraged by in-vehicle driver monitoring systems. This proof-of-concept study expands our paradigm by integrating eye-tracking to identify scanning behavior metrics associated with periods of increased cognitive control validated by MEG. Typically developing adolescents (n = 11; mean age = 15.1 \u00b1 1.5 yrs) completed three driving tasks of varying cognitive demand, and MEG frequency specific analysis confirmed periods of high (Hi) and low (Lo) cognitive control via the established biomarker of frontal midline theta (FMT). Fixation count, fixation duration, horizontal\/vertical mean gaze position, saccade amplitude, and horizontal\/vertical spread of search were compared between Hi vs. Lo periods of cognitive control. Task-specific differences in fixation count (p < 0.05), mean gaze position (p < 0.01), saccade amplitude (p < 0.05), and spread of search (p < 0.01) were observed between Hi compared to Lo cognitive control periods. These differences corresponded to expected task-specific changes in scanning behavior that would accompany cognitive control over behavior, suggesting a signal that eye-tracking may serve as a proxy for underlying neurocognitive processes. This integrated approach demonstrates methodological rigor and offers a promising framework for further research and informing development of in-vehicle driver monitoring systems for detecting cognitive deficits in real time, with implications for enhancing teen driver safety.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Wiktor Wicec\u0142awski; Jakub Paszulewicz<\/p>

ERP evidence of attentional selection outside of effective oculomotor range<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Experimental Brain Research, <\/span>vol. 244, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u20139, <\/span>2026<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Wi\u0229clawski2026,
\r\ntitle = {ERP evidence of attentional selection outside of effective oculomotor range},
\r\nauthor = {Wiktor Wicec\u0142awski and Jakub Paszulewicz},
\r\ndoi = {10.1007\/s00221-025-07219-0},
\r\nyear  = {2026},
\r\ndate = {2026-01-01},
\r\njournal = {Experimental Brain Research},
\r\nvolume = {244},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u20139},
\r\npublisher = {Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH},
\r\nabstract = {The close link between visual attention and the oculomotor system is well documented. Within the selection-for-action framework, two perspectives exist. According to Visual Attention Model (VAM) attention is seen as a prerequisite for successful movement execution, though it is considered a distinct cognitive and neural process. By contrast, the premotor theory of attention (PMTA) argues that the beneficial effects of attention are fully accounted for by the system's preparation for saccadic eye movements. From this standpoint, a central prediction emerges: attentional advantages should be confined to regions within the oculomotor range, since saccadic planning is not feasible outside those limits. A common way to examine this prediction is to present cues and targets in a hemifield beyond the oculomotor range, typically achieved by occluding one eye while abducting the other. Using this method, Smith et al. showed that in a visual search task, exogenous orienting is reduced in the temporal hemifield when the eye is abducted. They concluded that exogenous attentional orienting is constrained by the range of potential saccadic movements. In our study, we sought to replicate Smith et al.'s findings while extending the paradigm with EEG recordings\u2014an approach not yet applied in this context. PMTA predicts that, under eye abduction, stimuli appearing in the temporal hemifield would yield diminished N2pc amplitudes. An ANOVA revealed no reduction of N2pc amplitude in the temporal hemifield. Taken together, our results support the growing body of evidence suggesting that visual attention is not strictly bound to the oculomotor range.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
The close link between visual attention and the oculomotor system is well documented. Within the selection-for-action framework, two perspectives exist. According to Visual Attention Model (VAM) attention is seen as a prerequisite for successful movement execution, though it is considered a distinct cognitive and neural process. By contrast, the premotor theory of attention (PMTA) argues that the beneficial effects of attention are fully accounted for by the system's preparation for saccadic eye movements. From this standpoint, a central prediction emerges: attentional advantages should be confined to regions within the oculomotor range, since saccadic planning is not feasible outside those limits. A common way to examine this prediction is to present cues and targets in a hemifield beyond the oculomotor range, typically achieved by occluding one eye while abducting the other. Using this method, Smith et al. showed that in a visual search task, exogenous orienting is reduced in the temporal hemifield when the eye is abducted. They concluded that exogenous attentional orienting is constrained by the range of potential saccadic movements. In our study, we sought to replicate Smith et al.'s findings while extending the paradigm with EEG recordings\u2014an approach not yet applied in this context. PMTA predicts that, under eye abduction, stimuli appearing in the temporal hemifield would yield diminished N2pc amplitudes. An ANOVA revealed no reduction of N2pc amplitude in the temporal hemifield. Taken together, our results support the growing body of evidence suggesting that visual attention is not strictly bound to the oculomotor range.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
\r\n

2025<\/h3>\r\n <\/td>\r\n <\/tr>

Mrugank Dake; Clayton E. Curtis<\/p>

Perturbing human V1 degrades the fidelity of visual working memory<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Nature Communications, <\/span>vol. 16, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u20138, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Dake2025,
\r\ntitle = {Perturbing human V1 degrades the fidelity of visual working memory},
\r\nauthor = {Mrugank Dake and Clayton E. Curtis},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41467-025-57882-8},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Nature Communications},
\r\nvolume = {16},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u20138},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Decades of macaque research established the importance of prefrontal cortex for working memory. Surprisingly, recent human neuroimaging studies demonstrated that the contents of working memory can be decoded from primary visual cortex (V1). However the necessity of this mnemonic information remains unknown and contentious. Here we provide causal evidence that transcranial magnetic stimulation targeting human V1 disrupted the fidelity of visual working memory. Errors increased only for targets remembered in the portion of the visual field disrupted by stimulation. Moreover, concurrently measured electroencephalography confirmed that stimulation disrupted not only memory behavior, but neurophysiological signatures of working memory. These results change the question from whether visual cortex is necessary for working memory to what mechanisms it uses to support memory. Moreover, they point to models in which the mechanisms supporting working memory are distributed across brain regions, including sensory areas that here we show are critical for memory storage.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Burcu Bayram; David Meijer; Roberto Barumerli; Michelle Spierings; Robert Baumgartner; Ulrich Pomper<\/p>

Bayesian prior uncertainty and surprisal elicit distinct neural patterns during sound localization in dynamic environments<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Scientific Reports, <\/span>vol. 15, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201318, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Bayram2025,
\r\ntitle = {Bayesian prior uncertainty and surprisal elicit distinct neural patterns during sound localization in dynamic environments},
\r\nauthor = {Burcu Bayram and David Meijer and Roberto Barumerli and Michelle Spierings and Robert Baumgartner and Ulrich Pomper},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41598-025-90269-9},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Scientific Reports},
\r\nvolume = {15},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201318},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Estimating the location of a stimulus is a key function in sensory processing, and widely considered to result from the integration of prior information and sensory input according to Bayesian principles. A deviation of sensory input from the prior elicits surprisal, depending on the uncertainty of the prior. While this mechanism is increasingly understood in the visual domain, much less is known about its implementation in audition, especially regarding spatial localization. Here, we combined human EEG with computational modeling to study auditory spatial inference in a noisy, volatile environment and analyzed behavioral and neural patterns associated with prior uncertainty and surprisal. First, our results demonstrate that participants indeed used prior information during periods of stable environmental statistics, but showed evidence of surprisal and discarded prior information following environmental changes. Second, we observed distinct EEG activity patterns associated with prior uncertainty and surprisal in both the time- and time\u2013frequency domain, which are in line with previous studies using visual tasks. Third, these EEG activity patterns were predictive of our participants' sound localization error, response uncertainty, and prior bias on a trial-by-trial basis. In summary, our work provides novel behavioral and neural evidence for Bayesian inference during dynamic auditory localization.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Estimating the location of a stimulus is a key function in sensory processing, and widely considered to result from the integration of prior information and sensory input according to Bayesian principles. A deviation of sensory input from the prior elicits surprisal, depending on the uncertainty of the prior. While this mechanism is increasingly understood in the visual domain, much less is known about its implementation in audition, especially regarding spatial localization. Here, we combined human EEG with computational modeling to study auditory spatial inference in a noisy, volatile environment and analyzed behavioral and neural patterns associated with prior uncertainty and surprisal. First, our results demonstrate that participants indeed used prior information during periods of stable environmental statistics, but showed evidence of surprisal and discarded prior information following environmental changes. Second, we observed distinct EEG activity patterns associated with prior uncertainty and surprisal in both the time- and time\u2013frequency domain, which are in line with previous studies using visual tasks. Third, these EEG activity patterns were predictive of our participants' sound localization error, response uncertainty, and prior bias on a trial-by-trial basis. In summary, our work provides novel behavioral and neural evidence for Bayesian inference during dynamic auditory localization.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Lixiang Chen; Radoslaw Martin Cichy; Daniel Kaiser<\/p>

Representational shifts from feedforward to feedback rhythms index phenomenological integration in naturalistic vision<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Communications Biology, <\/span>vol. 8, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u20135, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Chen2025f,
\r\ntitle = {Representational shifts from feedforward to feedback rhythms index phenomenological integration in naturalistic vision},
\r\nauthor = {Lixiang Chen and Radoslaw Martin Cichy and Daniel Kaiser},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s42003-025-08011-0},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Communications Biology},
\r\nvolume = {8},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u20135},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {How does the brain integrate complex and dynamic visual inputs into phenomenologically seamless percepts? Previous results demonstrate that when visual inputs are organized coherently across space and time, they are more strongly encoded in feedback-related alpha rhythms, and less strongly in feedforward-related gamma rhythms. Here, we tested whether this representational shift from feedforward to feedback rhythms is linked to the phenomenological experience of coherence. In an Electroencephalography (EEG) study, we manipulated the degree of spatiotemporal coherence by presenting two segments from the same video across visual hemifields, either synchronously or asynchronously (with a delay between segments). We asked participants whether they perceived the stimulus as coherent or incoherent. When stimuli were presented at the perceptual threshold (i.e., when the same stimulus was judged as coherent 50% of times), perception co-varied with stimulus coding across alpha and gamma rhythms: When stimuli were perceived as coherent, they were represented in alpha activity; when stimuli were perceived as incoherent, they were represented in gamma activity. Whether the same visual input is perceived as coherent or incoherent thus depends on representational shifts between feedback-related alpha and feedforward-related gamma rhythms.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Andrew W. Corcoran; Arthur Le Coz; Jakob Hohwy; Thomas Andrillon<\/p>

When your heart isn't in it anymore: Cardiac correlates of task disengagement<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Communications Biology, <\/span>vol. 8, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201316, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Corcoran2025,
\r\ntitle = {When your heart isn't in it anymore: Cardiac correlates of task disengagement},
\r\nauthor = {Andrew W. Corcoran and Arthur Le Coz and Jakob Hohwy and Thomas Andrillon},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s42003-025-09026-3},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Communications Biology},
\r\nvolume = {8},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201316},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Neuroscience is beginning to uncover the role of interoceptive feedback in perception, learning, and decision-making; however, the relation between spontaneous visceral and cognitive dynamics has received surprisingly little scrutiny. Here, we investigate how subjective, physiological, and behavioural indicators of arousal and attentional state vary in relation to ongoing cardiac activity and brain-heart coupling. Electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, and pupillometric records were obtained from 65 adults during the performance of a sustained attention to response task (SART). Thought probes were intermittently administered during the SART to collect subjective reports of attentional state (on-task, mind-wandering, mind-blanking) and vigilance level (alertness vs. sleepiness). Mind-wandering and mind-blanking reports increased in frequency with time-on-task and were accompanied by decreases in alertness and pupil-linked arousal, but evinced distinct psychophysiological and behavioural profiles: While mind-wandering was associated with greater heart-rate variability and late modulation of the heartbeat-evoked potential, mind-blanking was characterised by more profound decreases in heart-rate, pupil size, and brain-heart coupling. Lower heart-rate predicted decreased vigilance and pupil size, in addition to slower, less-biased responses; increased heart-rate variability predicted more impulsive behaviour and pupil dilation. Together, these findings reveal that cardiac parameters and brain-heart connectivity measures afford complementary information about arousal states and attentional dynamics during task performance.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Neuroscience is beginning to uncover the role of interoceptive feedback in perception, learning, and decision-making; however, the relation between spontaneous visceral and cognitive dynamics has received surprisingly little scrutiny. Here, we investigate how subjective, physiological, and behavioural indicators of arousal and attentional state vary in relation to ongoing cardiac activity and brain-heart coupling. Electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, and pupillometric records were obtained from 65 adults during the performance of a sustained attention to response task (SART). Thought probes were intermittently administered during the SART to collect subjective reports of attentional state (on-task, mind-wandering, mind-blanking) and vigilance level (alertness vs. sleepiness). Mind-wandering and mind-blanking reports increased in frequency with time-on-task and were accompanied by decreases in alertness and pupil-linked arousal, but evinced distinct psychophysiological and behavioural profiles: While mind-wandering was associated with greater heart-rate variability and late modulation of the heartbeat-evoked potential, mind-blanking was characterised by more profound decreases in heart-rate, pupil size, and brain-heart coupling. Lower heart-rate predicted decreased vigilance and pupil size, in addition to slower, less-biased responses; increased heart-rate variability predicted more impulsive behaviour and pupil dilation. Together, these findings reveal that cardiac parameters and brain-heart connectivity measures afford complementary information about arousal states and attentional dynamics during task performance.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Katharina Duecker; Kimron L. Shapiro; Simon Hanslmayr; Benjamin J. Griffiths; Yali Pan; Jeremy M. Wolfe; Ole Jensen<\/p>

Guided visual search is associated with target boosting and distractor suppression in early visual cortex<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Communications Biology, <\/span>vol. 8, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201311, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Duecker2025,
\r\ntitle = {Guided visual search is associated with target boosting and distractor suppression in early visual cortex},
\r\nauthor = {Katharina Duecker and Kimron L. Shapiro and Simon Hanslmayr and Benjamin J. Griffiths and Yali Pan and Jeremy M. Wolfe and Ole Jensen},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s42003-025-08321-3},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Communications Biology},
\r\nvolume = {8},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201311},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Visual attention paradigms have revealed that neural excitability in higher-order visual areas is modulated according to a priority map guiding attention towards task-relevant locations. Neural activity in early visual regions, however, has been argued to be modulated based on bottom-up salience. Here, we combined Magnetoencephalography (MEG) and Rapid Invisible Frequency Tagging (RIFT) in a classic visual search paradigm to study feature-guidance in early human visual cortex. Our results demonstrate evidence for both target boosting and distractor suppression when the participants were informed about the task-relevant and -irrelevant colour (guided search) compared to when they were not (unguided search). These results conceptually replicated using both a magnitude-squared coherence approach and a General Linear Model based on a single-trial measure of the RIFT response. The present findings reveal that feature-guidance in visual search affects neuronal excitability as early as primary visual cortex, possibly contributing to a priority-map-based mechanism.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Matthias Grabenhorst; David Poeppel; Georgios Michalareas<\/p>

Neural signatures of temporal anticipation in human cortex represent event probability density<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Nature Communications, <\/span>vol. 16, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201317, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Grabenhorst2025,
\r\ntitle = {Neural signatures of temporal anticipation in human cortex represent event probability density},
\r\nauthor = {Matthias Grabenhorst and David Poeppel and Georgios Michalareas},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41467-025-57813-7},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Nature Communications},
\r\nvolume = {16},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201317},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Temporal prediction is a fundamental function of neural systems. Recent results show that humans anticipate future events by calculating probability density functions, rather than hazard rates. However, direct neural evidence for this hypothesized mechanism is lacking. We recorded neural activity using magnetoencephalography as participants anticipated auditory and visual events distributed in time. We show that temporal anticipation, measured as reaction times, approximates the event probability density function, but not hazard rate. Temporal anticipation manifests as spatiotemporally patterned activity in three anatomically and functionally distinct parieto-temporal and sensorimotor cortical areas. Each of these areas revealed a marked neural signature of anticipation: Prior to sensory cues, activity in a specific frequency range of neural oscillations, spanning alpha and beta ranges, encodes the event probability density function. These neural signals predicted reaction times to imminent sensory cues. These results demonstrate that supra-modal representations of probability density across cortex underlie the anticipation of future events.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Luise P. Graichen; Magdalena S. Linder; Lars Keuter; Ole Jensen; Christian F. Doeller; Claus Lamm; Tobias Staudigl; Isabella C. Wagner<\/p>

Entorhinal grid-like codes for visual space during memory formation<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Nature Communications, <\/span>vol. 16, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201315, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Graichen2025,
\r\ntitle = {Entorhinal grid-like codes for visual space during memory formation},
\r\nauthor = {Luise P. Graichen and Magdalena S. Linder and Lars Keuter and Ole Jensen and Christian F. Doeller and Claus Lamm and Tobias Staudigl and Isabella C. Wagner},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41467-025-64307-z},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Nature Communications},
\r\nvolume = {16},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201315},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Eye movements, such as saccades, allow us to gather information about the environment and, in this way, can shape memory. In non-human primates, saccades are associated with the activity of grid cells in the entorhinal cortex. Grid cells are essential for spatial navigation, but whether saccade-based grid-like signals play a role in human memory formation is currently unclear. Here, human participants undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging and continuous eye gaze monitoring while studying scene images. Recognition memory is probed immediately thereafter. Results reveal saccade-based grid-like codes in the left entorhinal cortex that are specific to later remembered trials during study, a finding that we replicate with an independent data set. The grid-related effects are time-locked to activation increases in the frontal eye fields. Unexpectedly, lower saccade-based grid-like codes are associated with better subsequent recognition memory performance. Our findings suggest an entorhinal map of visual space that is timed with neural activity in oculomotor regions, and negatively associated with subsequent memory. Grid-like codes, entorhinal cortex, saccades, frontal eye fields (FEF), memory, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Jason Helbing; Dejan Draschkow; Melissa L. H. V\u00f5<\/p>

Incidental encoding of objects during search is stronger than intentional memorization due to increased recollection rather than familiarity<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 37, <\/span>no. 12, <\/span>pp. 2538\u20132557, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Helbing2025,
\r\ntitle = {Incidental encoding of objects during search is stronger than intentional memorization due to increased recollection rather than familiarity},
\r\nauthor = {Jason Helbing and Dejan Draschkow and Melissa L. H. V\u00f5},
\r\ndoi = {10.1162\/JOCN.a.80},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {37},
\r\nnumber = {12},
\r\npages = {2538\u20132557},
\r\nabstract = {Most memory is not formed deliberately but as a by-product of natural behavior. These incidental representations, when generated during visual search, can be stronger than intentionally memorized content (search superiority effect). However, it is unknown if the search superiority effect is purely quantitative (stronger memory) or also driven by differences in the degrees of recollection and familiarity, two hallmark processes supporting recognition memory. Here, we use signal detection modeling, introspective judgments, event-related EEG potentials, and eye tracking measures to answer this question. In a preregistered study, 30 participants searched for objects in scenes and intentionally memorized others before completing a surprise recognition memory test. Behavioral data from remember-know judgments and receiver operating characteristics indicate that search targets were more often recollected compared with intentionally memorized objects, whereas the two tasks did not lead to differences in familiarity. Surprisingly, the neural signatures did not fully align with the behavioral findings regarding recollection and familiarity. That is, both search targets and intentionally memorized objects elicited a more positive-going mid-frontal negativity peaking at around 400 msec post stimulus onset (FN400), which is associated with familiarity, as well as a more positive-going parietal late component (LPC), indicative of recollection. Both components showed no differences between tasks, indicating equal contributions of recollection and familiarity to remembering searched and memorized objects. Furthermore, the LPC was, as expected, sensitive to differences between recollected and familiar objects when these were intentionally memorized, but it was not affected by these differences for searched objects. Overall, our findings indicate that search superiority relies predominantly on increased recollection. The fact that established neural markers of recollection (LPC) behaved as anticipated for intentionally memorized objects but carried no predictive power for incidentally memorized objects implies that memories established in more ecologically valid tasks might involve neural processes different from those activated in commonly used settings that are more reductionist.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Most memory is not formed deliberately but as a by-product of natural behavior. These incidental representations, when generated during visual search, can be stronger than intentionally memorized content (search superiority effect). However, it is unknown if the search superiority effect is purely quantitative (stronger memory) or also driven by differences in the degrees of recollection and familiarity, two hallmark processes supporting recognition memory. Here, we use signal detection modeling, introspective judgments, event-related EEG potentials, and eye tracking measures to answer this question. In a preregistered study, 30 participants searched for objects in scenes and intentionally memorized others before completing a surprise recognition memory test. Behavioral data from remember-know judgments and receiver operating characteristics indicate that search targets were more often recollected compared with intentionally memorized objects, whereas the two tasks did not lead to differences in familiarity. Surprisingly, the neural signatures did not fully align with the behavioral findings regarding recollection and familiarity. That is, both search targets and intentionally memorized objects elicited a more positive-going mid-frontal negativity peaking at around 400 msec post stimulus onset (FN400), which is associated with familiarity, as well as a more positive-going parietal late component (LPC), indicative of recollection. Both components showed no differences between tasks, indicating equal contributions of recollection and familiarity to remembering searched and memorized objects. Furthermore, the LPC was, as expected, sensitive to differences between recollected and familiar objects when these were intentionally memorized, but it was not affected by these differences for searched objects. Overall, our findings indicate that search superiority relies predominantly on increased recollection. The fact that established neural markers of recollection (LPC) behaved as anticipated for intentionally memorized objects but carried no predictive power for incidentally memorized objects implies that memories established in more ecologically valid tasks might involve neural processes different from those activated in commonly used settings that are more reductionist.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Dorottya Hetenyi; Joost Haarsma; Peter Kok<\/p>

Contents of visual predictions oscillate at alpha frequencies<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>The Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 49, <\/span>pp. 1\u201312, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Hetenyi2025,
\r\ntitle = {Contents of visual predictions oscillate at alpha frequencies},
\r\nauthor = {Dorottya Hetenyi and Joost Haarsma and Peter Kok},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.0474-25.2025},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {The Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {49},
\r\npages = {1\u201312},
\r\nabstract = {Predictions of future events have a major impact on how we process sensory signals. However, it remains unclear how the brain keeps predictions online in anticipation of future inputs. Here, we combined magnetoencephalography (MEG) and multivariate decoding techniques to investigate the content of perceptual predictions and their frequency characteristics. Thirty-two participants (23 female) were engaged in a shape discrimination task, while auditory cues predicted which specific shape would likely appear. Frequency analysis revealed significant oscillatory fluctuations of predicted shape representations in the pre-stimulus window in the alpha band (10\u201311 Hz). Furthermore, we found that this stimulus-specific alpha power was linked to expectation effects on shape discrimination behavior. Our findings demonstrate that sensory predictions are embedded in pre-stimulus alpha oscillations and modulate subsequent perceptual performance, providing a neural mechanism through which the brain deploys perceptual predictions.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Xin Huang; Hezul Tin Yan Ng; Chien Ho Lin; Ming Yan; Olaf Dimigen; Werner Sommer; Urs Maurer<\/p>

How the dominant reading direction changes parafoveal processing: A combined EEG\/eye-tracking study<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Psychophysiology, <\/span>vol. 62, <\/span>no. 12, <\/span>pp. 1\u201322, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Huang2025e,
\r\ntitle = {How the dominant reading direction changes parafoveal processing: A combined EEG\/eye-tracking study},
\r\nauthor = {Xin Huang and Hezul Tin Yan Ng and Chien Ho Lin and Ming Yan and Olaf Dimigen and Werner Sommer and Urs Maurer},
\r\ndoi = {10.1111\/psyp.70205},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Psychophysiology},
\r\nvolume = {62},
\r\nnumber = {12},
\r\npages = {1\u201322},
\r\nabstract = {Reading directions vary across writing systems. Through long-term experience, readers adjust their visual systems to the dominant reading direction in their writing systems. However, little is known about the neural correlates underlying these adjustments because different writing systems do not just differ in reading direction, but also in visual and linguistic properties. Here, we took advantage of the fact that Chinese is read to different degrees in left-to-right or top-to-bottom directions in different regions. We investigated visual word processing in participants from Taiwan (both top-to-bottom and left-to-right directions) and from mainland China (only left-to-right direction). We used combined EEG\/eye-tracking with a saccade-contingent parafoveal preview manipulation to investigate how the dominant reading direction shapes neural visual processing while participants read 5-word lists. Fixation-related potentials (FRPs) showed a reduced late N1 effect (preview positivity), but this effect was modulated by prior experience with a specific reading direction. Results replicated previous findings that valid previews facilitate visual word processing, as indicated by reduced FRP activation. Critically, the results provide the first neuroelectric evidence that this facilitation effect depends on experience with a given reading direction. The findings provide insight into how cultural experience shapes the way people process visual information and demonstrate how a person's everyday visual experience can influence how the brain processes parafoveal information.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Reading directions vary across writing systems. Through long-term experience, readers adjust their visual systems to the dominant reading direction in their writing systems. However, little is known about the neural correlates underlying these adjustments because different writing systems do not just differ in reading direction, but also in visual and linguistic properties. Here, we took advantage of the fact that Chinese is read to different degrees in left-to-right or top-to-bottom directions in different regions. We investigated visual word processing in participants from Taiwan (both top-to-bottom and left-to-right directions) and from mainland China (only left-to-right direction). We used combined EEG\/eye-tracking with a saccade-contingent parafoveal preview manipulation to investigate how the dominant reading direction shapes neural visual processing while participants read 5-word lists. Fixation-related potentials (FRPs) showed a reduced late N1 effect (preview positivity), but this effect was modulated by prior experience with a specific reading direction. Results replicated previous findings that valid previews facilitate visual word processing, as indicated by reduced FRP activation. Critically, the results provide the first neuroelectric evidence that this facilitation effect depends on experience with a given reading direction. The findings provide insight into how cultural experience shapes the way people process visual information and demonstrate how a person's everyday visual experience can influence how the brain processes parafoveal information.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Dirk Kerzel<\/p>

Electrophysiological evidence for the optimal tuning of attention<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Scientific Reports, <\/span>vol. 15, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201314, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Kerzel2025,
\r\ntitle = {Electrophysiological evidence for the optimal tuning of attention},
\r\nauthor = {Dirk Kerzel},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41598-025-90687-9},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Scientific Reports},
\r\nvolume = {15},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201314},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Optimal tuning of attention refers to shifts in goal-driven attention that increase the difference between the representation of the target and nontarget features. Evidence for optimal tuning comes from studies measuring the memory representation of the target and, to a lesser degree, from studies measuring attentional selectivity. In one study on attentional selectivity, cueing effects were found to be greater for cue colors deviating away from the nontarget color compared to cue colors deviating toward the nontarget color, suggesting that participants' search goal was optimally tuned. To address alternative accounts, we measured event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by different cue colors at posterior electrodes PO7\/PO8. We found that ERPs associated with attentional orienting (N1pc) or selection (N2pc) were larger for cue colors deviating away from the nontarget color, which is consistent with the optimal tuning of attention. In contrast, the results are difficult to reconcile with alternative accounts such as rapid disengagement or object updating. Further, we aimed to evaluate contributions from sensory adaptation by analyzing the Ppc component, a lateralized ERP in the P1 time range. Two control conditions, however, suggested that the Ppc was more likely driven by imbalanced saliency than sensory adaptation.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Guoyang Liu; Yueyuan Zheng; Michelle Hei Lam Tsang; Yazhou Zhao; Janet H. Hsiao<\/p>

Understanding the role of eye movement pattern and consistency during face recognition through EEG decoding<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>npj Science of Learning, <\/span>vol. 10, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201313, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Liu2025i,
\r\ntitle = {Understanding the role of eye movement pattern and consistency during face recognition through EEG decoding},
\r\nauthor = {Guoyang Liu and Yueyuan Zheng and Michelle Hei Lam Tsang and Yazhou Zhao and Janet H. Hsiao},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41539-025-00316-3},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {npj Science of Learning},
\r\nvolume = {10},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201313},
\r\npublisher = {Springer Nature},
\r\nabstract = {Eye movement patterns and consistency during face recognition are both associated with recognition performance. We examined whether they reflect different mechanisms through EEG decoding. Eighty-four participants performed an old-new face recognition task with eye movement pattern and consistency quantified using eye movement analysis with hidden Markov models (EMHMM). Temporal dynamics of neural representation quality for face recognition were assessed through decoding old vs new faces using a support vector machine classifier. Results showed that a more eye-focused pattern was associated with higher decoding accuracy in the high-alpha band, reflecting better neural representation quality. In contrast, higher eye movement consistency was associated with shorter latency of peak decoding accuracy in the high-alpha band, which suggested more efficient neural representation development, in addition to higher ERP decoding accuracy. Thus, eye movement patterns are associated with neural representation effectiveness, whereas eye movement consistency reflects neural representation development efficiency, unraveling different aspects of cognitive processes.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Marie Loescher; Patrick Haggard; Catherine Tallon-Baudry<\/p>

Interoception vs. exteroception: Cardiac interoception competes with tactile perception, yet also facilitates self-relevance encoding<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>PNAS, <\/span>vol. 122, <\/span>no. 49, <\/span>pp. 1\u201312, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Loescher2025,
\r\ntitle = {Interoception vs. exteroception: Cardiac interoception competes with tactile perception, yet also facilitates self-relevance encoding},
\r\nauthor = {Marie Loescher and Patrick Haggard and Catherine Tallon-Baudry},
\r\ndoi = {10.1073\/pnas.2516229122},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {PNAS},
\r\nvolume = {122},
\r\nnumber = {49},
\r\npages = {1\u201312},
\r\nabstract = {Internal bodily signals, notably the heartbeat, influence our perception of the external world\u2014but the nature of this influence remains unclear. Different frameworks, originating in opposing views of the function of interoception, have developed largely in parallel. One line of evidence (Internal\/External Competition) indicates that interoceptive and exteroceptive inputs compete for neural resources. Another line (Self-related Facilitation) shows a link between interoceptive and self-related processing, which might include computing the self-relevance of exteroceptive inputs. We contrasted these accounts within a single experimental task for which they yielded distinct predictions. We measured heartbeat-evoked potentials (HEPs, a measure of cardiac interoception) with electroencephalogram and manipulated the self-relevance of an audio-tactile stimulus by placing the audio source either inside or outside the peripersonal space immediately around the body. On the one hand, prestimulus HEP amplitudes over the somatosensory cortex were linked to slower reaction times and affected audio-tactile stimulus-evoked responses in the same area, indicating competition for shared neural resources. On the other hand, prestimulus HEPs over integrative sensorimotor and default-mode network regions facilitated stimulus self-relevance encoding, both in reaction times and audio-tactile evoked responses. Importantly, Competition and Facilitation effects were spatially and statistically independent from each other. We therefore reconcile the two views by showing the coexistence of two independent mechanisms: one that allocates neural resources to either internal bodily signals or the external world, and another by which interoception and exteroception are combined to determine the self-relevance of external signals. Our results highlight the multidimensionality of HEPs and of internal states more generally.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Internal bodily signals, notably the heartbeat, influence our perception of the external world\u2014but the nature of this influence remains unclear. Different frameworks, originating in opposing views of the function of interoception, have developed largely in parallel. One line of evidence (Internal\/External Competition) indicates that interoceptive and exteroceptive inputs compete for neural resources. Another line (Self-related Facilitation) shows a link between interoceptive and self-related processing, which might include computing the self-relevance of exteroceptive inputs. We contrasted these accounts within a single experimental task for which they yielded distinct predictions. We measured heartbeat-evoked potentials (HEPs, a measure of cardiac interoception) with electroencephalogram and manipulated the self-relevance of an audio-tactile stimulus by placing the audio source either inside or outside the peripersonal space immediately around the body. On the one hand, prestimulus HEP amplitudes over the somatosensory cortex were linked to slower reaction times and affected audio-tactile stimulus-evoked responses in the same area, indicating competition for shared neural resources. On the other hand, prestimulus HEPs over integrative sensorimotor and default-mode network regions facilitated stimulus self-relevance encoding, both in reaction times and audio-tactile evoked responses. Importantly, Competition and Facilitation effects were spatially and statistically independent from each other. We therefore reconcile the two views by showing the coexistence of two independent mechanisms: one that allocates neural resources to either internal bodily signals or the external world, and another by which interoception and exteroception are combined to determine the self-relevance of external signals. Our results highlight the multidimensionality of HEPs and of internal states more generally.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Elisabet Par\u00e9s-Pujolr\u00e0s; Simon P. Kelly; Peter R. Murphy<\/p>

Dissociable encoding of evolving beliefs and momentary belief updates in distinct neural decision signals<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Nature Communications, <\/span>vol. 16, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201314, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{ParesPujolras2025,
\r\ntitle = {Dissociable encoding of evolving beliefs and momentary belief updates in distinct neural decision signals},
\r\nauthor = {Elisabet Par\u00e9s-Pujolr\u00e0s and Simon P. Kelly and Peter R. Murphy},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41467-025-58861-9},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Nature Communications},
\r\nvolume = {16},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201314},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Making accurate decisions in noisy environments requires integrating evidence over time. Studies of simple perceptual decisions in static environments have identified two human neurophysiological signals that evolve with similar integration dynamics, with one - the centroparietal positivity - appearing to compute the running integral and continuously feed it to the other - motor beta lateralisation. However, it remains unknown whether and how these signals serve more distinct functional roles in more complex scenarios. Here, we use a volatile expanded judgement task that dissociates raw sensory information, belief updates, and the evolving belief itself. We find that motor beta lateralisation traces the evolving belief across stimuli, while the centroparietal positivity locally encodes the belief updates associated with each individual stimulus. These results suggest a flexible computational hierarchy where context-dependent belief updates can be computed sample-by-sample at an intermediate processing level to modify downstream belief representations for protracted decisions about discrete stimuli.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Hame Park; Ayelet Arazi; Bharath Chandra Talluri; Marco Celotto; Stefano Panzeri; Alan A. Stocker; Tobias H. Donner<\/p>

Confirmation bias through selective readout of information encoded in human parietal cortex<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Nature Communications, <\/span>vol. 16, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201315, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Park2025,
\r\ntitle = {Confirmation bias through selective readout of information encoded in human parietal cortex},
\r\nauthor = {Hame Park and Ayelet Arazi and Bharath Chandra Talluri and Marco Celotto and Stefano Panzeri and Alan A. Stocker and Tobias H. Donner},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41467-025-61010-x},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Nature Communications},
\r\nvolume = {16},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201315},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Decision-makers often process new evidence selectively, depending on their current beliefs about the world. We asked whether such confirmation biases result from biases in wthe encoding of sensory evidence in the brain, or alternatively in the utilization of encoded evidence for behavior. Human participants estimated the source of a sequence of visual-spatial evidence samples while we measured cortical population activity with magnetoencephalography. Halfway through the sequence, participants were prompted to judge the more likely source category. We find that processing of subsequent evidence depends on its consistency with the previously chosen category. Evidence encoded in parietal cortex contributes more to the estimation report when that evidence is consistent with the previous choice compared to when it contradicts that choice. Our results indicate that information contradicting pre-existing beliefs has little impact on subsequent behavior, despite being precisely encoded in the brain. This provides room for deliberative control to counteract confirmation biases.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Katrina R. Quinn; Florian Sandhaeger; Nima Noury; Ema Zezelic; Markus Siegel<\/p>

Abstract choice representations during stable choice-response associations<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Communications Biology, <\/span>vol. 8, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u20138, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Quinn2025,
\r\ntitle = {Abstract choice representations during stable choice-response associations},
\r\nauthor = {Katrina R. Quinn and Florian Sandhaeger and Nima Noury and Ema Zezelic and Markus Siegel},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s42003-025-08129-1},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Communications Biology},
\r\nvolume = {8},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u20138},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {An increasing body of evidence has demonstrated neural representations of choices independent of the motor actions used to report them \u2013 so-called abstract choices. However, it remains unclear whether such representations arise due to dynamic changes in choice-response associations or reflect a general property of decision-making. Here, we show that in the human brain, choices are represented abstractly even when choice-response associations remain stable over time. We recorded neural activity using magnetoencephalography while participants performed a motion discrimination task, with choice-response mappings held constant within blocks. We found neural information about participants' perceptual choices independent of both motor response and visual stimulus. Choice information increased during the stimulus and peaked after the response. Moreover, choice and response information showed distinct cortical distributions, with choice-related signals strongest in frontoparietal regions. Thus, abstract choice representations are not limited to dynamic or action-independent contexts and may be a general feature of decision-making.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Alia Seedat; Alex Lepauvre; Jay Jeschke; Urszula Gorska-Klimowska; Marcelo Armendariz; Katarina Bendtz; Simon Henin; Rony Hirschhorn; Tanya Brown; Erika Jensen; Csaba Kozma; David Mazumder; Stephanie Montenegro; Leyao Yu; Niccol\u00f2 Bonacchi; Diptyajit Das; Kyle Kahraman; Praveen Sripad; Fatemeh Taheriyan; Orrin Devinsky; Patricia Dugan; Werner Doyle; Adeen Flinker; Daniel Friedman; Wendell Lake; Michael Pitts; Liad Mudrik; Melanie Boly; Sasha Devore; Gabriel Kreiman; Lucia Melloni<\/p>

Open multi-center intracranial electroencephalography dataset with task probing conscious visual perception<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Scientific Data, <\/span>vol. 12, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201314, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Seedat2025,
\r\ntitle = {Open multi-center intracranial electroencephalography dataset with task probing conscious visual perception},
\r\nauthor = {Alia Seedat and Alex Lepauvre and Jay Jeschke and Urszula Gorska-Klimowska and Marcelo Armendariz and Katarina Bendtz and Simon Henin and Rony Hirschhorn and Tanya Brown and Erika Jensen and Csaba Kozma and David Mazumder and Stephanie Montenegro and Leyao Yu and Niccol\u00f2 Bonacchi and Diptyajit Das and Kyle Kahraman and Praveen Sripad and Fatemeh Taheriyan and Orrin Devinsky and Patricia Dugan and Werner Doyle and Adeen Flinker and Daniel Friedman and Wendell Lake and Michael Pitts and Liad Mudrik and Melanie Boly and Sasha Devore and Gabriel Kreiman and Lucia Melloni},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41597-025-04833-z},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Scientific Data},
\r\nvolume = {12},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201314},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {We introduce an intracranial EEG (iEEG) dataset collected as part of an adversarial collaboration between proponents of two theories of consciousness: Global Neuronal Workspace Theory and Integrated Information Theory. The data were recorded from 38 patients undergoing intracranial monitoring of epileptic seizures across three research centers using the same experimental protocol. Participants were presented with suprathreshold visual stimuli belonging to four different categories (faces, objects, letters, false fonts) in three orientations (front, left, right view), and for three durations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 s). Participants engaged in a non-speeded Go\/No-Go target detection task to identify infrequent targets with some stimuli becoming task-relevant and others task-irrelevant. Participants also engaged in a motor localizer task. The data were checked for its quality and converted to Brain Imaging Data Structure (BIDS). The de-identified dataset contains demographics, clinical information, electrode reconstruction, behavioral performance, and eye-tracking data. We also provide code to preprocess and analyze the data. This dataset holds promise for reuse in consciousness science and vision neuroscience to answer questions related to stimulus processing, target detection, and task-relevance, among many others.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Dixit Sharma; Bart Krekelberg<\/p>

Predicting spiking activity from scalp EEG<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Journal of Neural Engineering, <\/span>vol. 22, <\/span>no. 6, <\/span>pp. 1\u201316, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Sharma2025,
\r\ntitle = {Predicting spiking activity from scalp EEG},
\r\nauthor = {Dixit Sharma and Bart Krekelberg},
\r\ndoi = {10.1088\/1741-2552\/ae2541},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Journal of Neural Engineering},
\r\nvolume = {22},
\r\nnumber = {6},
\r\npages = {1\u201316},
\r\nabstract = {Objective. Despite decades of electroencephalography (EEG) research, the relationship between EEG and underlying spiking dynamics remains unclear. This limits our ability to infer neural dynamics reflected in intracranial signals from EEG, a critical step to bridge electrophysiological findings across species and to develop non-invasive brain\u2013machine interfaces (BMIs). In this study, we aimed to estimate spiking activity in the visual cortex using non-invasive scalp EEG. Approach . We recorded spiking activity from a 32-channel floating microarray permanently implanted in parafoveal V1 and scalp-EEG in a male macaque monkey. While the animal fixated, the screen flickered at different temporal frequencies to induce steady-state visual evoked potentials. We analyzed the relationship between the V1 multi-unit spiking activity envelope (MUAe) and EEG frequency bands to predict MUAe at each time point from EEG. We extracted instantaneous spectrotemporal features of the EEG signal, including phase, amplitude, and phase-amplitude coupling of its frequency bands. Main results . Although the relationship between these spectrotemporal features and the V1 MUAe was complex and frequency-dependent, they were reliably predictive of the MUAe. Specifically, in a linear regression predicting MUAe from EEG, each EEG feature (phase, amplitude, coupling) contributed to model predictions. In addition, we found that MUAe predictions were better in shallow than deep cortical layers, and that the phase of stimulus frequency further improved MUAe predictions. Significance. Our study shows that a comprehensive account of spectrotemporal features of non-invasive EEG provides information on underlying spiking activity beyond what is available when only the amplitude or phase of the EEG signal is considered. This demonstrates the richness of the EEG signal and its complex relationship with neural spiking activity and suggests that using more comprehensive spectrotemporal signatures could improve BMI applications.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Objective. Despite decades of electroencephalography (EEG) research, the relationship between EEG and underlying spiking dynamics remains unclear. This limits our ability to infer neural dynamics reflected in intracranial signals from EEG, a critical step to bridge electrophysiological findings across species and to develop non-invasive brain\u2013machine interfaces (BMIs). In this study, we aimed to estimate spiking activity in the visual cortex using non-invasive scalp EEG. Approach . We recorded spiking activity from a 32-channel floating microarray permanently implanted in parafoveal V1 and scalp-EEG in a male macaque monkey. While the animal fixated, the screen flickered at different temporal frequencies to induce steady-state visual evoked potentials. We analyzed the relationship between the V1 multi-unit spiking activity envelope (MUAe) and EEG frequency bands to predict MUAe at each time point from EEG. We extracted instantaneous spectrotemporal features of the EEG signal, including phase, amplitude, and phase-amplitude coupling of its frequency bands. Main results . Although the relationship between these spectrotemporal features and the V1 MUAe was complex and frequency-dependent, they were reliably predictive of the MUAe. Specifically, in a linear regression predicting MUAe from EEG, each EEG feature (phase, amplitude, coupling) contributed to model predictions. In addition, we found that MUAe predictions were better in shallow than deep cortical layers, and that the phase of stimulus frequency further improved MUAe predictions. Significance. Our study shows that a comprehensive account of spectrotemporal features of non-invasive EEG provides information on underlying spiking activity beyond what is available when only the amplitude or phase of the EEG signal is considered. This demonstrates the richness of the EEG signal and its complex relationship with neural spiking activity and suggests that using more comprehensive spectrotemporal signatures could improve BMI applications.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Qiao Songlin; Xuemei Xia; Jing Chen; Matteo Valsecchi<\/p>

Attentional tracking reduces cortical alpha oscillations<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Scientific Reports, <\/span>vol. 15, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201314, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Songlin2025,
\r\ntitle = {Attentional tracking reduces cortical alpha oscillations},
\r\nauthor = {Qiao Songlin and Xuemei Xia and Jing Chen and Matteo Valsecchi},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41598-025-14585-w},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Scientific Reports},
\r\nvolume = {15},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201314},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {The premotor theory of attention suggests that both overt and covert attentional orienting are governed by similar mechanisms and neural structures, a concept extensively investigated in paradigms involving shifts in attention and gaze towards peripheral targets. Previous studies have found a strong link between cortical alpha oscillations and overt smooth pursuit of a target. However, the relationship between alpha oscillations and covert tracking of peripheral moving stimuli remains unclear. To address this, we asked 16 observers to maintain fixation while covertly attending to a visual stimulus moving along the horizontal meridian at varying speeds (2, 6, or 12 \u00b0\/s), within either the left or right hemifield. We simultaneously recorded both eye movements and EEG data. Our results revealed that alpha power was significantly reduced when observers tracked a target that moved further in the periphery, independent of its speed. These findings confirm that the distribution of alpha power is sensitive to the allocation of covert attention during tracking. This suggests a tight link between the attentional processes involved in covert tracking and overt pursuit of a moving target, supporting the premotor theory of attention.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Caleb Stone; Jason B. Mattingley; Dragan Rangelov<\/p>

Neural mechanisms of metacognitive improvement under speed pressure<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Communications Biology, <\/span>vol. 8, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201312, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Stone2025,
\r\ntitle = {Neural mechanisms of metacognitive improvement under speed pressure},
\r\nauthor = {Caleb Stone and Jason B. Mattingley and Dragan Rangelov},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s42003-025-07646-3},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Communications Biology},
\r\nvolume = {8},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201312},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {The ability to accurately monitor the quality of one's choices, or metacognition, improves under speed pressure, possibly due to changes in post-decisional evidence processing. Here, we investigate the neural processes that regulate decision-making and metacognition under speed pressure using time-resolved analyses of brain activity recorded using electroencephalography. Participants performed a motion discrimination task under short and long response deadlines and provided a metacognitive rating following each response. Behaviourally, participants were faster, less accurate, and showed superior metacognition with short deadlines. These effects were accompanied by a larger centro-parietal positivity (CPP), a neural correlate of evidence accumulation. Crucially, post-decisional CPP amplitude was more strongly associated with participants' metacognitive ratings following errors under short relative to long response deadlines. Our results suggest that superior metacognition under speed pressure may stem from enhanced metacognitive readout of post-decisional evidence.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Zhongbin Su; Xiaolin Zhou; Stefan Pollmann; Lihui Wang<\/p>

Dynamic face-related eye movement representations in the human ventral pathway<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Communications Biology, <\/span>vol. 8, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201312, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Su2025c,
\r\ntitle = {Dynamic face-related eye movement representations in the human ventral pathway},
\r\nauthor = {Zhongbin Su and Xiaolin Zhou and Stefan Pollmann and Lihui Wang},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s42003-025-09039-y},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Communications Biology},
\r\nvolume = {8},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201312},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Multiple brain areas along the ventral pathway have been known to represent face images. Here, in a magnetoencephalography (MEG) experiment, we show dynamic representations of face-related eye movements in the ventral pathway in the absence of image perception. Participants followed a dot presented on a uniform background, the movement of which represented gaze tracks acquired previously during their free-viewing of face and house pictures. We found a dominant role of the ventral stream in representing face-related gaze tracks, starting from the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and anterior temporal lobe (ATL), and extending to the medial temporal and ventral occipitotemporal cortex. Our findings show that the ventral pathway represents the gaze tracks used to explore faces, by which top-down prediction of face category in OFC and ATL may guide, via the medial temporal cortex or directly, face perception in the ventral occipitotemporal cortex.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Lijuan Wang; Steven Frisson; Yali Pan; Ole Jensen<\/p>

Fast hierarchical processing of orthographic and semantic parafoveal information during natural reading<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Nature Communications, <\/span>vol. 16, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201312, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Wang2025f,
\r\ntitle = {Fast hierarchical processing of orthographic and semantic parafoveal information during natural reading},
\r\nauthor = {Lijuan Wang and Steven Frisson and Yali Pan and Ole Jensen},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41467-025-63916-y},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Nature Communications},
\r\nvolume = {16},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201312},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {In reading, information from parafoveal words is extracted before direct fixation; however, it is debated whether this processing is restricted to orthographic features or also encompasses semantics. Moreover, the neuronal mechanisms supporting parafoveal processing remain poorly understood. We co-registered MEG and eye-tracking data in a natural reading paradigm to uncover the timing and brain regions involved in parafoveal processing. Representational similarity analysis revealed that parafoveal orthographic neighbours (e.g., \u201cwriter\u201d vs. \u201cwaiter\u201d) showed higher representational similarity than non-neighbours (e.g., \u201cwriter\u201d vs. \u201cpolice\u201d), emerging ~68 ms after fixation onset on the preceding word (e.g., \u201cclever\u201d) in the visual word form area. Similarly, parafoveal semantic neighbours (e.g., \u201cwriter\u201d vs. \u201cauthor\u201d) exhibited increased representational similarity at ~137 ms in the left inferior frontal gyrus. Importantly, the degree of orthographic and semantic parafoveal processing was correlated with individual reading speed. Our findings suggest fast hierarchical processing of parafoveal words across distinct brain regions, enhancing reading efficiency.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Xin Wang; Shitao Chen; Keyang Wang; Liyu Cao<\/p>

Predicted action-effects shape action representation through pre-activation of alpha oscillations<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Communications Biology, <\/span>vol. 8, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201311, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Wang2025n,
\r\ntitle = {Predicted action-effects shape action representation through pre-activation of alpha oscillations},
\r\nauthor = {Xin Wang and Shitao Chen and Keyang Wang and Liyu Cao},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s42003-025-07750-4},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Communications Biology},
\r\nvolume = {8},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201311},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Actions are typically accompanied by sensory feedback (or action-effects). Action-effects, in turn, influence the action. Theoretical accounts of action control assume a pre-activation of action-effects prior to action execution. Here we show that when participants were asked to report the time of their voluntary keypress using the position of a fast-rotating clock hand, a predictable action-effect (i.e. a 250 ms delayed sound after keypress) led to a shift of visuospatial attention towards the clock hand position of action-effect onset, thus demonstrating an influence of action-effects on action representation. Importantly, the attention shift occurred about 1 second before the action execution, which was further preceded and predicted by a lateralisation of alpha oscillations in the visual cortex. Our results indicate that when the spatial location is the key feature of action-effects, the neural implementation of the action-effect pre-activation is achieved through alpha lateralisation.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Xiaojuan Xue; Gilles Pourtois<\/p>

Neurophysiological evidence for emotional attention modulation depending on goal relevance<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Scientific Reports, <\/span>vol. 15, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201316, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Xue2025b,
\r\ntitle = {Neurophysiological evidence for emotional attention modulation depending on goal relevance},
\r\nauthor = {Xiaojuan Xue and Gilles Pourtois},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41598-025-96537-y},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Scientific Reports},
\r\nvolume = {15},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201316},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Although threat-related stimuli can capture attention automatically, recent findings have challenged this assumption by showing that goal rather than threat can be prioritized and eventually guide attentional control. In this study, we used high density electroencephalography (EEG) in 40 participants while peripheral emotional faces (either fear or happiness) were either goal-relevant or irrelevant during a dot-probe task (DPT). The use of peripheral vision was established by eye-tracking. Both the face specific N170 component and the subsequent Early Posterior Negativity (EPN) were enhanced by fear at the cue level, yet the latter one only when fear was goal relevant. Importantly, we found that early on following target onset at the P1 level, both value and goal relevance drove spatial attention and interacted with each other such that when they were goal-relevant, fearful faces captured attention less than when they were not. These results suggest that emotional attention is flexible and it can be influenced by the goal relevance of emotion. Moreover, they shed light on the electrophysiological manifestations of this flexibility and dovetail with the assumption that sensory gain control effects occurring in the visual cortex depending on attentional control are multiplexed and determined by both value and goal.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Zinong Yang; Stephanie D. Williams; Ewa Beldzik; Stephanie Anakwe; Emilia Schimmelpfennig; Laura D. Lewis<\/p>

Attentional failures after sleep deprivation are locked to joint neurovascular, pupil and cerebrospinal fluid flow dynamics<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Nature Neuroscience, <\/span>pp. 2526\u20132536, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Yang2025e,
\r\ntitle = {Attentional failures after sleep deprivation are locked to joint neurovascular, pupil and cerebrospinal fluid flow dynamics},
\r\nauthor = {Zinong Yang and Stephanie D. Williams and Ewa Beldzik and Stephanie Anakwe and Emilia Schimmelpfennig and Laura D. Lewis},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41593-025-02098-8},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Nature Neuroscience},
\r\npages = {2526\u20132536},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Sleep deprivation rapidly disrupts cognitive function and in the long term contributes to neurological disease. Why sleep deprivation has such profound effects on cognition is not well understood. Here we use simultaneous fast fMRI\u2013EEG to test how sleep deprivation modulates cognitive, neural and fluid dynamics in the human brain. We demonstrate that attentional failures during wakefulness after sleep deprivation are tightly orchestrated in a series of brain\u2013body changes, including neuronal shifts, pupil constriction and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow pulsations, pointing to a coupled system of fluid dynamics and neuromodulatory state. CSF flow and hemodynamics are coupled to attentional function within the awake state, with CSF pulsations following attentional impairment. The timing of these dynamics is consistent with a vascular mechanism regulated by neuromodulatory state. The attentional costs of sleep deprivation may thus reflect an irrepressible need for rest periods driven by a central neuromodulatory system that regulates both neuronal and fluid physiology.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Hao Zhang; Yiqing Hu; Yang Li; Shuangyu Zhang; Xiao Li Li; Chenguang Zhao<\/p>

Simultaneous dataset of brain, eye and hand during visuomotor tasks<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Scientific Data, <\/span>vol. 12, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201315, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Zhang2025f,
\r\ntitle = {Simultaneous dataset of brain, eye and hand during visuomotor tasks},
\r\nauthor = {Hao Zhang and Yiqing Hu and Yang Li and Shuangyu Zhang and Xiao Li Li and Chenguang Zhao},
\r\ndoi = {10.1038\/s41597-024-04227-7},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-12-01},
\r\njournal = {Scientific Data},
\r\nvolume = {12},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201315},
\r\npublisher = {Nature Research},
\r\nabstract = {Visuomotor integration is a complex skill set encompassing many fundamental abilities, such as visual search, attention monitoring, and motor control. To explore the dynamic interplay between visual inputs and motor outputs, it is necessary to simultaneously record multiple brain activities with high temporal and spatial resolution, as well as to record implicit and explicit behaviors. However, there is a lack of public datasets that provide simultaneous multiple modalities during a visual-motor task. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy and electroencephalography to record brain activity simultaneously facilitate more precise capture of the complex visuomotor of brain mechanisms. Additionally, by employing a combined eye movement and manual response, it is possible to fully evaluate the effects of visuomotor outputs from implicit and explicit dimensions. We recorded whole-brain EEG (34 electrodes) and fNIRS (44 channels) covering the frontal and parietal cortex along with eye movements, behavior sampling, and operant behavior. The dataset underwent rigorous synchronization, quality control to highlight the effectiveness of our experiments and to demonstrate the high quality of our multimodal data framework.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Tahn\u00e9e Engelen; Teresa Schuhmann; Alexander T. Sack; Catherine Tallon-Baudry<\/p>

Cardiac, respiratory, and gastric rhythms independently modulate motor corticospinal excitability in humans<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>PLoS Biology, <\/span>vol. 23, <\/span>no. 11, <\/span>pp. 1\u201321, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Engelen2025,
\r\ntitle = {Cardiac, respiratory, and gastric rhythms independently modulate motor corticospinal excitability in humans},
\r\nauthor = {Tahn\u00e9e Engelen and Teresa Schuhmann and Alexander T. Sack and Catherine Tallon-Baudry},
\r\ndoi = {10.1371\/journal.pbio.3003478},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-11-01},
\r\njournal = {PLoS Biology},
\r\nvolume = {23},
\r\nnumber = {11},
\r\npages = {1\u201321},
\r\nabstract = {Interoception refers to the brain's sensing of internal body state and encompasses various bodily systems, notably the cardiac, respiratory, and gastric rhythms. Beyond their roles in physiological regulation and emotional states, each of these visceral rhythms has been shown to influence brain activity and cognition, prompting for the development of various interpretative functional frameworks. However, both experimental data and functional hypothesis leave it unclear whether and how each visceral rhythm acts simultaneously and independently on brain activity. Here, we address this question by measuring in human participants how the corticospinal excitability of the motor system varies with the phase of each of the three visceral rhythms. We applied single pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the hand region in primary motor cortex to elicit Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs), whose amplitude reflects corticospinal excitability, and tested whether MEP amplitude depends on the phase of the simultaneously measured cardiac, respiratory, and gastric rhythms. All three visceral rhythms were coupled to motor excitability with similar effect sizes at the group level. However, we found no relation between coupling strengths: participants displaying high coupling with one organ did not necessarily display high coupling to the other organs. These results indicate that independent mechanisms could underly the coupling between the cardiac, respiratory, and gastric rhythms and motor excitability. We further introduce the concept of individual interoceptive profiles and show that such interoceptive profiles obtained from objective coupling strength measures were not explained by self-reported awareness of the organ. Altogether, our results call for refined specifications of the frameworks offering a functional or clinical interpretation of viscera-brain coupling taking into account both independent mechanisms and individual interoceptive profiles.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Interoception refers to the brain's sensing of internal body state and encompasses various bodily systems, notably the cardiac, respiratory, and gastric rhythms. Beyond their roles in physiological regulation and emotional states, each of these visceral rhythms has been shown to influence brain activity and cognition, prompting for the development of various interpretative functional frameworks. However, both experimental data and functional hypothesis leave it unclear whether and how each visceral rhythm acts simultaneously and independently on brain activity. Here, we address this question by measuring in human participants how the corticospinal excitability of the motor system varies with the phase of each of the three visceral rhythms. We applied single pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the hand region in primary motor cortex to elicit Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs), whose amplitude reflects corticospinal excitability, and tested whether MEP amplitude depends on the phase of the simultaneously measured cardiac, respiratory, and gastric rhythms. All three visceral rhythms were coupled to motor excitability with similar effect sizes at the group level. However, we found no relation between coupling strengths: participants displaying high coupling with one organ did not necessarily display high coupling to the other organs. These results indicate that independent mechanisms could underly the coupling between the cardiac, respiratory, and gastric rhythms and motor excitability. We further introduce the concept of individual interoceptive profiles and show that such interoceptive profiles obtained from objective coupling strength measures were not explained by self-reported awareness of the organ. Altogether, our results call for refined specifications of the frameworks offering a functional or clinical interpretation of viscera-brain coupling taking into account both independent mechanisms and individual interoceptive profiles.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Allyson Copeland; Brennan R. Payne<\/p>

Co-registered eye-movements and brain potentials reveal multiple effects of context across the visual field in natural reading<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Psychophysiology, <\/span>vol. 62, <\/span>no. 11, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Copeland2025,
\r\ntitle = {Co-registered eye-movements and brain potentials reveal multiple effects of context across the visual field in natural reading},
\r\nauthor = {Allyson Copeland and Brennan R. Payne},
\r\ndoi = {10.1111\/psyp.70173},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-11-01},
\r\njournal = {Psychophysiology},
\r\nvolume = {62},
\r\nnumber = {11},
\r\npublisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},
\r\nabstract = {This study investigates how expectancy and plausibility influence behavioral and neural measures of language processing during naturalistic reading comprehension. Prior event-related potential (ERP) studies show evidence of distinct post-N400 positivities to violations of semantic expectancy and plausibility using artificial serial presentation but have yet to establish these phenomena during naturalistic reading. Therefore, we recorded simultaneous eye movements and EEG while participants read highly constraining sentences with expected, unexpected (but plausible), and anomalous target words. Time locked to the pre-target word, we observed a contextually graded parafoveal N400 effect. The N400 was facilitated (i.e., reduced) when the word was subsequently fixated, suggesting trans-saccadic integration of semantic features. At target fixation, we also observed a late anteriorly distributed positivity to unexpected target words and a posteriorly distributed positivity to anomalous target words, effects that were not clearly present when time locked to the pre-target word. Eye-tracking (ET) measures show that readers were sensitive to both expectancy and plausibility at target fixation. In conclusion, we show that readers can begin accessing semantic information in parafoveal vision, but higher-level semantic processing may require the orchestration of both parafoveal and foveal representations.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
This study investigates how expectancy and plausibility influence behavioral and neural measures of language processing during naturalistic reading comprehension. Prior event-related potential (ERP) studies show evidence of distinct post-N400 positivities to violations of semantic expectancy and plausibility using artificial serial presentation but have yet to establish these phenomena during naturalistic reading. Therefore, we recorded simultaneous eye movements and EEG while participants read highly constraining sentences with expected, unexpected (but plausible), and anomalous target words. Time locked to the pre-target word, we observed a contextually graded parafoveal N400 effect. The N400 was facilitated (i.e., reduced) when the word was subsequently fixated, suggesting trans-saccadic integration of semantic features. At target fixation, we also observed a late anteriorly distributed positivity to unexpected target words and a posteriorly distributed positivity to anomalous target words, effects that were not clearly present when time locked to the pre-target word. Eye-tracking (ET) measures show that readers were sensitive to both expectancy and plausibility at target fixation. In conclusion, we show that readers can begin accessing semantic information in parafoveal vision, but higher-level semantic processing may require the orchestration of both parafoveal and foveal representations.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Jiahong Cui; Nianqiu Shen; Hongjun Chen; Hongyu Zhou; Lei Hu; Wenbo Yu; Zhihan Liu; Daisuke Sawamura; Yuxuan Wang; Fengyu Cong<\/p>

Cross-modal semantic and non-semantic distraction impairs auditory working memory: Behavioral and ERP evidence<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Biological Psychology, <\/span>vol. 202, <\/span>pp. 1\u201310, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Cui2025a,
\r\ntitle = {Cross-modal semantic and non-semantic distraction impairs auditory working memory: Behavioral and ERP evidence},
\r\nauthor = {Jiahong Cui and Nianqiu Shen and Hongjun Chen and Hongyu Zhou and Lei Hu and Wenbo Yu and Zhihan Liu and Daisuke Sawamura and Yuxuan Wang and Fengyu Cong},
\r\ndoi = {10.1016\/j.biopsycho.2025.109154},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-11-01},
\r\njournal = {Biological Psychology},
\r\nvolume = {202},
\r\npages = {1\u201310},
\r\npublisher = {Elsevier B.V.},
\r\nabstract = {Visual distraction often disrupts auditory working memory, but it remains unclear whether semantic and non-semantic distractors interfere through similar or distinct neural mechanisms. This study used event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine the neural dynamics of semantic and non-semantic visual distractors during an auditory working memory task. Thirty nine healthy adults performed a paced auditory serial addition task (PASAT) while exposed to either semantic (digits) or non-semantic (abstract symbols) visual distractors. Behavioral results showed that both distractor types impaired accuracy, with semantic distractors producing longer reaction times and higher omission rates. ERP analyses revealed that both distractor types elicited enhanced P200 amplitudes and prolonged N200 and P300 latencies, reflecting shared early attentional capture and delayed stimulus evaluation. Semantic distractors further induced stronger N200 negativity at frontal sites and shortened P200 latencies, suggesting rapid semantic access and increased conflict detection demands, whereas only non-semantic distractors reduced P300 amplitudes, indicating reactive resource reallocation. Importantly, greater reductions in P300 amplitude were associated with slower responses in the semantic distractor condition. These findings demonstrate that semantic and non-semantic distractors engage partially overlapping but functionally distinct neural processes, emphasizing the importance of distractor content and processing stage in models of cross-modal cognitive control.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Visual distraction often disrupts auditory working memory, but it remains unclear whether semantic and non-semantic distractors interfere through similar or distinct neural mechanisms. This study used event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine the neural dynamics of semantic and non-semantic visual distractors during an auditory working memory task. Thirty nine healthy adults performed a paced auditory serial addition task (PASAT) while exposed to either semantic (digits) or non-semantic (abstract symbols) visual distractors. Behavioral results showed that both distractor types impaired accuracy, with semantic distractors producing longer reaction times and higher omission rates. ERP analyses revealed that both distractor types elicited enhanced P200 amplitudes and prolonged N200 and P300 latencies, reflecting shared early attentional capture and delayed stimulus evaluation. Semantic distractors further induced stronger N200 negativity at frontal sites and shortened P200 latencies, suggesting rapid semantic access and increased conflict detection demands, whereas only non-semantic distractors reduced P300 amplitudes, indicating reactive resource reallocation. Importantly, greater reductions in P300 amplitude were associated with slower responses in the semantic distractor condition. These findings demonstrate that semantic and non-semantic distractors engage partially overlapping but functionally distinct neural processes, emphasizing the importance of distractor content and processing stage in models of cross-modal cognitive control.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Margaret Jane Moore; Amanda K. Robinson; Jason B. Mattingley<\/p>

Expectation dynamically modulates the representational time course of objects and locations<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Imaging Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 3, <\/span>pp. 1\u201316, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Moore2025a,
\r\ntitle = {Expectation dynamically modulates the representational time course of objects and locations},
\r\nauthor = {Margaret Jane Moore and Amanda K. Robinson and Jason B. Mattingley},
\r\ndoi = {10.1162\/IMAG.a.999},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-11-01},
\r\njournal = {Imaging Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {3},
\r\npages = {1\u201316},
\r\npublisher = {Massachusetts Institute of Technology},
\r\nabstract = {Past work has demonstrated that predictive information modulates how the brain responds to visual stimuli, but it is not yet clear how the brain integrates different types of predictive information to facilitate efficient perception. Here, we aim to explore how expectations about upcoming stimulus identities (\u201cwhat\u201d information) and upcoming stimulus locations (\u201cwhere\u201d information) modulate the directionality and occurrence of prediction effects in brain activity. Participants (n = 40) viewed real-world object images in rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) streams which were predictable in terms of both object identity and stimulus location. Multivariate pattern analyses of electroencephalography (EEG) data were used to quantify and compare the degree of information represented in neural activity when stimuli were random (unpredictable), expected, or unexpected in terms of identity and location. Decoding accuracy for expected locations was significantly reduced relative to random locations between 160 and 238 ms post-onset. However, this effect subsequently reversed with decoding accuracy for expected locations becoming higher than accuracy for random locations between 273 and 430 ms. This temporally dynamic effect was not replicated within analyses decoding object identity. However, consistent evidence for reduced decoding of unexpected relative to random stimuli in later time windows (>250 ms) post-onset was identified across both stimulus types (e.g. objects and locations). These results are critically important when considered in the context of predictive coding research as they highlight important complexities in how predictability modulates neural responses.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Past work has demonstrated that predictive information modulates how the brain responds to visual stimuli, but it is not yet clear how the brain integrates different types of predictive information to facilitate efficient perception. Here, we aim to explore how expectations about upcoming stimulus identities (\u201cwhat\u201d information) and upcoming stimulus locations (\u201cwhere\u201d information) modulate the directionality and occurrence of prediction effects in brain activity. Participants (n = 40) viewed real-world object images in rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) streams which were predictable in terms of both object identity and stimulus location. Multivariate pattern analyses of electroencephalography (EEG) data were used to quantify and compare the degree of information represented in neural activity when stimuli were random (unpredictable), expected, or unexpected in terms of identity and location. Decoding accuracy for expected locations was significantly reduced relative to random locations between 160 and 238 ms post-onset. However, this effect subsequently reversed with decoding accuracy for expected locations becoming higher than accuracy for random locations between 273 and 430 ms. This temporally dynamic effect was not replicated within analyses decoding object identity. However, consistent evidence for reduced decoding of unexpected relative to random stimuli in later time windows (>250 ms) post-onset was identified across both stimulus types (e.g. objects and locations). These results are critically important when considered in the context of predictive coding research as they highlight important complexities in how predictability modulates neural responses.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Matt Oxner; Dirk Moorselaar; Matthias M. M\u00fcller; Jan Theeuwes<\/p>

A flash in the pan? Distractor suppression cannot be inferred from the early lateralized positivity<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 37, <\/span>no. 11, <\/span>pp. 2351\u20132369, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Oxner2025,
\r\ntitle = {A flash in the pan? Distractor suppression cannot be inferred from the early lateralized positivity},
\r\nauthor = {Matt Oxner and Dirk Moorselaar and Matthias M. M\u00fcller and Jan Theeuwes},
\r\ndoi = {10.1162\/JOCN.a.57},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-11-01},
\r\njournal = {Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {37},
\r\nnumber = {11},
\r\npages = {2351\u20132369},
\r\npublisher = {Massachusetts Institute of Technology},
\r\nabstract = {Humans excel at avoiding distraction in visual environments, successfully filtering out repeated salient distractors that could otherwise capture attention. A recent theoretical perspective posits a mechanism whereby such distractors can be proactively suppressed, reducing their impact on attentional deployment. Electrophysiological evidence for this view comes from the distractor positivity (PD), a neural component associated with distractor handling. The PD has been observed at early latencies (< 200 msec) following distractor appearance, a timing interpreted as reflecting distractor suppression before attentional capture. However, the relationship between this \u201cearly PD\u201d and distractor suppression remains fundamentally correlational. This raises critical questions about the extent to which this neural marker exclusively indexes mechanisms of suppression, as opposed to being driven by other factors confounded with distractor presence, such as stimulus salience. We tested the specificity of this early positivity to distractor handling across three experiments employing visual search tasks. Participants were presented with unique color singletons serving as distractors, targets, or task-irrelevant items. The early lateralized positivity was elicited by salient color distractors, but also appeared in response to all other salient singletons, including those that could not be proactively suppressed. Our findings indicate that the early positivity is not unique to suppressed distractors\u2014instead, it likely reflects sensory imbalance between visual hemifields or salience tagging in response to lateralized stimuli. Consequently, we argue that the \u201cearly PD\u201d does not provide definitive evidence for proactive distractor suppression, as its association with distractor presence appears to be incidental rather than causal.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Humans excel at avoiding distraction in visual environments, successfully filtering out repeated salient distractors that could otherwise capture attention. A recent theoretical perspective posits a mechanism whereby such distractors can be proactively suppressed, reducing their impact on attentional deployment. Electrophysiological evidence for this view comes from the distractor positivity (PD), a neural component associated with distractor handling. The PD has been observed at early latencies (< 200 msec) following distractor appearance, a timing interpreted as reflecting distractor suppression before attentional capture. However, the relationship between this \u201cearly PD\u201d and distractor suppression remains fundamentally correlational. This raises critical questions about the extent to which this neural marker exclusively indexes mechanisms of suppression, as opposed to being driven by other factors confounded with distractor presence, such as stimulus salience. We tested the specificity of this early positivity to distractor handling across three experiments employing visual search tasks. Participants were presented with unique color singletons serving as distractors, targets, or task-irrelevant items. The early lateralized positivity was elicited by salient color distractors, but also appeared in response to all other salient singletons, including those that could not be proactively suppressed. Our findings indicate that the early positivity is not unique to suppressed distractors\u2014instead, it likely reflects sensory imbalance between visual hemifields or salience tagging in response to lateralized stimuli. Consequently, we argue that the \u201cearly PD\u201d does not provide definitive evidence for proactive distractor suppression, as its association with distractor presence appears to be incidental rather than causal.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Paul Schmid; Christoph Reichert; Mandy V. Bartsch; Stefan D\u00fcrschmid<\/p>

Broadband high-frequency activity initializes distractor suppression<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Cerebral Cortex, <\/span>vol. 35, <\/span>no. 11, <\/span>pp. 1\u201314, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Schmid2025,
\r\ntitle = {Broadband high-frequency activity initializes distractor suppression},
\r\nauthor = {Paul Schmid and Christoph Reichert and Mandy V. Bartsch and Stefan D\u00fcrschmid},
\r\ndoi = {10.1093\/cercor\/bhaf319},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-11-01},
\r\njournal = {Cerebral Cortex},
\r\nvolume = {35},
\r\nnumber = {11},
\r\npages = {1\u201314},
\r\npublisher = {Oxford University Press},
\r\nabstract = {Selective attention requires fast and accurate distractor suppression. We investigated if broadband high-frequency activity (BHA; 80\u2013150 Hz), indicative of local neuronal population dynamics in early sensory cortices, indexes rapid processing of distracting information. In a first experiment we tested whether BHA distinguishes targets from distracting information in a visual search paradigm using tilted gratings as targets and distractors. In a second experiment, we examined whether BHA distractor processing can be trained by statistical regularities. In both experiments, BHA preceded the target enhancement (NT) and distractor suppression (PD; 1\u201340 Hz) event-related field (ERF) components and distinguished between targets and distractors. Only the BHA but not ERF component amplitude correlated with participants' performance and was higher for lateral distractors versus lateral targets. Furthermore, BHA predicted the strength of the PD. These results indicate that BHA initiates stimulus discrimination via distractor suppression.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Paul Justin Connor Smith; Niko A. Busch<\/p>

Spontaneous alpha-band lateralization extends persistence of visual information in iconic memory by modulating cortical excitability<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>The Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 48, <\/span>pp. 1\u201310, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Smith2025c,
\r\ntitle = {Spontaneous alpha-band lateralization extends persistence of visual information in iconic memory by modulating cortical excitability},
\r\nauthor = {Paul Justin Connor Smith and Niko A. Busch},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.2117-24.2025},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-11-01},
\r\njournal = {The Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {48},
\r\npages = {1\u201310},
\r\nabstract = {Pre-stimulus alpha oscillations in the visual cortex modulate neuronal excitability, influencing sensory processing and decision-making. While this relationship has been demonstrated mostly in detection tasks with low visibility stimuli, interpretations of such effects can be ambiguous due to biases, making it difficult to clearly distinguish between perception-related and decision-related effects. In this study, we investigated how spontaneous fluctuations in pre-stimulus alpha power affect iconic memory, a high-capacity, ultra-short visual memory store. Data from 49 healthy adults (34 female and 15 male) was analyzed. We employed a partial report task, where a brief display of six stimuli was followed by a report cue indicating the target stimulus. In this paradigm, accuracy at short stimulus-cue onset asynchronies (SOAs) is typically high, reflecting the initial availability of sensory information, but it rapidly declines at intermediate SOAs due to the decay of the iconic memory trace, stabilizing at a low asymptote at long SOAs, representing the limited capacity of short-term memory. Crucially, performance in this task is constrained by the temporal persistence of sensory information, not by low visibility or response bias. We found that strong pre-stimulus alpha power enhanced performance by amplifying initial stimulus availability without affecting the speed of iconic decay. This effect partially reflects stronger pre-stimulus alpha power in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the to-be-reported target, likely suppressing neuronal excitability of neurons coding irrelevant stimuli. Our findings underscore the role of alpha oscillations in modulating neuronal excitability and visual perception, independent of decision-making strategies implicated in prior studies.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Pre-stimulus alpha oscillations in the visual cortex modulate neuronal excitability, influencing sensory processing and decision-making. While this relationship has been demonstrated mostly in detection tasks with low visibility stimuli, interpretations of such effects can be ambiguous due to biases, making it difficult to clearly distinguish between perception-related and decision-related effects. In this study, we investigated how spontaneous fluctuations in pre-stimulus alpha power affect iconic memory, a high-capacity, ultra-short visual memory store. Data from 49 healthy adults (34 female and 15 male) was analyzed. We employed a partial report task, where a brief display of six stimuli was followed by a report cue indicating the target stimulus. In this paradigm, accuracy at short stimulus-cue onset asynchronies (SOAs) is typically high, reflecting the initial availability of sensory information, but it rapidly declines at intermediate SOAs due to the decay of the iconic memory trace, stabilizing at a low asymptote at long SOAs, representing the limited capacity of short-term memory. Crucially, performance in this task is constrained by the temporal persistence of sensory information, not by low visibility or response bias. We found that strong pre-stimulus alpha power enhanced performance by amplifying initial stimulus availability without affecting the speed of iconic decay. This effect partially reflects stronger pre-stimulus alpha power in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the to-be-reported target, likely suppressing neuronal excitability of neurons coding irrelevant stimuli. Our findings underscore the role of alpha oscillations in modulating neuronal excitability and visual perception, independent of decision-making strategies implicated in prior studies.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Aakash Agrawal; Stanislas Dehaene<\/p>

From retinotopic to ordinal coding: Dissecting the cortical stages of visual word recognition<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>PNAS, <\/span>vol. 122, <\/span>no. 43, <\/span>pp. 1\u201311, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Agrawal2025,
\r\ntitle = {From retinotopic to ordinal coding: Dissecting the cortical stages of visual word recognition},
\r\nauthor = {Aakash Agrawal and Stanislas Dehaene},
\r\ndoi = {10.1073\/pnas.2507291122},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-10-01},
\r\njournal = {PNAS},
\r\nvolume = {122},
\r\nnumber = {43},
\r\npages = {1\u201311},
\r\npublisher = {National Academy of Sciences},
\r\nabstract = {Fluent reading requires the brain to precisely encode the positions of letters within words, distinguishing for instance FORM and FROM across variations in size, position, and font. Early visual areas, however, are known to encode retinotopic positions, and how these representations get transformed into a position-invariant neural code remains unclear. Building upon a computational model of reading, we used 7T functional MRI and magnetoencephalography (MEG) to reveal a cortical hierarchy in which early visual areas (V1\u2013V4) predominantly encode retinotopic information, whereas higher-level regions, including the visual word form area, transition to an ordinal letter-position code. MEG analyses confirm that retinotopic encoding emerges early (60 to 200 ms), followed by a shift toward ordinal representations in later time windows (220 to 450 ms). Despite this transition, word position remained a dominant factor across all time points, suggesting a concurrent coding of both retinotopic and abstract positional information. These findings uncover the spatiotemporal dynamics by which the human brain transforms visual input into structured prelexical representations, shedding light on the cortical stages of reading and their developmental and clinical implications.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Natasa Ganea; Richard N. Aslin; David J. Lewkowicz<\/p>

Covert attention modulates the SSVEP in a paradigm suitable for infants and young children<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, <\/span>vol. 87, <\/span>no. 7, <\/span>pp. 2085\u20132104, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Ganea2025,
\r\ntitle = {Covert attention modulates the SSVEP in a paradigm suitable for infants and young children},
\r\nauthor = {Natasa Ganea and Richard N. Aslin and David J. Lewkowicz},
\r\ndoi = {10.3758\/s13414-025-03097-4},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-10-01},
\r\njournal = {Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics},
\r\nvolume = {87},
\r\nnumber = {7},
\r\npages = {2085\u20132104},
\r\npublisher = {Springer},
\r\nabstract = {Attention and visual gaze are usually tightly linked. Sometimes, however, we attend covertly to peripheral events without redirecting our gaze from the event that first attracted our overt attention. Despite evidence in adults that the steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) varies with modulation of covert attention, paradigms used with adults are not suitable for use with infants and young children who cannot be instructed to perform tasks that dissociate overt from covert attention. Here, we provide evidence from a paradigm suitable for infants and young children that when gaze remains fixed on a central flickering visual stimulus while covert attention is directed briefly to the peripheral visual field, the SSVEP response undergoes significant attenuation. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and intertrial coherence (ITC) measures of the SSVEP response to the central stimulus were lower when participants covertly deployed their attention to the peripheral stimulus than when central gaze and attention were aligned. Crucially, SNR was a more robust measure of attentional modulation than ITC, even though both measures were significantly correlated. Moreover, a 6 Hz flicker of the central stimulus resulted in a more reliable measure of attentional modulation than 12 Hz, and the inclusion of higher harmonics did not improve the reliability of either the SNR or the ITC measures. Our paradigm is unique in that it relies on short (2 s) response epochs, validates eye position during rapid shifts of covert attention, and makes it possible to obtain SSVEP measures of covert attention from infants, young children, and special populations.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Attention and visual gaze are usually tightly linked. Sometimes, however, we attend covertly to peripheral events without redirecting our gaze from the event that first attracted our overt attention. Despite evidence in adults that the steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) varies with modulation of covert attention, paradigms used with adults are not suitable for use with infants and young children who cannot be instructed to perform tasks that dissociate overt from covert attention. Here, we provide evidence from a paradigm suitable for infants and young children that when gaze remains fixed on a central flickering visual stimulus while covert attention is directed briefly to the peripheral visual field, the SSVEP response undergoes significant attenuation. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and intertrial coherence (ITC) measures of the SSVEP response to the central stimulus were lower when participants covertly deployed their attention to the peripheral stimulus than when central gaze and attention were aligned. Crucially, SNR was a more robust measure of attentional modulation than ITC, even though both measures were significantly correlated. Moreover, a 6 Hz flicker of the central stimulus resulted in a more reliable measure of attentional modulation than 12 Hz, and the inclusion of higher harmonics did not improve the reliability of either the SNR or the ITC measures. Our paradigm is unique in that it relies on short (2 s) response epochs, validates eye position during rapid shifts of covert attention, and makes it possible to obtain SSVEP measures of covert attention from infants, young children, and special populations.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Cameron Smith; Daniel H. Baker<\/p>

Neural correlates of the deployment of spatial attention, and their modulation by repetitive movements<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>PLoS One, <\/span>vol. 20, <\/span>pp. 1\u201318, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Smith2025,
\r\ntitle = {Neural correlates of the deployment of spatial attention, and their modulation by repetitive movements},
\r\nauthor = {Cameron Smith and Daniel H. Baker},
\r\ndoi = {10.1371\/journal.pone.0332583},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-10-01},
\r\njournal = {PLoS One},
\r\nvolume = {20},
\r\npages = {1\u201318},
\r\npublisher = {Public Library of Science},
\r\nabstract = {The deployment of spatial attention generates distinct neural signatures that can be detected at the scalp. Here, we use multivariate pattern analysis of EEG data to decode the deployment of spatial attention, and ask if this is modulated by repetitive movements. \u2018Stimming' movements (also known as repetitive stereotypies), are widely reported in autism, but also present in some neurotypical individuals. Stimming has historically been viewed as a problematic behaviour, but many individuals claim that stimming benefits attention. We first validated our paradigm (a Posner-style cueing design), demonstrating above-chance classification of cue direction from around 300 ms post-cue onset. We then investigated whether stimming modulates decoding accuracy and task performance. Our results, consisting of data primarily from neurotypical participants, do not suggest that stimming has a negative impact on an individual's ability to attend, unless the individual does not typically engage in stimming behaviours. This suggests interventions aiming to reduce stimming behaviours are not necessarily warranted and highlights the need for further research into the potential benefits of stimming specifically within the autistic population. Future research might also consider the potential overlap between autistic stimming and the fidgeting behaviours which are characteristic of ADHD, to help understand the significant overlaps between the characteristics of the two conditions.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
The deployment of spatial attention generates distinct neural signatures that can be detected at the scalp. Here, we use multivariate pattern analysis of EEG data to decode the deployment of spatial attention, and ask if this is modulated by repetitive movements. \u2018Stimming' movements (also known as repetitive stereotypies), are widely reported in autism, but also present in some neurotypical individuals. Stimming has historically been viewed as a problematic behaviour, but many individuals claim that stimming benefits attention. We first validated our paradigm (a Posner-style cueing design), demonstrating above-chance classification of cue direction from around 300 ms post-cue onset. We then investigated whether stimming modulates decoding accuracy and task performance. Our results, consisting of data primarily from neurotypical participants, do not suggest that stimming has a negative impact on an individual's ability to attend, unless the individual does not typically engage in stimming behaviours. This suggests interventions aiming to reduce stimming behaviours are not necessarily warranted and highlights the need for further research into the potential benefits of stimming specifically within the autistic population. Future research might also consider the potential overlap between autistic stimming and the fidgeting behaviours which are characteristic of ADHD, to help understand the significant overlaps between the characteristics of the two conditions.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Dirk Moorselaar; Jan Theeuwes; Stefan Van der Stigchel<\/p>

Alpha-band activity tracks reflexive changes in the breadth of the zoom lens of attention<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>The Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 44, <\/span>pp. 1\u201311, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Moorselaar2025,
\r\ntitle = {Alpha-band activity tracks reflexive changes in the breadth of the zoom lens of attention},
\r\nauthor = {Dirk Moorselaar and Jan Theeuwes and Stefan Van der Stigchel},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.0706-25.2025},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-10-01},
\r\njournal = {The Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {44},
\r\npages = {1\u201311},
\r\nabstract = {Spatial attention is often conceptualized as a flexible \"zoom lens\" that can dynamically adjust its focus, but most evidence stems from studies of voluntary attention. Our study investigates whether involuntary, reflexive attention exhibits similar adaptability in attentional scope. Using behavioral and electroencephalographic (EEG) experiments with exogenous cues of varying spatial extent, we examined how attentional gradients dynamically adjust when attention is involuntarily captured. Male and female human participants performed visual search tasks preceded by narrow- or broad-cue displays at different onset asynchronies. We applied inverted encoding models to alpha-band neural activity to precisely track the locus and breadth of attentional tuning. Across experiments, we found that reflexive attentional gradients flexibly adapt to match cue characteristics. Behaviorally, narrow cues yielded progressively sharper attentional gradients compared with broad cues, with differences emerging over time. Critically, EEG analyses revealed that alpha-band activity tracked these dynamic adjustments, with differences in spatial selectivity emerging rapidly (\u00b1200 ms postcue) and continuing to evolve. Contrary to previous suggestions that involuntary attention primarily influences response efficiency, our results demonstrate that exogenous cues modulate attentional resources across the visual field at early processing stages.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Spatial attention is often conceptualized as a flexible \"zoom lens\" that can dynamically adjust its focus, but most evidence stems from studies of voluntary attention. Our study investigates whether involuntary, reflexive attention exhibits similar adaptability in attentional scope. Using behavioral and electroencephalographic (EEG) experiments with exogenous cues of varying spatial extent, we examined how attentional gradients dynamically adjust when attention is involuntarily captured. Male and female human participants performed visual search tasks preceded by narrow- or broad-cue displays at different onset asynchronies. We applied inverted encoding models to alpha-band neural activity to precisely track the locus and breadth of attentional tuning. Across experiments, we found that reflexive attentional gradients flexibly adapt to match cue characteristics. Behaviorally, narrow cues yielded progressively sharper attentional gradients compared with broad cues, with differences emerging over time. Critically, EEG analyses revealed that alpha-band activity tracked these dynamic adjustments, with differences in spatial selectivity emerging rapidly (\u00b1200 ms postcue) and continuing to evolve. Contrary to previous suggestions that involuntary attention primarily influences response efficiency, our results demonstrate that exogenous cues modulate attentional resources across the visual field at early processing stages.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Addison D. N. Billing; Eleanor S. Smith; Robert J. Cooper; Rebecca P. Lawson<\/p>

Maternal anxiety shapes prediction error responses in the infant brain<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Neurophotonics, <\/span>vol. 12, <\/span>no. 03, <\/span>pp. 1\u201316, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Billing2025,
\r\ntitle = {Maternal anxiety shapes prediction error responses in the infant brain},
\r\nauthor = {Addison D. N. Billing and Eleanor S. Smith and Robert J. Cooper and Rebecca P. Lawson},
\r\ndoi = {10.1117\/1.nph.12.3.035013},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-09-01},
\r\njournal = {Neurophotonics},
\r\nvolume = {12},
\r\nnumber = {03},
\r\npages = {1\u201316},
\r\npublisher = {SPIE-Intl Soc Optical Eng},
\r\nabstract = {SIGNIFICANCE: Postnatal maternal anxiety affects a substantial number of new mothers and is linked to long-term risk for anxiety in their offspring. Yet, the neural mechanisms through which postnatal maternal anxiety influences early cognitive development remain unclear. We investigated whether postnatal maternal anxiety shapes how infant brains respond to unexpected events-prediction errors-which are central to learning in uncertain environments. AIM: We examined prediction error processing in 6- to 8-month-old infants using high-density diffuse optical tomography and eye-tracking. We hypothesized that neural responses in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) would vary with maternal anxiety levels. APPROACH: Infants viewed audiovisual events where expected outcomes were occasionally omitted, eliciting prediction errors. Hemodynamic responses in the frontal cortex were analyzed using a general linear model, with trial-by-trial gaze data as a parametric modulator. Maternal anxiety was measured using the state-trait anxiety inventory. RESULTS: Prediction error responses were localized to the mPFC and were only detectable when controlling for infant attention using eye-tracking. Cortical activation in response to unexpected stimuli was significantly enhanced in infants of mothers with higher trait anxiety. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that maternal anxiety modulates prediction error processing in the infant brain, potentially shaping early sensitivity to environmental unpredictability and conferring risk for later anxiety.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
SIGNIFICANCE: Postnatal maternal anxiety affects a substantial number of new mothers and is linked to long-term risk for anxiety in their offspring. Yet, the neural mechanisms through which postnatal maternal anxiety influences early cognitive development remain unclear. We investigated whether postnatal maternal anxiety shapes how infant brains respond to unexpected events-prediction errors-which are central to learning in uncertain environments. AIM: We examined prediction error processing in 6- to 8-month-old infants using high-density diffuse optical tomography and eye-tracking. We hypothesized that neural responses in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) would vary with maternal anxiety levels. APPROACH: Infants viewed audiovisual events where expected outcomes were occasionally omitted, eliciting prediction errors. Hemodynamic responses in the frontal cortex were analyzed using a general linear model, with trial-by-trial gaze data as a parametric modulator. Maternal anxiety was measured using the state-trait anxiety inventory. RESULTS: Prediction error responses were localized to the mPFC and were only detectable when controlling for infant attention using eye-tracking. Cortical activation in response to unexpected stimuli was significantly enhanced in infants of mothers with higher trait anxiety. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that maternal anxiety modulates prediction error processing in the infant brain, potentially shaping early sensitivity to environmental unpredictability and conferring risk for later anxiety.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Debadatta Dash; Fumiaki Iwane; William Hayward; Roberto F Salamanca-Giron; Marlene B\u00f6nstrup; Ethan R Buch; Leonardo G Cohen<\/p>

Sequence action representations contextualize during early skill learning<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>eLife, <\/span>vol. 13, <\/span>pp. 1\u201325, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Dash2025,
\r\ntitle = {Sequence action representations contextualize during early skill learning},
\r\nauthor = {Debadatta Dash and Fumiaki Iwane and William Hayward and Roberto F Salamanca-Giron and Marlene B\u00f6nstrup and Ethan R Buch and Leonardo G Cohen},
\r\ndoi = {10.7554\/elife.102475},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-09-01},
\r\njournal = {eLife},
\r\nvolume = {13},
\r\npages = {1\u201325},
\r\npublisher = {eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd},
\r\nabstract = {Activities of daily living rely on our ability to acquire new motor skills composed of precise action sequences. Here, we asked in humans if the millisecond-level neural representation of an action performed at different contextual sequence locations within a skill differentiates or remains stable during early motor learning. We first optimized machine learning decoders predictive of sequence-embedded finger movements from magnetoencephalographic (MEG) activity. Using this approach, we found that the neural representation of the same action performed in different contextual sequence locations progressively differentiated\u2014primarily during rest intervals of early learning (offline)\u2014correlating with skill gains. In contrast, representational differentiation during practice (online) did not reflect learning. The regions contributing to this representational differentiation evolved with learning, shifting from the contralateral pre- and post-central cortex during early learning (trials 1\u201311) to increased involvement of the superior and middle frontal cortex once skill performance plateaued (trials 12\u201336). Thus, the neural substrates supporting finger movements and their representational differentiation during early skill learning differ from those supporting stable performance during the subsequent skill plateau period. Representational contextualization extended to Day 2, exhibiting specificity for the practiced skill sequence. Altogether, our findings indicate that sequence action representations in the human brain contextually differentiate during early skill learning, an issue relevant to brain-computer interface applications in neurorehabilitation.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Activities of daily living rely on our ability to acquire new motor skills composed of precise action sequences. Here, we asked in humans if the millisecond-level neural representation of an action performed at different contextual sequence locations within a skill differentiates or remains stable during early motor learning. We first optimized machine learning decoders predictive of sequence-embedded finger movements from magnetoencephalographic (MEG) activity. Using this approach, we found that the neural representation of the same action performed in different contextual sequence locations progressively differentiated\u2014primarily during rest intervals of early learning (offline)\u2014correlating with skill gains. In contrast, representational differentiation during practice (online) did not reflect learning. The regions contributing to this representational differentiation evolved with learning, shifting from the contralateral pre- and post-central cortex during early learning (trials 1\u201311) to increased involvement of the superior and middle frontal cortex once skill performance plateaued (trials 12\u201336). Thus, the neural substrates supporting finger movements and their representational differentiation during early skill learning differ from those supporting stable performance during the subsequent skill plateau period. Representational contextualization extended to Day 2, exhibiting specificity for the practiced skill sequence. Altogether, our findings indicate that sequence action representations in the human brain contextually differentiate during early skill learning, an issue relevant to brain-computer interface applications in neurorehabilitation.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Jan Willem Gee; Niels A. Kloosterman; Anke Braun; Tobias H. Donner<\/p>

Catecholamines reduce choice history biases in perceptual decision making<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>PLoS Biology, <\/span>vol. 23, <\/span>pp. 1\u201315, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Gee2025,
\r\ntitle = {Catecholamines reduce choice history biases in perceptual decision making},
\r\nauthor = {Jan Willem Gee and Niels A. Kloosterman and Anke Braun and Tobias H. Donner},
\r\ndoi = {10.1371\/journal.pbio.3003361},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-09-01},
\r\njournal = {PLoS Biology},
\r\nvolume = {23},
\r\npages = {1\u201315},
\r\npublisher = {Public Library of Science},
\r\nabstract = {Theoretical accounts postulate that the catecholaminergic neuromodulator noradrenaline shapes cognition and behavior by reducing the impact of prior expectations on learning, inference, and decision-making. A ubiquitous effect of dynamic priors on perceptual decisions under uncertainty is choice history bias: the tendency to systematically repeat, or alternate, previous choices, even when stimulus categories are presented in a random sequence. Here, we directly test for a causal impact of catecholamines on these priors. We pharmacologically elevated catecholamine levels in human participants through the application of the noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine. We quantified the resulting changes in observers' history biases in a visual perceptual decision task. Choice history biases in this task were highly idiosyncratic, tending toward choice repetition or alternation in different individuals. Atomoxetine decreased these biases (toward either repetition or alternation) compared to placebo. Behavioral modeling indicates that this bias reduction was due to a reduced bias in the accumulation of sensory evidence, rather than of the starting point of the accumulation process. Atomoxetine had no significant effect on other behavioral measures tested, including response time and choice accuracy. Atomoxetine and variations of pupil-linked arousal at slower and faster timescales had analogous effects on choice history bias. We conclude that catecholamines reduce the impact of a specific form of prior on perceptual decisions.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Theoretical accounts postulate that the catecholaminergic neuromodulator noradrenaline shapes cognition and behavior by reducing the impact of prior expectations on learning, inference, and decision-making. A ubiquitous effect of dynamic priors on perceptual decisions under uncertainty is choice history bias: the tendency to systematically repeat, or alternate, previous choices, even when stimulus categories are presented in a random sequence. Here, we directly test for a causal impact of catecholamines on these priors. We pharmacologically elevated catecholamine levels in human participants through the application of the noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine. We quantified the resulting changes in observers' history biases in a visual perceptual decision task. Choice history biases in this task were highly idiosyncratic, tending toward choice repetition or alternation in different individuals. Atomoxetine decreased these biases (toward either repetition or alternation) compared to placebo. Behavioral modeling indicates that this bias reduction was due to a reduced bias in the accumulation of sensory evidence, rather than of the starting point of the accumulation process. Atomoxetine had no significant effect on other behavioral measures tested, including response time and choice accuracy. Atomoxetine and variations of pupil-linked arousal at slower and faster timescales had analogous effects on choice history bias. We conclude that catecholamines reduce the impact of a specific form of prior on perceptual decisions.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Ziyue Hu; Dominic M. D. Tran; Reuben Rideaux<\/p>

Multimodal evidence challenges the effectiveness of probabilistic cueing for establishing sensory expectations<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Imaging Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 3, <\/span>pp. 1\u201319, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Hu2025b,
\r\ntitle = {Multimodal evidence challenges the effectiveness of probabilistic cueing for establishing sensory expectations},
\r\nauthor = {Ziyue Hu and Dominic M. D. Tran and Reuben Rideaux},
\r\ndoi = {10.1162\/IMAG.a.152},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-09-01},
\r\njournal = {Imaging Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {3},
\r\npages = {1\u201319},
\r\npublisher = {Massachusetts Institute of Technology},
\r\nabstract = {Predictive coding theories posit a reduction in error-signaling neural activity when incoming sensory input matches existing expectations\u2014a phenomenon termed expectation suppression. However, the empirical evidence for expectation suppression, as well as its underlying neural mechanism, is contentious. A further aspect of predictive coding that remains untested is how predictions are integrated across sensorimotor domains. To investigate these two questions, we employed a novel cross-domain probabilistic cueing paradigm, where participants were presented with both visual and motor cues within a single trial. These cues manipulated the orientation and temporal expectancy of target stimuli with 75% validity. Participants completed a reproduction task where they rotated a bar to match the orientation of the target stimulus while their neural and pupil responses were respectively measured via electroencephalography and eye tracking. Our results showed a consistent, feature-unspecific effect of motor expectancy across multiple measures, while evidence for visual expectancy was limited. However, neither motor nor visual expectancy modulated the fidelity of sensory representations. These results indicate that violations of temporal expectancy in the current study may reveal the brain's intrinsic sensitivity to temporal regularities in the natural settings, rather than feature-specific predictions. In contrast, the absence of visual expectancy effects in both neural and pupillometry results adds to a growing body of evidence questioning the effectiveness of probabilistic cueing paradigms for establishing expectations capable of altering sensory representations. Due to null findings in the visual and sensory representation analyses, we did not further investigate cross-domain prediction integration.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Predictive coding theories posit a reduction in error-signaling neural activity when incoming sensory input matches existing expectations\u2014a phenomenon termed expectation suppression. However, the empirical evidence for expectation suppression, as well as its underlying neural mechanism, is contentious. A further aspect of predictive coding that remains untested is how predictions are integrated across sensorimotor domains. To investigate these two questions, we employed a novel cross-domain probabilistic cueing paradigm, where participants were presented with both visual and motor cues within a single trial. These cues manipulated the orientation and temporal expectancy of target stimuli with 75% validity. Participants completed a reproduction task where they rotated a bar to match the orientation of the target stimulus while their neural and pupil responses were respectively measured via electroencephalography and eye tracking. Our results showed a consistent, feature-unspecific effect of motor expectancy across multiple measures, while evidence for visual expectancy was limited. However, neither motor nor visual expectancy modulated the fidelity of sensory representations. These results indicate that violations of temporal expectancy in the current study may reveal the brain's intrinsic sensitivity to temporal regularities in the natural settings, rather than feature-specific predictions. In contrast, the absence of visual expectancy effects in both neural and pupillometry results adds to a growing body of evidence questioning the effectiveness of probabilistic cueing paradigms for establishing expectations capable of altering sensory representations. Due to null findings in the visual and sensory representation analyses, we did not further investigate cross-domain prediction integration.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Sandra Klonteig; Elise S. Roals\u00f8; Brage Kraft; Torgeir Moberget; Eva Hilland; Peyman Mirtaheri; Rune Jonassen<\/p>

Measuring attentional bias using the dot-probe task in young women: Psychometric properties and feasibility of response-based computations, dwell time, and the N2pc component<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, <\/span>vol. 88, <\/span>pp. 1\u201312, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Klonteig2025,
\r\ntitle = {Measuring attentional bias using the dot-probe task in young women: Psychometric properties and feasibility of response-based computations, dwell time, and the N2pc component},
\r\nauthor = {Sandra Klonteig and Elise S. Roals\u00f8 and Brage Kraft and Torgeir Moberget and Eva Hilland and Peyman Mirtaheri and Rune Jonassen},
\r\ndoi = {10.1016\/j.jbtep.2025.102036},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-09-01},
\r\njournal = {Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry},
\r\nvolume = {88},
\r\npages = {1\u201312},
\r\npublisher = {Elsevier Ltd},
\r\nabstract = {Background: Attentional bias (AB) is characterized by preferential cognitive and emotional processing of mood-congruent stimuli and considered a central mechanism in mood disorders. Considerable research has focused on improving AB measures to enhance mechanistic understanding and clinical utility. The present study examines psychometric properties of a range of AB measures with a multimodal setup. Methods: A nonclinical sample of 62 women aged 20\u201330 years completed the facial dot-probe task while behavioral responses (reaction time), eye-gaze patterns (eye tracking), and electrical brain potentials (electroencephalography) were recorded. AB metrics from four types of AB measures \u2013 traditional, response-based, dwell time, and the N2pc component\u2013 were examined with internal consistency and short-term test-retest calculations. AB metrics with an internal consistency score over .4 were considered reliable, and their validity were explored by examining relations to depression and anxiety symptoms. In addition, the consistency between reliable metrics across trials were examined. Results: Findings show that traditional AB metrics exhibited no degree of reliability, whereas response-based and dwell time metrics overall demonstrated better internal consistencies. Response-based metrics also had higher test-retest reliability in all but one metric. The previously reported reliability of the N2pc component was not observed. As for validity, no linear associations were found between the reliable measures, depression, and anxiety. There were no relations between metrics across trials. Conclusions: This study provides insights for future AB research, emphasizing the potential of novel metrics over traditional ones and the use of multimodal setups to develop reliable and potentially hybrid measurements for clinical assessment.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Background: Attentional bias (AB) is characterized by preferential cognitive and emotional processing of mood-congruent stimuli and considered a central mechanism in mood disorders. Considerable research has focused on improving AB measures to enhance mechanistic understanding and clinical utility. The present study examines psychometric properties of a range of AB measures with a multimodal setup. Methods: A nonclinical sample of 62 women aged 20\u201330 years completed the facial dot-probe task while behavioral responses (reaction time), eye-gaze patterns (eye tracking), and electrical brain potentials (electroencephalography) were recorded. AB metrics from four types of AB measures \u2013 traditional, response-based, dwell time, and the N2pc component\u2013 were examined with internal consistency and short-term test-retest calculations. AB metrics with an internal consistency score over .4 were considered reliable, and their validity were explored by examining relations to depression and anxiety symptoms. In addition, the consistency between reliable metrics across trials were examined. Results: Findings show that traditional AB metrics exhibited no degree of reliability, whereas response-based and dwell time metrics overall demonstrated better internal consistencies. Response-based metrics also had higher test-retest reliability in all but one metric. The previously reported reliability of the N2pc component was not observed. As for validity, no linear associations were found between the reliable measures, depression, and anxiety. There were no relations between metrics across trials. Conclusions: This study provides insights for future AB research, emphasizing the potential of novel metrics over traditional ones and the use of multimodal setups to develop reliable and potentially hybrid measurements for clinical assessment.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Baiwei Liu; Siyang Kong; Freek Ede<\/p>

Microsaccades strongly modulate but do not directly cause the EEG N2pc marker of spatial attention<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>PLoS biology, <\/span>vol. 23, <\/span>no. 9, <\/span>pp. 1\u201317, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Liu2025c,
\r\ntitle = {Microsaccades strongly modulate but do not directly cause the EEG N2pc marker of spatial attention},
\r\nauthor = {Baiwei Liu and Siyang Kong and Freek Ede},
\r\ndoi = {10.1371\/journal.pbio.3003418},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-09-01},
\r\njournal = {PLoS biology},
\r\nvolume = {23},
\r\nnumber = {9},
\r\npages = {1\u201317},
\r\nabstract = {The N2pc is a popular human-neuroscience marker of covert and internal spatial attention that occurs 200-300 ms after being prompted to shift attention-a time window also characterized by the spatial biasing of small fixational eye movements known as microsaccades. Here, we show how co-occurring microsaccades profoundly modulate N2pc amplitude during top-down shifts of spatial attention in both perception and working memory. At the same time, we show that a significant-albeit severely weakened-N2pc can still be established in the absence of co-occurring microsaccades. Moreover, despite the strong modulation of the N2pc by microsaccade presence and direction, the N2pc does not align to the precise timing of microsaccades, ruling out that the observed N2pc modulations by microsaccades are a direct artifact of microsaccade-related eye-muscle activity, corneo-retinal dipole movement, or visual inputs moving over the retina. Thus, while microsaccades strongly modulate N2pc amplitude, microsaccades themselves are not a prerequisite for, nor a direct cause of, the N2pc.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Sreenivasan Meyyappan; Mingzhou Ding; George R. Mangun<\/p>

Hierarchical organization of human visual feature attention control<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>The Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 39, <\/span>pp. 1\u201313, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Meyyappan2025,
\r\ntitle = {Hierarchical organization of human visual feature attention control},
\r\nauthor = {Sreenivasan Meyyappan and Mingzhou Ding and George R. Mangun},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.2073-24.2025},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-09-01},
\r\njournal = {The Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {39},
\r\npages = {1\u201313},
\r\nabstract = {Attention can be deployed in advance of visual stimuli based on features such as color or direction of motion. This anticipatory feature-based attention involves top-down neural control signals from the frontoparietal network that bias visual cortex to enhance attended information and suppress distraction. For example, anticipatory attention control can enable effective selection based on stimulus color while ignoring distracting information about stimulus motion. Anticipatory attention can also be focused more narrowly, for example, to select specific colors or motion directions that define task-relevant aspects of the stimuli. One important question that remains open is whether anticipatory attention control first biases broad feature dimensions such as color versus motion before biasing the specific feature attributes (e.g., blue vs green). To investigate this, we recorded EEG activity during a task where human participants of either sex were cued to either attend to a motion direction (up or down) or a color (blue or green) on a trial-by-trial basis. Applying multivariate decoding approaches to the EEG alpha band activity (8-12 Hz) during attention control (cue-target interval), we observed significant decoding for both the attended dimensions (motion vs color) and specific feature attributes (up vs down; blue vs green). Importantly, the temporal onset of the dimension-level biasing (motion vs color) preceded that of the attribute-level biasing (up vs down and blue vs green). These findings demonstrate that the top-down control of feature-based attention proceeds in a hierarchical fashion, first biasing the broad feature dimension, and then narrowing to the specific feature attribute.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Attention can be deployed in advance of visual stimuli based on features such as color or direction of motion. This anticipatory feature-based attention involves top-down neural control signals from the frontoparietal network that bias visual cortex to enhance attended information and suppress distraction. For example, anticipatory attention control can enable effective selection based on stimulus color while ignoring distracting information about stimulus motion. Anticipatory attention can also be focused more narrowly, for example, to select specific colors or motion directions that define task-relevant aspects of the stimuli. One important question that remains open is whether anticipatory attention control first biases broad feature dimensions such as color versus motion before biasing the specific feature attributes (e.g., blue vs green). To investigate this, we recorded EEG activity during a task where human participants of either sex were cued to either attend to a motion direction (up or down) or a color (blue or green) on a trial-by-trial basis. Applying multivariate decoding approaches to the EEG alpha band activity (8-12 Hz) during attention control (cue-target interval), we observed significant decoding for both the attended dimensions (motion vs color) and specific feature attributes (up vs down; blue vs green). Importantly, the temporal onset of the dimension-level biasing (motion vs color) preceded that of the attribute-level biasing (up vs down and blue vs green). These findings demonstrate that the top-down control of feature-based attention proceeds in a hierarchical fashion, first biasing the broad feature dimension, and then narrowing to the specific feature attribute.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Matthias Mittner; Josephine Maria Groot<\/p>

A novel method for modeling tonic and phasic pupil dynamics in humans<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Behavior Research Methods, <\/span>vol. 57, <\/span>no. 9, <\/span>pp. 1\u201313, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Mittner2025,
\r\ntitle = {A novel method for modeling tonic and phasic pupil dynamics in humans},
\r\nauthor = {Matthias Mittner and Josephine Maria Groot},
\r\ndoi = {10.3758\/s13428-025-02755-7},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-09-01},
\r\njournal = {Behavior Research Methods},
\r\nvolume = {57},
\r\nnumber = {9},
\r\npages = {1\u201313},
\r\npublisher = {Springer},
\r\nabstract = {The human pupil is a widely used physiological metric in psychology and neuroscience. Changes in pupil diameter (PD) are thought to reflect changes in locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC\/NE) activity, which is associated with cognitive and behavioral optimization. Here, we present a novel algorithm to decompose the pupil signal into its tonic and phasic components. We evaluate the utility and validity of the algorithms using both artificially generated data and an existing dataset from a fast-paced finger-tapping task. Results show that the novel algorithm outperforms traditional approaches on simulated data. We further demonstrate that our algorithm provides more conclusive evidence for relationships between mind wandering reports and pupil predictors compared to traditional window-averaging. Finally, we demonstrate that the novel and traditional estimates contain distinct information regarding neuroimaging correlates and task performance.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Brian Nestor; Ayah Elaboudi; Sara Milligan; Elizabeth R. Schotter<\/p>

Parafoveally perceived orthographic cues facilitate foveal semantic processing: Evidence from event-related potentials<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Brain and Language, <\/span>vol. 268, <\/span>pp. 1\u201310, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Nestor2025,
\r\ntitle = {Parafoveally perceived orthographic cues facilitate foveal semantic processing: Evidence from event-related potentials},
\r\nauthor = {Brian Nestor and Ayah Elaboudi and Sara Milligan and Elizabeth R. Schotter},
\r\ndoi = {10.1016\/j.bandl.2025.105609},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-09-01},
\r\njournal = {Brain and Language},
\r\nvolume = {268},
\r\npages = {1\u201310},
\r\npublisher = {Academic Press Inc.},
\r\nabstract = {Readers extract information from words viewed parafoveally, but it is unclear whether this processing is limited to orthography or if it extends to lexico-semantic content. In the current ERP study, we measured the N400 responses to words that were perceived parafoveally and\/or foveally using the RSVP-with-flankers paradigm and a parafoveal masking manipulation. We compared anomalous orthographically related (neighbor) and unrelated (non-neighbor) words to expected words to determine whether the N400 responses were driven by orthographic and\/or semantic processing. We observed a large parafoveal N400 effect in response to the non-neighbors (versus expected), and a smaller, later parafoveal N400 for neighbors, suggesting that the parafoveal response is largely orthographic in nature. We also observed a significant reduction in foveal N400 magnitude when non-neighbor words were previously visible parafoveally (but not for the foveal N400 response to neighbors), suggesting that facilitation of foveal processing is driven by parafoveal detection of orthographic violations.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Richard Schweitzer; Thomas Seel; J\u00f6rg Raisch; Martin Rolfs<\/p>

Early visual signatures and benefits of intra-saccadic motion streaks<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>PLoS Computational Biology, <\/span>vol. 21, <\/span>no. 9, <\/span>pp. 1\u201337, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Schweitzer2025a,
\r\ntitle = {Early visual signatures and benefits of intra-saccadic motion streaks},
\r\nauthor = {Richard Schweitzer and Thomas Seel and J\u00f6rg Raisch and Martin Rolfs},
\r\ndoi = {10.1371\/journal.pcbi.1013544},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-09-01},
\r\njournal = {PLoS Computational Biology},
\r\nvolume = {21},
\r\nnumber = {9},
\r\npages = {1\u201337},
\r\nabstract = {Eye movements routinely induce motion streaks as they shift visual projections across the retina at high speeds. To investigate the visual consequences of intra-saccadic motion streaks, we co-registered eye tracking and EEG while gaze-contingently shifting target objects during saccades, presenting either continuous, 'streaky' or apparent, step-like motion in four directions. We found significant reductions of secondary saccade latency, as well as improved decoding of the post-saccadic target location from the EEG signal when motion streaks were available. These signals arose as early as 50 ms after saccade offset and had a clear occipital topography. Using a physiologically plausible visual processing model, we provide evidence that the target's motion trajectory is coded in orientation-selective channels and that speed of gaze correction was linked to the visual dynamics arising from the combination of saccadic and target motion, providing a parsimonious explanation of the behavioral benefits of intra-saccadic motion streaks.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Zhaohuan Ding; Wenbo Ma; Leixiao Feng; Mingsha Zhang; Xiaoli Li<\/p>

Quantifying task-locked information transmission between cortical areas with TMS-EEG<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>NeuroImage, <\/span>vol. 317, <\/span>pp. 1\u201310, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Ding2025c,
\r\ntitle = {Quantifying task-locked information transmission between cortical areas with TMS-EEG},
\r\nauthor = {Zhaohuan Ding and Wenbo Ma and Leixiao Feng and Mingsha Zhang and Xiaoli Li},
\r\ndoi = {10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2025.121323},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-08-01},
\r\njournal = {NeuroImage},
\r\nvolume = {317},
\r\npages = {1\u201310},
\r\npublisher = {Academic Press Inc.},
\r\nabstract = {Objective: This study aims to develop TMS-EEG (Transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with EEG) technology to detect task-locked neural network activation and dynamically quantify information transmission. Approach: 30 participants performed visually guided gap saccade tasks while TMS-EEG data were recorded, with the TMS pulses delivered to prefrontal cortex (PFC) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) at different task stages. The directed transfer function (DTF) method was applied to TMS-EEG data to indicate the information flow. By analyzing the channel combinations associated with the PFC and PPC, we calculated differences in information flow within the alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands to determine whether TMS-EEG could quantitatively characterize the direction of information flow between cortical areas. Main results: Analysis of eye tracker data revealed that all participants successfully performed the saccade task, with a correct rate exceeding 90 %. The mean saccade latency was 132.25 \u00b1 22.59 ms after target appearance. Stimulation of the PFC and PPC revealed significant differences in information flow in the gamma bands at different time points. Specifically, during the preparatory period, the C3 electrode acts as a hub for incoming information from O1, later transitioning to send information towards F4 and O1 post-target. Then, P3 emerges as a hub, sending data towards P4, with connectivity between them intensifying post 100 ms from the target's appearance. Significance: This study utilized DTF values derived from TMS-EEG to characterize information flow between cortical areas during the gap saccade task. This approach provides a novel method for quantifying dynamic changes in connectivity and causality between cortical areas during task processing.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Objective: This study aims to develop TMS-EEG (Transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with EEG) technology to detect task-locked neural network activation and dynamically quantify information transmission. Approach: 30 participants performed visually guided gap saccade tasks while TMS-EEG data were recorded, with the TMS pulses delivered to prefrontal cortex (PFC) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) at different task stages. The directed transfer function (DTF) method was applied to TMS-EEG data to indicate the information flow. By analyzing the channel combinations associated with the PFC and PPC, we calculated differences in information flow within the alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands to determine whether TMS-EEG could quantitatively characterize the direction of information flow between cortical areas. Main results: Analysis of eye tracker data revealed that all participants successfully performed the saccade task, with a correct rate exceeding 90 %. The mean saccade latency was 132.25 \u00b1 22.59 ms after target appearance. Stimulation of the PFC and PPC revealed significant differences in information flow in the gamma bands at different time points. Specifically, during the preparatory period, the C3 electrode acts as a hub for incoming information from O1, later transitioning to send information towards F4 and O1 post-target. Then, P3 emerges as a hub, sending data towards P4, with connectivity between them intensifying post 100 ms from the target's appearance. Significance: This study utilized DTF values derived from TMS-EEG to characterize information flow between cortical areas during the gap saccade task. This approach provides a novel method for quantifying dynamic changes in connectivity and causality between cortical areas during task processing.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Wenbo Ma; Zhaohuan Ding; Leixiao Feng; Xiaoli Li; Mingsha Zhang<\/p>

The role of prefrontal and posterior parietal cortex in generating multiple step saccades<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Neuroscience Bulletin, <\/span>vol. 41, <\/span>no. 8, <\/span>pp. 1418\u20131428, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Ma2025,
\r\ntitle = {The role of prefrontal and posterior parietal cortex in generating multiple step saccades},
\r\nauthor = {Wenbo Ma and Zhaohuan Ding and Leixiao Feng and Xiaoli Li and Mingsha Zhang},
\r\ndoi = {10.1007\/s12264-025-01377-5},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-08-01},
\r\njournal = {Neuroscience Bulletin},
\r\nvolume = {41},
\r\nnumber = {8},
\r\npages = {1418\u20131428},
\r\npublisher = {Springer},
\r\nabstract = {While multiple step saccades (MSS) are occasionally reported in the healthy population, they are more evident in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Therefore, MSS has been suggested as a biological marker for the diagnosis of PD. However, the lack of clarity on the neural mechanism underlying the generation of MSS largely impedes their application in the clinic. We have proposed recently that MSS are triggered by the discrepancy between desired and executed saccades. Accordingly, brain regions involved in saccadic planning and execution might play a role in the generation of MSS. To test this hypothesis, we explored the role of the prefrontal (PFC) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in generating MSS by conducting two experiments: electroencephalographic recording and single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation in the PFC or PPC of humans while participants were performing a gap saccade task. We found that the PFC and PPC are involved in the generation of MSS.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Sajjad Karimi; Masoud Nateghi; Gabriela I. Cestero; Lina Chitadze; Deepanshi; Yi Yang; Juhee H. Vyas; Chuoqi Chen; Zeineb Bouzid; Cem O. Yaldiz; Nicholas Harris; Rachel Bull; Bradly T. Stone; Spencer K. Lynn; Bethany K. Bracken; Omer T. Inan; J. Douglas Bremner; Reza Sameni<\/p>

Prescreening depression using wearable electrocardiogram and photoplethysmogram data from a psycholinguistic experiment<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Physiological Measurement, <\/span>vol. 46, <\/span>no. 8, <\/span>pp. 1\u201320, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Karimi2025,
\r\ntitle = {Prescreening depression using wearable electrocardiogram and photoplethysmogram data from a psycholinguistic experiment},
\r\nauthor = {Sajjad Karimi and Masoud Nateghi and Gabriela I. Cestero and Lina Chitadze and Deepanshi and Yi Yang and Juhee H. Vyas and Chuoqi Chen and Zeineb Bouzid and Cem O. Yaldiz and Nicholas Harris and Rachel Bull and Bradly T. Stone and Spencer K. Lynn and Bethany K. Bracken and Omer T. Inan and J. Douglas Bremner and Reza Sameni},
\r\ndoi = {10.1088\/1361-6579\/adf6fe},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-08-01},
\r\njournal = {Physiological Measurement},
\r\nvolume = {46},
\r\nnumber = {8},
\r\npages = {1\u201320},
\r\npublisher = {Institute of Physics},
\r\nabstract = {Objective. Depression is a prevalent mental health disorder that significantly impacts well-being and quality of life. This study investigates the relationship between depression and cardiovascular function, exploring time-series features derived from electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmogram (PPG) data as potential biomarkers for depression prescreening. Approach. As part of a comprehensive psycholinguistic experiment, we collected data from 60 individuals, including both healthy participants and those with varying levels of depression, assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Bimodal features derived from both ECG and PPG data were used to develop machine learning models for depression risk classification, employing classifiers such as random forest, XGBoost, logistic regression, and support vector machines (SVMs). Additionally, regression models were built to predict depression severity based on ECG- and PPG-derived biomarkers. Main results. Key findings indicate that short-term variability (SD1) features in the ECG RR interval, peripheral systolic and diastolic phases from the PPG, and pulse duration significantly differ between healthy individuals and those at risk of depression. SVM achieved the best classification performance, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.83 \u00b1 0.11 for BDI-II-based classification and 0.78 \u00b1 0.11 for PHQ-9-based classification. SHapley Additive exPlanations analysis consistently identified systolic-SD1 and RR-SD1 as key predictors. Regression analysis further supported the role of cardiovascular features in assessing depression severity, yielding a mean absolute error of 10.18 for BDI-II and 5.27 for PHQ-9 score regression. Significance. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using wearable ECG and PPG technologies for depression prescreening. The findings suggest that cardiac activity-based biomarkers can contribute to the development of cost-effective, objective, and non-invasive tools for mental health assessment, complementing traditional diagnostic methods.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Objective. Depression is a prevalent mental health disorder that significantly impacts well-being and quality of life. This study investigates the relationship between depression and cardiovascular function, exploring time-series features derived from electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmogram (PPG) data as potential biomarkers for depression prescreening. Approach. As part of a comprehensive psycholinguistic experiment, we collected data from 60 individuals, including both healthy participants and those with varying levels of depression, assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Bimodal features derived from both ECG and PPG data were used to develop machine learning models for depression risk classification, employing classifiers such as random forest, XGBoost, logistic regression, and support vector machines (SVMs). Additionally, regression models were built to predict depression severity based on ECG- and PPG-derived biomarkers. Main results. Key findings indicate that short-term variability (SD1) features in the ECG RR interval, peripheral systolic and diastolic phases from the PPG, and pulse duration significantly differ between healthy individuals and those at risk of depression. SVM achieved the best classification performance, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.83 \u00b1 0.11 for BDI-II-based classification and 0.78 \u00b1 0.11 for PHQ-9-based classification. SHapley Additive exPlanations analysis consistently identified systolic-SD1 and RR-SD1 as key predictors. Regression analysis further supported the role of cardiovascular features in assessing depression severity, yielding a mean absolute error of 10.18 for BDI-II and 5.27 for PHQ-9 score regression. Significance. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using wearable ECG and PPG technologies for depression prescreening. The findings suggest that cardiac activity-based biomarkers can contribute to the development of cost-effective, objective, and non-invasive tools for mental health assessment, complementing traditional diagnostic methods.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Longxia Lou; Ximei Feng; Zehao Liang; Zhi-fang Liu; Zhijun Zhang<\/p>

Contextual plausibility effects among older adults in Chinese free-view reading: Co-registration of eye-tracking and electroencephalography<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Perceptual and Motor Skills, <\/span>pp. 1\u201322, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Lou2025,
\r\ntitle = {Contextual plausibility effects among older adults in Chinese free-view reading: Co-registration of eye-tracking and electroencephalography},
\r\nauthor = {Longxia Lou and Ximei Feng and Zehao Liang and Zhi-fang Liu and Zhijun Zhang},
\r\ndoi = {10.1177\/00315125251370882},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-08-01},
\r\njournal = {Perceptual and Motor Skills},
\r\npages = {1\u201322},
\r\npublisher = {SAGE Publications},
\r\nabstract = {With regard to how aging affects contextual plausibility in Chinese natural silent reading, research remains limited. To address the methodological limitations inherent in using eye-tracking measures and event-related potentials separately, we aimed to apply co-registration of eye-tracking with electroencephalography (EEG) in Chinese natural silent reading. Old and young adults were asked to read sentences that contained either semantically congruent or semantically violated words. We failed to replicate any differences in contextual plausibility effects between the older and younger adults on eye-tracking measures of early word processing (including first fixation duration, gaze duration, probability of skipping, and refixation). However, larger plausibility effects for the old adult readers were observed in the measures of regression in probability and total reading time. No reliable age-related differences in plausibility effects were observed for brain response amplitudes in the parafoveal and foveal intervals (from \u2212400 to 200 ms). Both eye-tracking and EEG data demonstrated that contextual plausibility in early word processing was preserved among the old adults, while the Chinese old adult readers made more efforts to reanalyze semantic information in relation to free-view reading.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Jose Mora-Quiroga; Juan Pablo Abril-Ronderos; Marisol R. Lamprea<\/p>

Reciprocal competition between cognitive tasks and emotional processing revealed by EEG and eye tracking<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>International Journal of Psychophysiology, <\/span>vol. 214, <\/span>pp. 1\u201310, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{MoraQuiroga2025,
\r\ntitle = {Reciprocal competition between cognitive tasks and emotional processing revealed by EEG and eye tracking},
\r\nauthor = {Jose Mora-Quiroga and Juan Pablo Abril-Ronderos and Marisol R. Lamprea},
\r\ndoi = {10.1016\/j.ijpsycho.2025.113221},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-08-01},
\r\njournal = {International Journal of Psychophysiology},
\r\nvolume = {214},
\r\npages = {1\u201310},
\r\npublisher = {Elsevier B.V.},
\r\nabstract = {Processing of engaging stimuli triggers increases in visual exploration, enhances the centroparietal late positive potential (LPP) and produce larger posterior alpha desynchronization (a-ERD), suggesting orienting and attention allocation. It has been shown that a salient arousing image in the background of a cognitive task consumes processing resources from the superimposed task, producing a deleterious effect on performance. On the other hand, experiments designed to change the focus of attention during the processing of emotional stimuli have shown a reduction of the emotional response, indicating an attentional competition between significant stimuli simultaneously presented. This research aimed to describe the competition between the performance on a cognitive task presented in a reduced space of the image (1.2 %) and the processing of emotional images displayed at the background using EEG and Eye Tracking. Results showed that the superimposition of the task had an early attractor effect, evidenced by an above-chance decoding accuracy (about 180 ms since the image onset) and an enhancement in the N1 component. This engagement in the task reduced the processing of the images as evidenced by a decrease in the LPP amplitudes, an enhancement in the a-ERD and a greater dwell-time over the task. Additional analysis showed that the unpleasant pictures were visually explored and emotionally processed after participants responded to the task. In conclusion, the present study supports the competition model of selective attention, highlighting the dominance of top-down control in shaping perceptual and cognitive processing.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Processing of engaging stimuli triggers increases in visual exploration, enhances the centroparietal late positive potential (LPP) and produce larger posterior alpha desynchronization (a-ERD), suggesting orienting and attention allocation. It has been shown that a salient arousing image in the background of a cognitive task consumes processing resources from the superimposed task, producing a deleterious effect on performance. On the other hand, experiments designed to change the focus of attention during the processing of emotional stimuli have shown a reduction of the emotional response, indicating an attentional competition between significant stimuli simultaneously presented. This research aimed to describe the competition between the performance on a cognitive task presented in a reduced space of the image (1.2 %) and the processing of emotional images displayed at the background using EEG and Eye Tracking. Results showed that the superimposition of the task had an early attractor effect, evidenced by an above-chance decoding accuracy (about 180 ms since the image onset) and an enhancement in the N1 component. This engagement in the task reduced the processing of the images as evidenced by a decrease in the LPP amplitudes, an enhancement in the a-ERD and a greater dwell-time over the task. Additional analysis showed that the unpleasant pictures were visually explored and emotionally processed after participants responded to the task. In conclusion, the present study supports the competition model of selective attention, highlighting the dominance of top-down control in shaping perceptual and cognitive processing.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Hamideh Norouzi; Mohammad Reza Daliri<\/p>

Microstate dynamics in working memory: Exploring spatial information coding of stimulus and behavioral performance<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Brain and Behavior, <\/span>vol. 15, <\/span>no. 8, <\/span>pp. 1\u201310, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Norouzi2025a,
\r\ntitle = {Microstate dynamics in working memory: Exploring spatial information coding of stimulus and behavioral performance},
\r\nauthor = {Hamideh Norouzi and Mohammad Reza Daliri},
\r\ndoi = {10.1002\/brb3.70765},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-08-01},
\r\njournal = {Brain and Behavior},
\r\nvolume = {15},
\r\nnumber = {8},
\r\npages = {1\u201310},
\r\npublisher = {John Wiley and Sons Ltd},
\r\nabstract = {Background: EEG microstate analysis provides insights into the spatial and temporal dynamics of brain activity during cognitive tasks. The four canonical microstates (classes A, B, C, and D) have been widely reported and associated with various cognitive functions. However, the relationship between microstate parameters and behavioral responses in cognitive functions, such as working memory (WM), has not been sufficiently investigated. This study investigates how microstate dynamics relate to WM performance during a memory-guided saccade (MGS) task. Methods EEG and Eye-tracking data were recorded from participants performing an MGS task at two target eccentricities (near and far). Saccade error was used as a behavioral index of WM performance. Microstate parameters (occurrence, coverage, duration, and transition probability) were computed for the four canonical microstates during the trials. Results Our analysis revealed a significant reduction in the coverage of microstate C, often associated with the default mode network, during the memory maintenance interval compared to baseline. Moreover, a notable increase was observed in the duration of microstate D, considering polarity during the memory interval, which could be related to the frontoparietal control network (FPCN). Notably, the transition probability (TP) from D+ to D- during the memory duration correlated with saccade errors, indicating a behavioral predictive capacity. Furthermore, we identified distinct patterns of microstate D transitions to other microstates that differed significantly between the near and far target conditions, suggesting a functional role in spatial coding. Conclusion Microstate dynamics, particularly those of microstate D, play a dual role in spatial WM by supporting information coding and predicting behavioral accuracy. The polarity-specific transitions within microstate D provide a neural signature of WM performance, with implications for understanding network-level mechanisms underlying spatial memory and saccade control.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Background: EEG microstate analysis provides insights into the spatial and temporal dynamics of brain activity during cognitive tasks. The four canonical microstates (classes A, B, C, and D) have been widely reported and associated with various cognitive functions. However, the relationship between microstate parameters and behavioral responses in cognitive functions, such as working memory (WM), has not been sufficiently investigated. This study investigates how microstate dynamics relate to WM performance during a memory-guided saccade (MGS) task. Methods EEG and Eye-tracking data were recorded from participants performing an MGS task at two target eccentricities (near and far). Saccade error was used as a behavioral index of WM performance. Microstate parameters (occurrence, coverage, duration, and transition probability) were computed for the four canonical microstates during the trials. Results Our analysis revealed a significant reduction in the coverage of microstate C, often associated with the default mode network, during the memory maintenance interval compared to baseline. Moreover, a notable increase was observed in the duration of microstate D, considering polarity during the memory interval, which could be related to the frontoparietal control network (FPCN). Notably, the transition probability (TP) from D+ to D- during the memory duration correlated with saccade errors, indicating a behavioral predictive capacity. Furthermore, we identified distinct patterns of microstate D transitions to other microstates that differed significantly between the near and far target conditions, suggesting a functional role in spatial coding. Conclusion Microstate dynamics, particularly those of microstate D, play a dual role in spatial WM by supporting information coding and predicting behavioral accuracy. The polarity-specific transitions within microstate D provide a neural signature of WM performance, with implications for understanding network-level mechanisms underlying spatial memory and saccade control.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Michele Bevilacqua; Fabienne Windel; Elena Beanato; Pauline Menoud; Sarah Zandvliet; Nicola Ramdass; Lisa Fleury; Julie Herv\u00e9; Krystel R. Huxlin; Friedhelm C. Hummel; Estelle Raffin<\/p>

Pathway-dependent brain stimulation responses indicate motion processing integrity after stroke<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Brain, <\/span>vol. 148, <\/span>no. 7, <\/span>pp. 2361\u20132372, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Bevilacqua2025,
\r\ntitle = {Pathway-dependent brain stimulation responses indicate motion processing integrity after stroke},
\r\nauthor = {Michele Bevilacqua and Fabienne Windel and Elena Beanato and Pauline Menoud and Sarah Zandvliet and Nicola Ramdass and Lisa Fleury and Julie Herv\u00e9 and Krystel R. Huxlin and Friedhelm C. Hummel and Estelle Raffin},
\r\ndoi = {10.1093\/brain\/awaf043},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-07-01},
\r\njournal = {Brain},
\r\nvolume = {148},
\r\nnumber = {7},
\r\npages = {2361\u20132372},
\r\npublisher = {Oxford University Press},
\r\nabstract = {Homonymous hemianopia (HH), a common visual impairment resulting from occipital lobe lesions, affects a significant number of stroke survivors. Intensive perceptual training can foster recovery, possibly by enhancing surviving visual pathways. This study employed cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation (ccPAS) to induce associative plasticity within the residual and bidirectional primary visual cortex (V1)-middle temporal area (MT) pathways in stroke patients. We used ccPAS, which is thought to tap into Hebbian-like spike-timing dependent plasticity, over a motion processing pathway in stroke patients to transiently improve visual motion discrimination in their blind field. Sixteen stroke patients participated in this double-blind, crossover study comparing the effects of bidirectional ccPAS (V1-to-MT or MT-to-V1) on motion discrimination and EEG-Granger Causality. Additionally, we explored potential multimodal sources of inter-individual variability. Results showed that MT-to-V1 ccPAS enhanced motion direction discrimination, but the expected electrophysiological increase in top-down MT-to-V1 inputs was observed only in patients who showed improvement in motion discrimination. Good responders to MT-V1 ccPAS also demonstrated improved functional coupling between the cortical motion pathway and other relevant areas in the visual network, as well as more preserved ipsilesional V1-MT structural integrity. These findings indicate that targeted ccPAS can effectively engage functionally relevant residual visual pathways in stroke-affected brains, potentially offering new avenues for patient stratification and visual recovery strategies.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Homonymous hemianopia (HH), a common visual impairment resulting from occipital lobe lesions, affects a significant number of stroke survivors. Intensive perceptual training can foster recovery, possibly by enhancing surviving visual pathways. This study employed cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation (ccPAS) to induce associative plasticity within the residual and bidirectional primary visual cortex (V1)-middle temporal area (MT) pathways in stroke patients. We used ccPAS, which is thought to tap into Hebbian-like spike-timing dependent plasticity, over a motion processing pathway in stroke patients to transiently improve visual motion discrimination in their blind field. Sixteen stroke patients participated in this double-blind, crossover study comparing the effects of bidirectional ccPAS (V1-to-MT or MT-to-V1) on motion discrimination and EEG-Granger Causality. Additionally, we explored potential multimodal sources of inter-individual variability. Results showed that MT-to-V1 ccPAS enhanced motion direction discrimination, but the expected electrophysiological increase in top-down MT-to-V1 inputs was observed only in patients who showed improvement in motion discrimination. Good responders to MT-V1 ccPAS also demonstrated improved functional coupling between the cortical motion pathway and other relevant areas in the visual network, as well as more preserved ipsilesional V1-MT structural integrity. These findings indicate that targeted ccPAS can effectively engage functionally relevant residual visual pathways in stroke-affected brains, potentially offering new avenues for patient stratification and visual recovery strategies.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Srishty Aggarwal; Supratim Ray<\/p>

Changes in Higuchi fractal dimension across age in healthy human EEG are anticorrelated with changes in oscillatory power and 1\/f slope<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>European Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 62, <\/span>no. 2, <\/span>pp. 1\u201317, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Aggarwal2025,
\r\ntitle = {Changes in Higuchi fractal dimension across age in healthy human EEG are anticorrelated with changes in oscillatory power and 1\/f slope},
\r\nauthor = {Srishty Aggarwal and Supratim Ray},
\r\ndoi = {10.1111\/ejn.70193},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-07-01},
\r\njournal = {European Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {62},
\r\nnumber = {2},
\r\npages = {1\u201317},
\r\npublisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},
\r\nabstract = {Nonlinear dynamical methods such as Higuchi fractal dimension (HFD) are often used to study the complexities of brain activity. In human electroencephalogram (EEG), although power in the gamma band (30\u201370 Hz) and the slope of the power spectral density (PSD) have been shown to reduce with healthy ageing, there are conflicting findings regarding how HFD and other measures of complexity vary with ageing. Further, the dependence of HFD on features obtained from PSD (such as gamma power and slope) has not been thoroughly probed. To address these issues, we computed time- and frequency-resolved HFD for EEG data collected from an elderly population (N = 217), aged between 50 and 88 years, for baseline (BL) eyes open state and during a fixation task in which visual grating stimuli that induce strong gamma oscillations were presented. During BL, HFD increased with age for frequencies up to 150 Hz but surprisingly showed an opposite trend at higher frequencies. Interestingly, this change in HFD was opposite to the age-related change in PSD 1\/f slope. Further, stimulus-related changes in HFD were anticorrelated with the changes in oscillatory power. However, stimulus- and age-related changes in HFD persisted even after normalization with surrogates, showing the effect of nonlinear dynamics on HFD. Further, age classification using HFD was slightly better than classification using spectral features (power and slope). Therefore, HFD could be jointly sensitive to various spectral features as well as some nonlinearities not captured using spectral analysis, which could enhance our understanding of brain dynamics underlying healthy ageing.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Nonlinear dynamical methods such as Higuchi fractal dimension (HFD) are often used to study the complexities of brain activity. In human electroencephalogram (EEG), although power in the gamma band (30\u201370 Hz) and the slope of the power spectral density (PSD) have been shown to reduce with healthy ageing, there are conflicting findings regarding how HFD and other measures of complexity vary with ageing. Further, the dependence of HFD on features obtained from PSD (such as gamma power and slope) has not been thoroughly probed. To address these issues, we computed time- and frequency-resolved HFD for EEG data collected from an elderly population (N = 217), aged between 50 and 88 years, for baseline (BL) eyes open state and during a fixation task in which visual grating stimuli that induce strong gamma oscillations were presented. During BL, HFD increased with age for frequencies up to 150 Hz but surprisingly showed an opposite trend at higher frequencies. Interestingly, this change in HFD was opposite to the age-related change in PSD 1\/f slope. Further, stimulus-related changes in HFD were anticorrelated with the changes in oscillatory power. However, stimulus- and age-related changes in HFD persisted even after normalization with surrogates, showing the effect of nonlinear dynamics on HFD. Further, age classification using HFD was slightly better than classification using spectral features (power and slope). Therefore, HFD could be jointly sensitive to various spectral features as well as some nonlinearities not captured using spectral analysis, which could enhance our understanding of brain dynamics underlying healthy ageing.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Canhuang Luo; Edward F. Ester<\/p>

Traveling waves link human visual and frontal cortex during working memory\u2013guided behavior<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>PNAS, <\/span>vol. 122, <\/span>no. 30, <\/span>pp. 1\u20139, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Luo2025,
\r\ntitle = {Traveling waves link human visual and frontal cortex during working memory\u2013guided behavior},
\r\nauthor = {Canhuang Luo and Edward F. Ester},
\r\ndoi = {10.1073\/pnas.2415573122},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-07-01},
\r\njournal = {PNAS},
\r\nvolume = {122},
\r\nnumber = {30},
\r\npages = {1\u20139},
\r\npublisher = {National Academy of Sciences},
\r\nabstract = {Traveling waves guide the spatial propagation of neural activity and computational processes across the brain. Traveling waves could contribute to the control of memory-guided behaviors by flexibly organizing the timing and direction of interactions between brain regions responsible for storing memory content with those responsible for producing task-relevant behaviors. Using short-term memory as a test case, we report evidence supporting this possibility. Analyses of human EEG data revealed forward- and backward-propagating traveling waves linking visual and motor brain areas around the time of a memory-guided behavior. These waves predicted intra- and interindividual differences in task performance, could not be explained by eye movements or passive volume conduction, and were absent when participants planned but could not execute a memory-guided behavior. These findings implicate traveling waves as a mechanism in the initiation and control of memory-guided behaviors.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Sabine Prantner; Alejandro Espino-Pay\u00e1; M. Carmen Pastor; Cristina Gim\u00e9nez-Garc\u00eda; Rafael Ballester-Arnal; Markus Junghoefer<\/p>

Neuroaffectiveprocessing of sexually relevant images in hetero- and homosexual women and men: Subjective, pupillometric, and magnetoencephalographic correlates<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Psychophysiology, <\/span>vol. 62, <\/span>no. 7, <\/span>pp. 1\u201321, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Prantner2025,
\r\ntitle = {Neuroaffectiveprocessing of sexually relevant images in hetero- and homosexual women and men: Subjective, pupillometric, and magnetoencephalographic correlates},
\r\nauthor = {Sabine Prantner and Alejandro Espino-Pay\u00e1 and M. Carmen Pastor and Cristina Gim\u00e9nez-Garc\u00eda and Rafael Ballester-Arnal and Markus Junghoefer},
\r\ndoi = {10.1111\/psyp.70096},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-07-01},
\r\njournal = {Psychophysiology},
\r\nvolume = {62},
\r\nnumber = {7},
\r\npages = {1\u201321},
\r\npublisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},
\r\nabstract = {Gender identity and sexual orientation form fundamental characteristics of an individual's sexual identity and relate to patterns of physiological and neural activity involved in processing erotic or explicit sexual stimuli. To investigate this, we used high-density magnetoencephalography (MEG) to measure brain responses of hetero- and homosexual women and men to opposite- and same-sex erotic images, as well as sexually explicit images. Additionally, we administered pupillometry and subjective measures of hedonic valence and emotional arousal. Erotic versus sexually explicit stimuli initially resulted in enhanced pupil dilation and stronger neural activity in the extended visual cortex, but at later times, reverse effects were found. Our results further showed that perceived affect varied by gender and sexual orientation, with significant group effects. Pupil measurements revealed differences in dilation depending on opposite- and same-sex erotic and sexually explicit images and participant groups. Similarly, effects of stimuli content were found for the neural activity. The findings suggest that preferred versus non-preferred stimuli are subjectively processed in a category-specific way, especially in hetero- and homosexual males as well as homosexual women compared to heterosexual women, and indicate a sensitivity to sexual images in affective-motivational and reward areas of the brain. To conclude, subjective, visual, and neural responses to sexually relevant stimuli seem partly dependent on gender and sexual orientation but predominanly indicate influences of stimulus content.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Gender identity and sexual orientation form fundamental characteristics of an individual's sexual identity and relate to patterns of physiological and neural activity involved in processing erotic or explicit sexual stimuli. To investigate this, we used high-density magnetoencephalography (MEG) to measure brain responses of hetero- and homosexual women and men to opposite- and same-sex erotic images, as well as sexually explicit images. Additionally, we administered pupillometry and subjective measures of hedonic valence and emotional arousal. Erotic versus sexually explicit stimuli initially resulted in enhanced pupil dilation and stronger neural activity in the extended visual cortex, but at later times, reverse effects were found. Our results further showed that perceived affect varied by gender and sexual orientation, with significant group effects. Pupil measurements revealed differences in dilation depending on opposite- and same-sex erotic and sexually explicit images and participant groups. Similarly, effects of stimuli content were found for the neural activity. The findings suggest that preferred versus non-preferred stimuli are subjectively processed in a category-specific way, especially in hetero- and homosexual males as well as homosexual women compared to heterosexual women, and indicate a sensitivity to sexual images in affective-motivational and reward areas of the brain. To conclude, subjective, visual, and neural responses to sexually relevant stimuli seem partly dependent on gender and sexual orientation but predominanly indicate influences of stimulus content.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Ankita Sengupta; Devarajan Sridharan<\/p>

Reward expectation yields distinct effects on sensory processing and decision making in the human brain<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>PLoS Biology, <\/span>vol. 23, <\/span>no. 7, <\/span>pp. 1\u201333, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Sengupta2025,
\r\ntitle = {Reward expectation yields distinct effects on sensory processing and decision making in the human brain},
\r\nauthor = {Ankita Sengupta and Devarajan Sridharan},
\r\ndoi = {10.1371\/journal.pbio.3003234},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-07-01},
\r\njournal = {PLoS Biology},
\r\nvolume = {23},
\r\nnumber = {7},
\r\npages = {1\u201333},
\r\npublisher = {Public Library of Science},
\r\nabstract = {Reward expectation robustly guides both attention and decisions. Yet, whether common or distinct mechanisms mediate each of these processes remains unknown. Previous studies have often conflated the effect of reward expectation on sensory processing and decision-making because locations selected for sensory prioritization (sensitivity effects) were also prioritized for decisions (criterion effects). Here, we identify distinct forms of reward expectation that separably control spatial attention and decisional biases in human cortex. Sensitivity and criterion were independently modulated when expected rewards varied across locations (\u201cspace-specific\u201d) or choices (\u201cchoice-specific\u201d), respectively. Only sensitivity, not criterion, modulations reflected a limited, conserved attentional resource. Established neural and physiological signatures of attention, including gain modulation of event-related potentials, alpha-band power lateralization, and eye-movement biases, were elicited only by space-specific reward modulation. By contrast, neural correlates of decisional biases, including pre-stimulus alpha power suppression, selectively accompanied choice-specific reward modulation. Attention-related neural markers predicted sensitivity modulation by space-specific reward expectation but not criterion modulation by choice-specific reward expectation, indicating their distinct underlying mechanisms. Our findings uncover fundamentally dissociable behavioral and neural underpinnings of reward expectation effects on sensory and decisional selection, with critical implications for understanding how reward, attention, and choice are linked in the human brain. they must also choose to act quickly and pick off this fruit, to thwart their conspecifics. In other words, reward expectation can influence not only how attention is engaged but also how choices are made. Yet, these two effects have been frequently conflated in laboratory tasks. Here, with a task that decouples reward expectation's effects on attention from those on decision-making we uncover their distinct neural correlates. Our results show how reward shapes attention and biases choices independently in the human brain.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Reward expectation robustly guides both attention and decisions. Yet, whether common or distinct mechanisms mediate each of these processes remains unknown. Previous studies have often conflated the effect of reward expectation on sensory processing and decision-making because locations selected for sensory prioritization (sensitivity effects) were also prioritized for decisions (criterion effects). Here, we identify distinct forms of reward expectation that separably control spatial attention and decisional biases in human cortex. Sensitivity and criterion were independently modulated when expected rewards varied across locations (\u201cspace-specific\u201d) or choices (\u201cchoice-specific\u201d), respectively. Only sensitivity, not criterion, modulations reflected a limited, conserved attentional resource. Established neural and physiological signatures of attention, including gain modulation of event-related potentials, alpha-band power lateralization, and eye-movement biases, were elicited only by space-specific reward modulation. By contrast, neural correlates of decisional biases, including pre-stimulus alpha power suppression, selectively accompanied choice-specific reward modulation. Attention-related neural markers predicted sensitivity modulation by space-specific reward expectation but not criterion modulation by choice-specific reward expectation, indicating their distinct underlying mechanisms. Our findings uncover fundamentally dissociable behavioral and neural underpinnings of reward expectation effects on sensory and decisional selection, with critical implications for understanding how reward, attention, and choice are linked in the human brain. they must also choose to act quickly and pick off this fruit, to thwart their conspecifics. In other words, reward expectation can influence not only how attention is engaged but also how choices are made. Yet, these two effects have been frequently conflated in laboratory tasks. Here, with a task that decouples reward expectation's effects on attention from those on decision-making we uncover their distinct neural correlates. Our results show how reward shapes attention and biases choices independently in the human brain.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Jing Zhu; Yuanlong Li; Changlin Yang; Hanshu Cai; Xiaowei Li; Bin Hu<\/p>

Transformer-based fusion model for mild depression recognition with EEG and pupil area signals<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing, <\/span>vol. 63, <\/span>no. 7, <\/span>pp. 2011\u20132027, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Zhu2025c,
\r\ntitle = {Transformer-based fusion model for mild depression recognition with EEG and pupil area signals},
\r\nauthor = {Jing Zhu and Yuanlong Li and Changlin Yang and Hanshu Cai and Xiaowei Li and Bin Hu},
\r\ndoi = {10.1007\/s11517-024-03269-8},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-07-01},
\r\njournal = {Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing},
\r\nvolume = {63},
\r\nnumber = {7},
\r\npages = {2011\u20132027},
\r\npublisher = {Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH},
\r\nabstract = {Early detection and treatment are crucial for the prevention and treatment of depression; compared with major depression, current researches pay less attention to mild depression. Meanwhile, analysis of multimodal biosignals such as EEG, eye movement data, and magnetic resonance imaging provides reliable technical means for the quantitative analysis of depression. However, how to effectively capture relevant and complementary information between multimodal data so as to achieve efficient and accurate depression recognition remains a challenge. This paper proposes a novel Transformer-based fusion model using EEG and pupil area signals for mild depression recognition. We first introduce CSP into the Transformer to construct single-modal models of EEG and pupil data and then utilize attention bottleneck to construct a mid-fusion model to facilitate information exchange between the two modalities; this strategy enables the model to learn the most relevant and complementary information for each modality and only share the necessary information, which improves the model accuracy while reducing the computational cost. Experimental results show that the accuracy of the EEG and pupil area signals of single-modal models we constructed is 89.75% and 84.17%, the precision is 92.04% and 95.21%, the recall is 89.5% and 71%, the specificity is 90% and 97.33%, the F1 score is 89.41% and 78.44%, respectively, and the accuracy of mid-fusion model can reach 93.25%. Our study demonstrates that the Transformer model can learn the long-term time-dependent relationship between EEG and pupil area signals, providing an idea for designing a reliable multimodal fusion model for mild depression recognition based on EEG and pupil area signals.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Early detection and treatment are crucial for the prevention and treatment of depression; compared with major depression, current researches pay less attention to mild depression. Meanwhile, analysis of multimodal biosignals such as EEG, eye movement data, and magnetic resonance imaging provides reliable technical means for the quantitative analysis of depression. However, how to effectively capture relevant and complementary information between multimodal data so as to achieve efficient and accurate depression recognition remains a challenge. This paper proposes a novel Transformer-based fusion model using EEG and pupil area signals for mild depression recognition. We first introduce CSP into the Transformer to construct single-modal models of EEG and pupil data and then utilize attention bottleneck to construct a mid-fusion model to facilitate information exchange between the two modalities; this strategy enables the model to learn the most relevant and complementary information for each modality and only share the necessary information, which improves the model accuracy while reducing the computational cost. Experimental results show that the accuracy of the EEG and pupil area signals of single-modal models we constructed is 89.75% and 84.17%, the precision is 92.04% and 95.21%, the recall is 89.5% and 71%, the specificity is 90% and 97.33%, the F1 score is 89.41% and 78.44%, respectively, and the accuracy of mid-fusion model can reach 93.25%. Our study demonstrates that the Transformer model can learn the long-term time-dependent relationship between EEG and pupil area signals, providing an idea for designing a reliable multimodal fusion model for mild depression recognition based on EEG and pupil area signals.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Maggie E. Zink; Leslie Zhen; Jacie R. McHaney; Jennifer Klara; Kimberly Yurasits; Victoria E. Cancel; Olivia Flemm; Claire Mitchell; Jyotishka Datta; Bharath Chandresekaran; Aravindakshan Parthasarathy<\/p>

Increased listening effort and cochlear neural degeneration underlie speech-in-noise deficits in normal-hearing middle-aged adults<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>eLife, <\/span>vol. 13, <\/span>pp. 1\u201327, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Zink2025,
\r\ntitle = {Increased listening effort and cochlear neural degeneration underlie speech-in-noise deficits in normal-hearing middle-aged adults},
\r\nauthor = {Maggie E. Zink and Leslie Zhen and Jacie R. McHaney and Jennifer Klara and Kimberly Yurasits and Victoria E. Cancel and Olivia Flemm and Claire Mitchell and Jyotishka Datta and Bharath Chandresekaran and Aravindakshan Parthasarathy},
\r\ndoi = {10.7554\/elife.102823},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-07-01},
\r\njournal = {eLife},
\r\nvolume = {13},
\r\npages = {1\u201327},
\r\npublisher = {eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd},
\r\nabstract = {Middle age represents a critical period of accelerated brain changes and provides a window for early detection and intervention in age-related neurological decline. Hearing loss is a key early marker of such decline and is linked to numerous comorbidities in older adults. Yet, ~10% of middle-aged individuals who report hearing difficulties show normal audiograms. Cochlear neural degeneration (CND) could contribute to these hidden hearing deficits, though its role remains unclear due to a lack of objective diagnostics and uncertainty regarding its perceptual outcomes. Here, we employed a cross-species design to examine neural and behavioral signatures of CND. We measured envelope following responses (EFRs) \u2013 neural ensemble responses to sound originating from the peripheral auditory pathway \u2013 in young and middle-aged adults with normal audiograms and compared these responses to young and middle-aged Mongolian gerbils, where CND was histologically confirmed. We observed near-identical changes in EFRs across species that were associated with CND. Behavioral assessments revealed age-related speech-in-noise deficits under challenging conditions, while pupil-indexed listening effort increased with age even when behavioral performance was matched. Together, these results demonstrate that CND contributes to speech perception difficulties and elevated listening effort in midlife, which may ultimately lead to listening fatigue and social withdrawal.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Middle age represents a critical period of accelerated brain changes and provides a window for early detection and intervention in age-related neurological decline. Hearing loss is a key early marker of such decline and is linked to numerous comorbidities in older adults. Yet, ~10% of middle-aged individuals who report hearing difficulties show normal audiograms. Cochlear neural degeneration (CND) could contribute to these hidden hearing deficits, though its role remains unclear due to a lack of objective diagnostics and uncertainty regarding its perceptual outcomes. Here, we employed a cross-species design to examine neural and behavioral signatures of CND. We measured envelope following responses (EFRs) \u2013 neural ensemble responses to sound originating from the peripheral auditory pathway \u2013 in young and middle-aged adults with normal audiograms and compared these responses to young and middle-aged Mongolian gerbils, where CND was histologically confirmed. We observed near-identical changes in EFRs across species that were associated with CND. Behavioral assessments revealed age-related speech-in-noise deficits under challenging conditions, while pupil-indexed listening effort increased with age even when behavioral performance was matched. Together, these results demonstrate that CND contributes to speech perception difficulties and elevated listening effort in midlife, which may ultimately lead to listening fatigue and social withdrawal.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Ralph Andrews; Michael C. Melnychuk; Catherine N. Moran; David P. McGovern; Alexa Holfelder; Sarah Moran; Paul M. Dockree<\/p>

Arousal and sustained attention fluctuate differently with respiration in younger and older adults<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Imaging Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 3, <\/span>pp. 1\u201321, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Andrews2025,
\r\ntitle = {Arousal and sustained attention fluctuate differently with respiration in younger and older adults},
\r\nauthor = {Ralph Andrews and Michael C. Melnychuk and Catherine N. Moran and David P. McGovern and Alexa Holfelder and Sarah Moran and Paul M. Dockree},
\r\ndoi = {10.1162\/IMAG.a.26},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-06-01},
\r\njournal = {Imaging Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {3},
\r\npages = {1\u201321},
\r\npublisher = {Massachusetts Institute of Technology},
\r\nabstract = {Respiration is being increasingly recognised as both synchronising its dynamics with external events and modulating internal psychophysiological states. However, the extent to which these effects stem from a respiratory modulation of attention remains underexplored. Here, we leverage differing attentional strategies of younger (YA) and older adults (OA)\u2014OA exhibited greater focus during a simple contrast change detection task\u2014to examine their relationship with respiratory phase-locking behaviour. OA exhibited stronger phase-locking of their respiratory cycle to task-relevant events compared with YA. Notably, participants appeared to actively adjust their breathing so that late exhalation phases coincided with target presentation, despite variable inter-target intervals. To characterise this target-locked respiratory phase window, we analysed pupil diameter and EEG frequency-power as indices of arousal and attention. Pupil diameter, frontal delta and theta, posterior alpha, and steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP) amplitude all varied significantly over the respiratory cycle, suggesting that arousal was enhanced for respiratory phases aligned with target expectancy and attenuated outside these phases. OA showed stronger respiratory modulation of delta, theta, and alpha, whereas YA showed stronger modulation of pupil diameter and SSVEP. We interpret these findings as evidence that respiration shapes attentional fluctuations, expanding and contracting the vigilant state across the respiratory cycle through interactions with arousal and attentional systems. Further, the age-dependent quality of attention which is applied to a task has implications for the degree of respiratory phase-locking and how physiological signatures of arousal and attention are modulated.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Respiration is being increasingly recognised as both synchronising its dynamics with external events and modulating internal psychophysiological states. However, the extent to which these effects stem from a respiratory modulation of attention remains underexplored. Here, we leverage differing attentional strategies of younger (YA) and older adults (OA)\u2014OA exhibited greater focus during a simple contrast change detection task\u2014to examine their relationship with respiratory phase-locking behaviour. OA exhibited stronger phase-locking of their respiratory cycle to task-relevant events compared with YA. Notably, participants appeared to actively adjust their breathing so that late exhalation phases coincided with target presentation, despite variable inter-target intervals. To characterise this target-locked respiratory phase window, we analysed pupil diameter and EEG frequency-power as indices of arousal and attention. Pupil diameter, frontal delta and theta, posterior alpha, and steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP) amplitude all varied significantly over the respiratory cycle, suggesting that arousal was enhanced for respiratory phases aligned with target expectancy and attenuated outside these phases. OA showed stronger respiratory modulation of delta, theta, and alpha, whereas YA showed stronger modulation of pupil diameter and SSVEP. We interpret these findings as evidence that respiration shapes attentional fluctuations, expanding and contracting the vigilant state across the respiratory cycle through interactions with arousal and attentional systems. Further, the age-dependent quality of attention which is applied to a task has implications for the degree of respiratory phase-locking and how physiological signatures of arousal and attention are modulated.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Cora Fischer; Jochen Kaiser; Christoph Bledowski<\/p>

A direct neural signature of serial dependence in working memory<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>eLife, <\/span>vol. 13, <\/span>pp. 1\u201325, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Fischer2025a,
\r\ntitle = {A direct neural signature of serial dependence in working memory},
\r\nauthor = {Cora Fischer and Jochen Kaiser and Christoph Bledowski},
\r\ndoi = {10.7554\/elife.99478},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-06-01},
\r\njournal = {eLife},
\r\nvolume = {13},
\r\npages = {1\u201325},
\r\npublisher = {eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd},
\r\nabstract = {Serial dependence describes the phenomenon that current object representations are attracted to previously encoded and reported representations. While attractive biases have been observed reliably in behavior, a direct neural correlate has not been established. Previous studies have either shown a reactivation of past information without observing a neural signal related to the bias of the current information, or a repulsive distortion of current neural representations contrasting the behavioral bias. The present study recorded neural signals with magnetoencephalography (MEG) during a working memory task to identify neural correlates of serial dependence. Participants encoded and memorized two sequentially presented motion directions per trial, one of which was later retro-cued for report. Multivariate analyses provided reliable reconstructions of both motion directions. Importantly, the reconstructed directions in the current trial were attractively shifted toward the target direction of the previous trial. This neural bias mirrored the behavioral attractive bias, thus reflecting a direct neural signature of serial dependence. The use of a retro-cue task in combination with MEG allowed us to determine that this neural bias emerged at later, post-encoding time points. This timing suggests that serial dependence in working memory affects memorized information during read-out and reactivation processes that happen after the initial encoding.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Serial dependence describes the phenomenon that current object representations are attracted to previously encoded and reported representations. While attractive biases have been observed reliably in behavior, a direct neural correlate has not been established. Previous studies have either shown a reactivation of past information without observing a neural signal related to the bias of the current information, or a repulsive distortion of current neural representations contrasting the behavioral bias. The present study recorded neural signals with magnetoencephalography (MEG) during a working memory task to identify neural correlates of serial dependence. Participants encoded and memorized two sequentially presented motion directions per trial, one of which was later retro-cued for report. Multivariate analyses provided reliable reconstructions of both motion directions. Importantly, the reconstructed directions in the current trial were attractively shifted toward the target direction of the previous trial. This neural bias mirrored the behavioral attractive bias, thus reflecting a direct neural signature of serial dependence. The use of a retro-cue task in combination with MEG allowed us to determine that this neural bias emerged at later, post-encoding time points. This timing suggests that serial dependence in working memory affects memorized information during read-out and reactivation processes that happen after the initial encoding.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Katharina Lingelbach; Jochem W. Rieger<\/p>

Neurophysiological basis of emotional face perception and working memory load in a dual-task MEG study<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Human Brain Mapping, <\/span>vol. 46, <\/span>no. 8, <\/span>pp. 1\u201325, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Lingelbach2025,
\r\ntitle = {Neurophysiological basis of emotional face perception and working memory load in a dual-task MEG study},
\r\nauthor = {Katharina Lingelbach and Jochem W. Rieger},
\r\ndoi = {10.1002\/hbm.70242},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-06-01},
\r\njournal = {Human Brain Mapping},
\r\nvolume = {46},
\r\nnumber = {8},
\r\npages = {1\u201325},
\r\npublisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},
\r\nabstract = {Research on the neurophysiological effects of emotional face processing, working memory (WM) load, and their interaction in dual-tasks remains scarce. Therefore, we conducted a combined magnetoencephalography eye-tracking study with 47 participants. The dual-task temporally interleaved a facial emotion discrimination task with a visuo-spatial n-back task. Source-space cluster analyzes of event-related magnetic fields (ERFs) and oscillations revealed significant main effects of emotional expression and WM load. During emotion discrimination, enhanced ERFs for negative facial expressions located across the insula, ACC, and face-specific occipital regions suggest amplified emotion processing but also the recruitment of attentional control mechanisms. During the n-back phase, emotional faces did not affect evoked responses when they were task-irrelevant. Interaction trends in pupil dilation indicated that emotion-specific processing is diminished under high WM load. During the n-back phase, increased WM load reduced alpha and low beta oscillations in temporo- and parieto-occipital areas. In addition, reduced target fixations in the presence of negative facial distractors indicated a tendency toward emotion-specific interference. Furthermore, sustained increased WM load affected perceived valence, pupil size, and reaction time in both subtasks. A convergence of neurophysiological, physiological, and behavioural findings points to specific processing modes with greater resource depletion for negative expressions and high WM load in the dual-task. In conclusion, the study advanced our understanding of (a) circumstances under which emotional faces modulate ERFs in a dual-task, (b) mechanisms underlying emotion discrimination, (c) interaction effects of emotional expression and WM load in gaze behavior, as well as (d) how WM-related oscillatory alpha and beta power is affected by increasing load.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Research on the neurophysiological effects of emotional face processing, working memory (WM) load, and their interaction in dual-tasks remains scarce. Therefore, we conducted a combined magnetoencephalography eye-tracking study with 47 participants. The dual-task temporally interleaved a facial emotion discrimination task with a visuo-spatial n-back task. Source-space cluster analyzes of event-related magnetic fields (ERFs) and oscillations revealed significant main effects of emotional expression and WM load. During emotion discrimination, enhanced ERFs for negative facial expressions located across the insula, ACC, and face-specific occipital regions suggest amplified emotion processing but also the recruitment of attentional control mechanisms. During the n-back phase, emotional faces did not affect evoked responses when they were task-irrelevant. Interaction trends in pupil dilation indicated that emotion-specific processing is diminished under high WM load. During the n-back phase, increased WM load reduced alpha and low beta oscillations in temporo- and parieto-occipital areas. In addition, reduced target fixations in the presence of negative facial distractors indicated a tendency toward emotion-specific interference. Furthermore, sustained increased WM load affected perceived valence, pupil size, and reaction time in both subtasks. A convergence of neurophysiological, physiological, and behavioural findings points to specific processing modes with greater resource depletion for negative expressions and high WM load in the dual-task. In conclusion, the study advanced our understanding of (a) circumstances under which emotional faces modulate ERFs in a dual-task, (b) mechanisms underlying emotion discrimination, (c) interaction effects of emotional expression and WM load in gaze behavior, as well as (d) how WM-related oscillatory alpha and beta power is affected by increasing load.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Amir Norouzpour; Tawna L. Roberts<\/p>

Repeated measures analysis for steady-state evoked potentials<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Computers in Biology and Medicine, <\/span>vol. 191, <\/span>pp. 1\u201310, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Norouzpour2025,
\r\ntitle = {Repeated measures analysis for steady-state evoked potentials},
\r\nauthor = {Amir Norouzpour and Tawna L. Roberts},
\r\ndoi = {10.1016\/j.compbiomed.2025.110117},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-06-01},
\r\njournal = {Computers in Biology and Medicine},
\r\nvolume = {191},
\r\npages = {1\u201310},
\r\npublisher = {Elsevier Ltd},
\r\nabstract = {Introduction: Brain response to repetitive stimuli generates steady-state evoked potentials (ssEP) that vary depending on the experimental conditions. To analyze these responses, Fourier measurements extracted from ssEP data require statistical techniques to differentiate neural responses across various experimental conditions within the same participant(s). In this study, we introduce new statistical methods to compare multiple dependent clusters of discrete Fourier measurements corresponding to multiple experimental conditions. Methods: We present two statistics: 1) The first statistic is derived from repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) for complex numbers, used to compare multiple dependent circular clusters of Fourier estimates under the assumption of equal variance across the clusters. 2) The second statistic is employed when either the assumption of circularity within the clusters or the assumption of equal variance across the clusters is violated. In this case, we derive the statistic from the rank-sum Friedman test to compare multiple related clusters of complex numbers. Results: We demonstrated the validity of the statistics using simulated and empirical ssEP data. Our methods offer robust statistical tools that maintain a constant Type-I error of 0.05 in all conditions, including equal or unequal variance-covariance matrix of the real and imaginary components of Fourier estimates across the circular and elliptical clusters, even in the presence of outliers in the dataset. Furthermore, our statistics demonstrate a lower Type-II error compared to repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (rmMANOVA). Conclusion: The statistical methods enable us to compare multiple dependent clusters of Fourier estimates corresponding to multiple experimental conditions within the same participant(s), whether or not the variance is equal across the circular or elliptical clusters, even with outliers in the dataset.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Introduction: Brain response to repetitive stimuli generates steady-state evoked potentials (ssEP) that vary depending on the experimental conditions. To analyze these responses, Fourier measurements extracted from ssEP data require statistical techniques to differentiate neural responses across various experimental conditions within the same participant(s). In this study, we introduce new statistical methods to compare multiple dependent clusters of discrete Fourier measurements corresponding to multiple experimental conditions. Methods: We present two statistics: 1) The first statistic is derived from repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) for complex numbers, used to compare multiple dependent circular clusters of Fourier estimates under the assumption of equal variance across the clusters. 2) The second statistic is employed when either the assumption of circularity within the clusters or the assumption of equal variance across the clusters is violated. In this case, we derive the statistic from the rank-sum Friedman test to compare multiple related clusters of complex numbers. Results: We demonstrated the validity of the statistics using simulated and empirical ssEP data. Our methods offer robust statistical tools that maintain a constant Type-I error of 0.05 in all conditions, including equal or unequal variance-covariance matrix of the real and imaginary components of Fourier estimates across the circular and elliptical clusters, even in the presence of outliers in the dataset. Furthermore, our statistics demonstrate a lower Type-II error compared to repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (rmMANOVA). Conclusion: The statistical methods enable us to compare multiple dependent clusters of Fourier estimates corresponding to multiple experimental conditions within the same participant(s), whether or not the variance is equal across the circular or elliptical clusters, even with outliers in the dataset.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Daniel J. Pearce; Gerard M. Loughnane; Trevor T. J. Chong; Nele Demeyere; Jason B. Mattingley; Margaret J. Moore; Peter W. New; Redmond G. O'Connell; Megan H. O'Neill; Dragan Rangelov; Renerus J. Stolwyk; Sam S. Webb; Shou Han Zhou; M\u00e9adhbh B. Brosnan; Mark A. Bellgrove<\/p>

Target selection signals causally influence human perceptual decision-making<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>The Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 24, <\/span>pp. 1\u201313, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Pearce2025,
\r\ntitle = {Target selection signals causally influence human perceptual decision-making},
\r\nauthor = {Daniel J. Pearce and Gerard M. Loughnane and Trevor T. J. Chong and Nele Demeyere and Jason B. Mattingley and Margaret J. Moore and Peter W. New and Redmond G. O'Connell and Megan H. O'Neill and Dragan Rangelov and Renerus J. Stolwyk and Sam S. Webb and Shou Han Zhou and M\u00e9adhbh B. Brosnan and Mark A. Bellgrove},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.2048-24.2025},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-06-01},
\r\njournal = {The Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {24},
\r\npages = {1\u201313},
\r\npublisher = {Society for Neuroscience},
\r\nabstract = {The ability to form decisions is a foundational cognitive function which is impaired across many psychiatric and neurological conditions. Understanding the neural processes underpinning clinical deficits may provide insights into the fundamental mechanisms of decision-making. The N2c has been identified as an EEG signal indexing the efficiency of early target selection, which subsequently influences the timing of perceptual reports through modulating neural evidence accumulation rates. Evidence for the contribution of the N2c to human decision-making however has thus far come from correlational research in neurologically healthy individuals. Here, we capitalized on the superior temporal resolution of EEG to show that unilateral brain lesions in male and female humans were associated with specific deficits in both the timing and strength of the N2c in the damaged hemisphere, with corresponding deficits in the timing of perceptual reports contralaterally. The extent to which the N2c influenced clinical deficits in perceptual reporting speed depended on neural rates of evidence accumulation. This work provides causal evidence that the N2c indexes an early, hemisphere-specific process supporting human decision-making. This noninvasive EEG marker could be used to monitor novel approaches for remediating clinical deficits in perceptual decision-making across a range of brain disorders.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
The ability to form decisions is a foundational cognitive function which is impaired across many psychiatric and neurological conditions. Understanding the neural processes underpinning clinical deficits may provide insights into the fundamental mechanisms of decision-making. The N2c has been identified as an EEG signal indexing the efficiency of early target selection, which subsequently influences the timing of perceptual reports through modulating neural evidence accumulation rates. Evidence for the contribution of the N2c to human decision-making however has thus far come from correlational research in neurologically healthy individuals. Here, we capitalized on the superior temporal resolution of EEG to show that unilateral brain lesions in male and female humans were associated with specific deficits in both the timing and strength of the N2c in the damaged hemisphere, with corresponding deficits in the timing of perceptual reports contralaterally. The extent to which the N2c influenced clinical deficits in perceptual reporting speed depended on neural rates of evidence accumulation. This work provides causal evidence that the N2c indexes an early, hemisphere-specific process supporting human decision-making. This noninvasive EEG marker could be used to monitor novel approaches for remediating clinical deficits in perceptual decision-making across a range of brain disorders.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Luis D. Ramirez; Feiyi Wang; Sam Ling<\/p>

Attention alters population spatial frequency tuning<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 25, <\/span>pp. 1\u201312, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Ramirez2025,
\r\ntitle = {Attention alters population spatial frequency tuning},
\r\nauthor = {Luis D. Ramirez and Feiyi Wang and Sam Ling},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.0251-25.2025},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-06-01},
\r\njournal = {Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {25},
\r\npages = {1\u201312},
\r\npublisher = {Society for Neuroscience},
\r\nabstract = {Spatial frequency (SF) selectivity serves as a fundamental building block within the visual system, determining what we can and cannot see. Attention is theorized to augment the visibility of items in our environment by changing how we process SFs. However, the specific neural mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear, particularly in humans. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure voxel-wise population SF tuning (pSFT), which allowed us to examine how attention alters the SF response profiles of neural populations in the early visual cortex (V1\u2013V3). In the scanner, participants (five female, three male) were cued to covertly attend to one of two spatially competing letter streams, each defined by low or high SF content. This task promoted feature-based attention directed to a particular SF, as well as the suppression of the irrelevant stream's SF. Concurrently, we measured pSFT in a task-irrelevant hemifield to examine how the known spatial spread of feature-based attention influenced the SF tuning properties of neurons sampled within a voxel. We discovered that attention elicited attractive shifts in SF preference, toward the attended SF. This suggests that attention can profoundly influence populations of SF preference across the visual field, depending on task goals and native neural preferences.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Markus Conci; Leonie Nowack; Paul C. J. Taylor; Kathrin Finke; Hermann J. M\u00fcller<\/p>

Right parietal rTMS induces bidirectional effects of selective attention upon object integration<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Brain Sciences, <\/span>vol. 15, <\/span>no. 5, <\/span>pp. 1\u201319, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Conci2025,
\r\ntitle = {Right parietal rTMS induces bidirectional effects of selective attention upon object integration},
\r\nauthor = {Markus Conci and Leonie Nowack and Paul C. J. Taylor and Kathrin Finke and Hermann J. M\u00fcller},
\r\ndoi = {10.3390\/brainsci15050483},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-05-01},
\r\njournal = {Brain Sciences},
\r\nvolume = {15},
\r\nnumber = {5},
\r\npages = {1\u201319},
\r\npublisher = {Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)},
\r\nabstract = {Background\/Objectives: Part-to-whole object completion and search guidance by salient, integrated objects has been proposed to require attentional resources, as shown by studies of neglect patients suffering from right-parietal brain damage. The current study was performed to provide further causal evidence for the link between attention and object integration. Methods: Healthy observers detected targets in the left and\/or right hemifields, and these targets were in turn embedded in various Kanizsa-type configurations that systematically varied in the extent to which individual items could be integrated into a complete, whole object. Moreover, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was applied over the right intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and compared to both active and passive baseline conditions. Results: The results showed that target detection was substantially facilitated when the to-be detected item(s) were fully embedded in a salient, grouped Kanizsa figure, either a unilateral triangle or a bilateral diamond. However, object groupings in one hemifield did not facilitate target detection to the same extent when there were bilateral targets, one inside the (triangle) grouping and the other outside of the grouped object. These results extend previous findings from neglect patients. Moreover, a subgroup of observers was found to be particularly sensitive to IPS stimulation, revealing neglect-like extinction behavior with the single-hemifield triangle groupings and bilateral targets. Conversely, a second subgroup showed the opposite effect, namely an overall, IPS-dependent improvement in performance. Conclusions: These explorative analyses show that the parietal cortex, in particular IPS, seems to modulate the processing of object groupings by up- and downregulating the deployment of attention to spatial regions were to-be-grouped items necessitate attentional resources for object completion.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Background\/Objectives: Part-to-whole object completion and search guidance by salient, integrated objects has been proposed to require attentional resources, as shown by studies of neglect patients suffering from right-parietal brain damage. The current study was performed to provide further causal evidence for the link between attention and object integration. Methods: Healthy observers detected targets in the left and\/or right hemifields, and these targets were in turn embedded in various Kanizsa-type configurations that systematically varied in the extent to which individual items could be integrated into a complete, whole object. Moreover, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was applied over the right intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and compared to both active and passive baseline conditions. Results: The results showed that target detection was substantially facilitated when the to-be detected item(s) were fully embedded in a salient, grouped Kanizsa figure, either a unilateral triangle or a bilateral diamond. However, object groupings in one hemifield did not facilitate target detection to the same extent when there were bilateral targets, one inside the (triangle) grouping and the other outside of the grouped object. These results extend previous findings from neglect patients. Moreover, a subgroup of observers was found to be particularly sensitive to IPS stimulation, revealing neglect-like extinction behavior with the single-hemifield triangle groupings and bilateral targets. Conversely, a second subgroup showed the opposite effect, namely an overall, IPS-dependent improvement in performance. Conclusions: These explorative analyses show that the parietal cortex, in particular IPS, seems to modulate the processing of object groupings by up- and downregulating the deployment of attention to spatial regions were to-be-grouped items necessitate attentional resources for object completion.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Ankan Biswas; Wupadrasta Santosh Kumar; Kanishka Sharma; Supratim Ray<\/p>

Stimulus-induced gamma sources reduce in power but not in spatial extent with healthy aging in human EEG<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>European Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 61, <\/span>no. 10, <\/span>pp. 1\u201312, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Biswas2025,
\r\ntitle = {Stimulus-induced gamma sources reduce in power but not in spatial extent with healthy aging in human EEG},
\r\nauthor = {Ankan Biswas and Wupadrasta Santosh Kumar and Kanishka Sharma and Supratim Ray},
\r\ndoi = {10.1111\/ejn.70138},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-05-01},
\r\njournal = {European Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {61},
\r\nnumber = {10},
\r\npages = {1\u201312},
\r\npublisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},
\r\nabstract = {Aging alters brain structure and function, and studying such changes may help understand the neural basis underlying aging and devise interventions to detect deviations from healthy progression. Electroencephalogram (EEG) offers an effective way to study healthy aging owing to its high temporal resolution and affordability. Recent studies have shown that narrow-band stimulus-induced gamma oscillations (20\u201370 Hz) in EEG, induced with Cartesian gratings in a fixation task paradigm, weaken with healthy aging and onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD) while remaining highly reproducible for a given subject and thus hold promise as potential biomarkers. However, functional connectivity (FC) sometimes changes in a different way compared with sensor power with aging. This difference could be potentially addressed by studying how underlying gamma sources change with aging, since either a reduction in source power or a shrinkage of the sources (or both) could reduce the power in the sensors but may have different effects on other measures such as FC. We therefore reconstructed EEG gamma sources through a linear inverse method called exact low-resolution tomography analysis (eLORETA) on a large (N = 217) cohort of healthy elderly subjects (> 50 years). We further characterized gamma distribution in cortical space as an exponential fall-off from a seed voxel with maximal gamma source power to delineate a reduction in magnitude versus shrinkage. We found a significant reduction in magnitude but not shrinkage with healthy aging. Overall, our results shed light on changes in EEG gamma source distribution with healthy aging, which could provide clues about underlying neural mechanisms.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Aging alters brain structure and function, and studying such changes may help understand the neural basis underlying aging and devise interventions to detect deviations from healthy progression. Electroencephalogram (EEG) offers an effective way to study healthy aging owing to its high temporal resolution and affordability. Recent studies have shown that narrow-band stimulus-induced gamma oscillations (20\u201370 Hz) in EEG, induced with Cartesian gratings in a fixation task paradigm, weaken with healthy aging and onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD) while remaining highly reproducible for a given subject and thus hold promise as potential biomarkers. However, functional connectivity (FC) sometimes changes in a different way compared with sensor power with aging. This difference could be potentially addressed by studying how underlying gamma sources change with aging, since either a reduction in source power or a shrinkage of the sources (or both) could reduce the power in the sensors but may have different effects on other measures such as FC. We therefore reconstructed EEG gamma sources through a linear inverse method called exact low-resolution tomography analysis (eLORETA) on a large (N = 217) cohort of healthy elderly subjects (> 50 years). We further characterized gamma distribution in cortical space as an exponential fall-off from a seed voxel with maximal gamma source power to delineate a reduction in magnitude versus shrinkage. We found a significant reduction in magnitude but not shrinkage with healthy aging. Overall, our results shed light on changes in EEG gamma source distribution with healthy aging, which could provide clues about underlying neural mechanisms.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Dock H. Duncan; Norman Forschack; Dirk Moorselaar; Matthias M. M\u00fcller; Jan Theeuwes<\/p>

Learning modulates early encephalographic responses to distracting stimuli: A combined SSVEP and ERP study<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 21, <\/span>pp. 1\u201313, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Duncan2025,
\r\ntitle = {Learning modulates early encephalographic responses to distracting stimuli: A combined SSVEP and ERP study},
\r\nauthor = {Dock H. Duncan and Norman Forschack and Dirk Moorselaar and Matthias M. M\u00fcller and Jan Theeuwes},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.1973-24.2025},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-05-01},
\r\njournal = {Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {21},
\r\npages = {1\u201313},
\r\npublisher = {Society for Neuroscience},
\r\nabstract = {Through experience, humans can learn to suppress locations that frequently contain distracting stimuli. However, the neural mechanism underlying learned suppression remains largely unknown. In this study, we combined steady-state visually evoked potentials (SSVEPs) with event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate the mechanism behind statistically learned spatial suppression. Twenty-four male and female human participants performed a version of the additional singleton search task in which one location contained a distractor stimulus frequently. The search stimuli constantly flickered on-and-off the screen, resulting in steady-state entrainment. Prior to search onset, no differences in the SSVEP response were found, though a post hoc analysis did reveal proactive alpha lateralization. Following search onset, clear evoked differences in both the SSVEP and ERP signals emerged at the suppressed location relative to all other locations. Crucially, the early timing of these evoked modulations suggests that learned distractor suppression occurs at the initial stages of visual processing.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Courtney Guida; Minwoo J. B. Kim; Olivia A. Stibolt; Alyssa Lompado; James E. Hoffman<\/p>

The N400 component reflecting semantic and repetition priming of visual scenes is suppressed during the attentional blink<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, <\/span>vol. 87, <\/span>no. 4, <\/span>pp. 1199\u20131218, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Guida2025,
\r\ntitle = {The N400 component reflecting semantic and repetition priming of visual scenes is suppressed during the attentional blink},
\r\nauthor = {Courtney Guida and Minwoo J. B. Kim and Olivia A. Stibolt and Alyssa Lompado and James E. Hoffman},
\r\ndoi = {10.3758\/s13414-024-02997-1},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-05-01},
\r\njournal = {Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics},
\r\nvolume = {87},
\r\nnumber = {4},
\r\npages = {1199\u20131218},
\r\npublisher = {Springer},
\r\nabstract = {In the attentional blink paradigm, participants attempt to identify two targets appearing in a rapidly presented stream of distractors. Report accuracy is typically high for the first target (T1) while identification of the second target (T2) is impaired when it follows within about 200\u2013400 ms of T1. An important question is whether T2 is processed to a semantic level even when participants are unaware of its identity. We examined this issue in three studies that used natural scenes as stimuli and the N400 component of the event-related potential (ERP) as a measure of semantic priming. In the first experiment, the prime (e.g., a doghouse in a yard) was presented at the beginning of the trial and a test picture that was related (e.g., a dog standing in the kitchen) or unrelated (e.g., a coffee mug on a table) appeared as T2. In the second experiment, the prime was presented as T2 and the test picture appeared at the end of the picture sequence. In both experiments, we found robust semantic priming when participants were aware of the identity of the blinked picture and an absence of priming when they were unaware. In Experiment 3, we used identity priming to assess whether earlier representations preceding semantics were preserved, and again found that priming critically depended on awareness of the prime's identity. These results suggest that semantic priming in scenes, as measured with the N400, is a higher-level process that critically depends on attention and awareness.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
In the attentional blink paradigm, participants attempt to identify two targets appearing in a rapidly presented stream of distractors. Report accuracy is typically high for the first target (T1) while identification of the second target (T2) is impaired when it follows within about 200\u2013400 ms of T1. An important question is whether T2 is processed to a semantic level even when participants are unaware of its identity. We examined this issue in three studies that used natural scenes as stimuli and the N400 component of the event-related potential (ERP) as a measure of semantic priming. In the first experiment, the prime (e.g., a doghouse in a yard) was presented at the beginning of the trial and a test picture that was related (e.g., a dog standing in the kitchen) or unrelated (e.g., a coffee mug on a table) appeared as T2. In the second experiment, the prime was presented as T2 and the test picture appeared at the end of the picture sequence. In both experiments, we found robust semantic priming when participants were aware of the identity of the blinked picture and an absence of priming when they were unaware. In Experiment 3, we used identity priming to assess whether earlier representations preceding semantics were preserved, and again found that priming critically depended on awareness of the prime's identity. These results suggest that semantic priming in scenes, as measured with the N400, is a higher-level process that critically depends on attention and awareness.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Francesco Mantegna; Emanuele Olivetti; Philipp Schwedhelm; Daniel Baldauf<\/p>

Covariance-based decoding reveals a category-specific functional connectivity network for imagined visual objects<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>NeuroImage, <\/span>vol. 311, <\/span>pp. 1\u201315, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Mantegna2025,
\r\ntitle = {Covariance-based decoding reveals a category-specific functional connectivity network for imagined visual objects},
\r\nauthor = {Francesco Mantegna and Emanuele Olivetti and Philipp Schwedhelm and Daniel Baldauf},
\r\ndoi = {10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2025.121171},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-05-01},
\r\njournal = {NeuroImage},
\r\nvolume = {311},
\r\npages = {1\u201315},
\r\npublisher = {Academic Press Inc.},
\r\nabstract = {The coordination of different brain regions is required for the visual imagery of complex objects (e.g., faces and places). Short-range connectivity within sensory areas is necessary to construct the mental image. Long-range connectivity between control and sensory areas is necessary to re-instantiate and maintain the mental image. While dynamic changes in functional connectivity are expected during visual imagery, it is unclear whether a category-specific network exists in which the strength and the spatial destination of the connections vary depending on the imagery target. In this magnetoencephalography study, we used a minimally constrained experimental paradigm wherein imagery categories were prompted using visual word cues only, and we decoded face versus place imagery based on their underlying functional connectivity patterns as estimated from the spatial covariance across brain regions. A subnetwork analysis further disentangled the contribution of different connections. The results show that face and place imagery can be decoded from both short-range and long-range connections. Overall, the results show that imagined object categories can be distinguished based on functional connectivity patterns observed in a category-specific network. Notably, functional connectivity estimates rely on purely endogenous brain signals suggesting that an external reference is not necessary to elicit such category-specific network dynamics.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
The coordination of different brain regions is required for the visual imagery of complex objects (e.g., faces and places). Short-range connectivity within sensory areas is necessary to construct the mental image. Long-range connectivity between control and sensory areas is necessary to re-instantiate and maintain the mental image. While dynamic changes in functional connectivity are expected during visual imagery, it is unclear whether a category-specific network exists in which the strength and the spatial destination of the connections vary depending on the imagery target. In this magnetoencephalography study, we used a minimally constrained experimental paradigm wherein imagery categories were prompted using visual word cues only, and we decoded face versus place imagery based on their underlying functional connectivity patterns as estimated from the spatial covariance across brain regions. A subnetwork analysis further disentangled the contribution of different connections. The results show that face and place imagery can be decoded from both short-range and long-range connections. Overall, the results show that imagined object categories can be distinguished based on functional connectivity patterns observed in a category-specific network. Notably, functional connectivity estimates rely on purely endogenous brain signals suggesting that an external reference is not necessary to elicit such category-specific network dynamics.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Mana Biabani; Kevin Walsh; Shou Han Zhou; Joseph Wagner; Alexandra Johnstone; Julia Paterson; Beth P. Johnson; Natasha Matthews; Gerard M. Loughnane; Redmond G. O'Connell; Mark A. Bellgrove<\/p>

Neurophysiology of perceptual decision-making and its alterations in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>The Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 14, <\/span>pp. 1\u201312, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Biabani2025,
\r\ntitle = {Neurophysiology of perceptual decision-making and its alterations in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder},
\r\nauthor = {Mana Biabani and Kevin Walsh and Shou Han Zhou and Joseph Wagner and Alexandra Johnstone and Julia Paterson and Beth P. Johnson and Natasha Matthews and Gerard M. Loughnane and Redmond G. O'Connell and Mark A. Bellgrove},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.0469-24.2025},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-04-01},
\r\njournal = {The Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {14},
\r\npages = {1\u201312},
\r\npublisher = {Society for Neuroscience},
\r\nabstract = {Despite the prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), efforts to develop a detailed understanding of the neuropsychology of this neurodevelopmental condition are complicated by the diversity of interindividual presentations and the inability of current clinical tests to distinguish between its sensory, attentional, arousal, or motoric contributions. Identifying objective methods that can explain the diverse performance profiles across individuals diagnosed with ADHD has been a long-held goal. Achieving this could significantly advance our understanding of etiological processes and potentially inform the development of personalized treatment approaches. Here, we examine key neuropsychological components of ADHD within an electrophysiological (EEG) perceptual decision-making paradigm that is capable of isolating distinct neural signals of several key information processing stages necessary for sensory-guided actions from attentional selection to motor responses. Using a perceptual decision-making task (random dot motion), we evaluated the performance of 79 children (aged 8\u201317 years) and found slower and less accurate responses, along with a reduced rate of evidence accumulation (drift rate parameter of drift diffusion model), in children with ADHD (n = 37; 13 female) compared with typically developing peers (n = 42; 18 female). This was driven by the atypical dynamics of discrete electrophysiological signatures of attentional selection, the accumulation of sensory evidence, and strategic adjustments reflecting urgency of response. These findings offer an integrated account of decision-making in ADHD and establish discrete neural signals that might be used to understand the wide range of neuropsychological performance variations in individuals with ADHD.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Despite the prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), efforts to develop a detailed understanding of the neuropsychology of this neurodevelopmental condition are complicated by the diversity of interindividual presentations and the inability of current clinical tests to distinguish between its sensory, attentional, arousal, or motoric contributions. Identifying objective methods that can explain the diverse performance profiles across individuals diagnosed with ADHD has been a long-held goal. Achieving this could significantly advance our understanding of etiological processes and potentially inform the development of personalized treatment approaches. Here, we examine key neuropsychological components of ADHD within an electrophysiological (EEG) perceptual decision-making paradigm that is capable of isolating distinct neural signals of several key information processing stages necessary for sensory-guided actions from attentional selection to motor responses. Using a perceptual decision-making task (random dot motion), we evaluated the performance of 79 children (aged 8\u201317 years) and found slower and less accurate responses, along with a reduced rate of evidence accumulation (drift rate parameter of drift diffusion model), in children with ADHD (n = 37; 13 female) compared with typically developing peers (n = 42; 18 female). This was driven by the atypical dynamics of discrete electrophysiological signatures of attentional selection, the accumulation of sensory evidence, and strategic adjustments reflecting urgency of response. These findings offer an integrated account of decision-making in ADHD and establish discrete neural signals that might be used to understand the wide range of neuropsychological performance variations in individuals with ADHD.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Steven P. Errington; Jeffrey D. Schall<\/p>

A preparatory cranial potential for saccadic eye movements in macaque monkeys<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>eNeuro, <\/span>vol. 12, <\/span>no. 4, <\/span>pp. 1\u201310, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Errington2025,
\r\ntitle = {A preparatory cranial potential for saccadic eye movements in macaque monkeys},
\r\nauthor = {Steven P. Errington and Jeffrey D. Schall},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/ENEURO.0023-25.2025},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-04-01},
\r\njournal = {eNeuro},
\r\nvolume = {12},
\r\nnumber = {4},
\r\npages = {1\u201310},
\r\npublisher = {Society for Neuroscience},
\r\nabstract = {Response preparation is accomplished by gradual accumulation in neural activity until a threshold is reached. In humans, such a preparatory signal, referred to as the lateralized readiness potential (LRP), can be observed in the EEG over sensorimotor cortical areas before execution of a voluntary movement. Although well described for manual movements, less is known about preparatory EEG potentials for saccadic eye movements in humans and nonhuman primates. Hence, we describe a LRP over the frontolateral cortex in macaque monkeys. Homologous to humans, we observed lateralized electrical potentials ramping before the execution of both rewarded and nonrewarded contralateral saccades. This potential parallels the neural spiking of saccadic movement neurons in the frontal eye field (FEF), suggesting that it may offer a noninvasive correlate of intracortical spiking activity. However, unlike neural spiking in the FEF, polarization in frontolateral channels did not distinguish between saccade generation and inhibition. These findings provide new insights into noninvasive electrophysiological signatures of saccadic preparation in nonhuman primates, highlighting the potential of EEG measures to bridge invasive neural recordings and noninvasive studies of eye movement control in humans.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Daniela Gresch; Larissa Behnke; Freek Ede; Anna C. Nobre; Sage E. P. Boettcher<\/p>

Neural dynamics of reselecting visual and motor contents in working memory after external interference<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>The Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 18, <\/span>pp. 1\u201313, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Gresch2025,
\r\ntitle = {Neural dynamics of reselecting visual and motor contents in working memory after external interference},
\r\nauthor = {Daniela Gresch and Larissa Behnke and Freek Ede and Anna C. Nobre and Sage E. P. Boettcher},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.2347-24.2025},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-04-01},
\r\njournal = {The Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {18},
\r\npages = {1\u201313},
\r\npublisher = {Society for Neuroscience},
\r\nabstract = {In everyday tasks, we must often shift our focus away from internal representations held in working memory to engage with perceptual events in the external world. Here, we investigated how our internal focus is reestablished following an interrupting task by tracking the reselection of visual representations and their associated action plans in working memory. Specifically, we asked whether reselection occurs for both visual and motor memory attributes and when this reselection occurs. We developed a visual-motor working-memory task in which participants were retrospectively cued to select one of two memory items before being interrupted by a perceptual discrimination task. To determine what information was reselected, the memory items had distinct visual and motor attributes. To determine when internal representations were reselected, the interrupting task was presented at one of three distinct time points following the retro-cue. We employed electroencephalography time\u2013frequency analyses to track the initial selection and later reselection of visual and motor representations, as operationalized through modulations of posterior alpha (8\u201312 Hz) activity relative to the memorized item location (visual) and of central beta (13\u201330 Hz) activity relative to the required response hand (motor). Our results show that internal visual and motor contents were concurrently reselected immediately after completing the interrupting task, rather than only when internal information was required for memory-guided behavior. Thus, following interruption, we swiftly resume our internal focus in working memory through the simultaneous reselection of memorized visual representations and their associated action plans, thereby restoring internal contents to a ready-to-use state.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
In everyday tasks, we must often shift our focus away from internal representations held in working memory to engage with perceptual events in the external world. Here, we investigated how our internal focus is reestablished following an interrupting task by tracking the reselection of visual representations and their associated action plans in working memory. Specifically, we asked whether reselection occurs for both visual and motor memory attributes and when this reselection occurs. We developed a visual-motor working-memory task in which participants were retrospectively cued to select one of two memory items before being interrupted by a perceptual discrimination task. To determine what information was reselected, the memory items had distinct visual and motor attributes. To determine when internal representations were reselected, the interrupting task was presented at one of three distinct time points following the retro-cue. We employed electroencephalography time\u2013frequency analyses to track the initial selection and later reselection of visual and motor representations, as operationalized through modulations of posterior alpha (8\u201312 Hz) activity relative to the memorized item location (visual) and of central beta (13\u201330 Hz) activity relative to the required response hand (motor). Our results show that internal visual and motor contents were concurrently reselected immediately after completing the interrupting task, rather than only when internal information was required for memory-guided behavior. Thus, following interruption, we swiftly resume our internal focus in working memory through the simultaneous reselection of memorized visual representations and their associated action plans, thereby restoring internal contents to a ready-to-use state.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Catherine N. Moran; David P. McGovern; Mike Melnychuk; Alan F. Smeaton; Paul M. Dockree<\/p>

Oscillations of the wandering mind: Neural evidence for distinct exploration\/exploitation strategies in younger and older adults<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Human Brain Mapping, <\/span>vol. 46, <\/span>no. 6, <\/span>pp. 1\u201323, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Moran2025a,
\r\ntitle = {Oscillations of the wandering mind: Neural evidence for distinct exploration\/exploitation strategies in younger and older adults},
\r\nauthor = {Catherine N. Moran and David P. McGovern and Mike Melnychuk and Alan F. Smeaton and Paul M. Dockree},
\r\ndoi = {10.1002\/hbm.70174},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-04-01},
\r\njournal = {Human Brain Mapping},
\r\nvolume = {46},
\r\nnumber = {6},
\r\npages = {1\u201323},
\r\npublisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},
\r\nabstract = {This study traced the neurophysiological signals of fluctuating attention and task-related processing to ascertain the mechanistic basis of transient strategic shifts between competing task focus and mind-wandering, as expressed by the \u2018exploitation\/exploration' framework, and explored how they are differentially affected with age. Thirty-four younger (16 female, mean age 22 years) and 34 healthy older (20 female, mean age 71 years) adults performed the Gradual Contrast Change Detection task; monitoring a continuously presented flickering annulus for intermittent gradual contrast reductions and responding to experience sampling probes to discriminate the nature of their thoughts at discrete moments. Electroencephalography and pupillometry were concurrently recorded during target- and probe-related intervals. Older adults tracked the downward stimulus trajectory with greater sensory integrity (reduced target SSVEP amplitude) and demonstrated earlier initiation of evidence accumulation (earlier onset CPP), attenuated variability in the attentional signal (posterior alpha) and more robust phasic pupillary responses to the target, suggesting steadier attentional engagement with age. Younger adults only exhibited intermittent sensory encoding, indexed by greater variability in the sensory (SSVEP) and attentional (alpha) signals before mind-wandering relative to focused states. Attentional variability was accompanied by disrupted behavioural performance and reduced task-related neural processing, independent of age group. Together, this elucidates distinct performance strategies employed by both groups. Older adults suspended mind-wandering and implemented an exploitative oscillation strategy to circumvent their reduced cognitive resources and allay potential behavioural costs. Conversely, younger adults exhibited greater exploration through mind-wandering, utilising their greater cognitive resources to flexibly alternate between competing goal-directed and mind-wandering strategies, with limited costs.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
This study traced the neurophysiological signals of fluctuating attention and task-related processing to ascertain the mechanistic basis of transient strategic shifts between competing task focus and mind-wandering, as expressed by the \u2018exploitation\/exploration' framework, and explored how they are differentially affected with age. Thirty-four younger (16 female, mean age 22 years) and 34 healthy older (20 female, mean age 71 years) adults performed the Gradual Contrast Change Detection task; monitoring a continuously presented flickering annulus for intermittent gradual contrast reductions and responding to experience sampling probes to discriminate the nature of their thoughts at discrete moments. Electroencephalography and pupillometry were concurrently recorded during target- and probe-related intervals. Older adults tracked the downward stimulus trajectory with greater sensory integrity (reduced target SSVEP amplitude) and demonstrated earlier initiation of evidence accumulation (earlier onset CPP), attenuated variability in the attentional signal (posterior alpha) and more robust phasic pupillary responses to the target, suggesting steadier attentional engagement with age. Younger adults only exhibited intermittent sensory encoding, indexed by greater variability in the sensory (SSVEP) and attentional (alpha) signals before mind-wandering relative to focused states. Attentional variability was accompanied by disrupted behavioural performance and reduced task-related neural processing, independent of age group. Together, this elucidates distinct performance strategies employed by both groups. Older adults suspended mind-wandering and implemented an exploitative oscillation strategy to circumvent their reduced cognitive resources and allay potential behavioural costs. Conversely, younger adults exhibited greater exploration through mind-wandering, utilising their greater cognitive resources to flexibly alternate between competing goal-directed and mind-wandering strategies, with limited costs.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Nir Ofir; Ayelet N. Landau<\/p>

Motor preparation tracks decision boundary crossing rather than accumulated evidence in temporal decision-making<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>The Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 17, <\/span>pp. 1\u201311, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Ofir2025,
\r\ntitle = {Motor preparation tracks decision boundary crossing rather than accumulated evidence in temporal decision-making},
\r\nauthor = {Nir Ofir and Ayelet N. Landau},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.1675-24.2025},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-04-01},
\r\njournal = {The Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {17},
\r\npages = {1\u201311},
\r\npublisher = {Society for Neuroscience},
\r\nabstract = {Interval timing, the ability of animals to estimate the passage of time, is thought to involve diverse neural processes rather than a single central \u201cclock\u201d (Paton and Buonomano, 2018). Each of the different processes engaged in interval timing follows a different dynamic path, according to its specific function. For example, attention tracks anticipated events, such as offsets of intervals (Rohenkohl and Nobre, 2011), while motor processes control the timing of the behavioral output (De Lafuente et al., 2024). However, which processes are involved and how they are orchestrated over time to produce a temporal decision remains unknown. Here, we study motor preparation in the temporal bisection task, in which human (female and male) participants categorized intervals as \u201clong\u201d or \u201cshort.\u201d In contrast to typical perceptual decisions, where motor plans for all response alternatives are prepared simultaneously (Shadlen and Kiani, 2013), we find that temporal bisection decisions develop sequentially. While preparation for \u201clong\u201d responses was already underway before interval offset, no preparation was found for \u201cshort\u201d responses. Furthermore, within intervals categorized as \u201clong,\u201d motor preparation was stronger at interval offset for faster responses. Our findings support the two-stage model of temporal decisions, where \u201clong\u201d decisions are considered during the interval itself, while \u201cshort\u201d decisions are only considered after the interval is over. Viewed from a wider perspective, our study offers methods to study the neural mechanisms of temporal decisions, by studying the multiple processes that produce them.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Interval timing, the ability of animals to estimate the passage of time, is thought to involve diverse neural processes rather than a single central \u201cclock\u201d (Paton and Buonomano, 2018). Each of the different processes engaged in interval timing follows a different dynamic path, according to its specific function. For example, attention tracks anticipated events, such as offsets of intervals (Rohenkohl and Nobre, 2011), while motor processes control the timing of the behavioral output (De Lafuente et al., 2024). However, which processes are involved and how they are orchestrated over time to produce a temporal decision remains unknown. Here, we study motor preparation in the temporal bisection task, in which human (female and male) participants categorized intervals as \u201clong\u201d or \u201cshort.\u201d In contrast to typical perceptual decisions, where motor plans for all response alternatives are prepared simultaneously (Shadlen and Kiani, 2013), we find that temporal bisection decisions develop sequentially. While preparation for \u201clong\u201d responses was already underway before interval offset, no preparation was found for \u201cshort\u201d responses. Furthermore, within intervals categorized as \u201clong,\u201d motor preparation was stronger at interval offset for faster responses. Our findings support the two-stage model of temporal decisions, where \u201clong\u201d decisions are considered during the interval itself, while \u201cshort\u201d decisions are only considered after the interval is over. Viewed from a wider perspective, our study offers methods to study the neural mechanisms of temporal decisions, by studying the multiple processes that produce them.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Ying Que; Xiao Hu<\/p>

Enhancing learners' reading comprehension with preferred background music: An eye-tracking, EEG, and heart rate study<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Reading Research Quarterly, <\/span>vol. 60, <\/span>no. 2, <\/span>pp. 1\u201317, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Que2025,
\r\ntitle = {Enhancing learners' reading comprehension with preferred background music: An eye-tracking, EEG, and heart rate study},
\r\nauthor = {Ying Que and Xiao Hu},
\r\ndoi = {10.1002\/rrq.70004},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-04-01},
\r\njournal = {Reading Research Quarterly},
\r\nvolume = {60},
\r\nnumber = {2},
\r\npages = {1\u201317},
\r\npublisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},
\r\nabstract = {It is often observed that many learners prefer reading texts with background music (BGM), which may enhance engagement and mood in reading. However, the impact of BGM on reading comprehension performance or process remains heterogeneous. This study examined how learners' self-provided preferred BGM affected reading comprehension accuracy and cognitive processes as measured by self-reports and multimodal psychophysiological signals (e.g., eye movements, EEG signals, heart rates) during reading, while also considering the role of personal traits and music characteristics. Data were collected from a within-subject experiment with 52 nonnative English speakers, who read half of the English text passages with their self-provided BGM and the other half in silence. The results indicated that overall BGM did not significantly affect reading task performance, self-reports, or multimodal psychophysiological responses. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that learners' personal traits (e.g., working memory capacity, multitasking ability, language proficiency, BGM listening habits, prior knowledge) moderated the effects of BGM on their cognitive processes during reading as indicated by the psychophysiological responses. Stepwise linear regression showed that the presence of lyrics predicted decreased reading comprehension accuracy and disrupted word-level lexical processing, while a fast tempo was related to more efficient text processing. These findings offer empirical evidence on how BGM influences learners' reading task performance and cognitive processes and provide practical guidance for stakeholders (e.g., learners, instructors, learning environment designers) on the personalized and appropriate use of BGM for enhancing reading comprehension.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
It is often observed that many learners prefer reading texts with background music (BGM), which may enhance engagement and mood in reading. However, the impact of BGM on reading comprehension performance or process remains heterogeneous. This study examined how learners' self-provided preferred BGM affected reading comprehension accuracy and cognitive processes as measured by self-reports and multimodal psychophysiological signals (e.g., eye movements, EEG signals, heart rates) during reading, while also considering the role of personal traits and music characteristics. Data were collected from a within-subject experiment with 52 nonnative English speakers, who read half of the English text passages with their self-provided BGM and the other half in silence. The results indicated that overall BGM did not significantly affect reading task performance, self-reports, or multimodal psychophysiological responses. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that learners' personal traits (e.g., working memory capacity, multitasking ability, language proficiency, BGM listening habits, prior knowledge) moderated the effects of BGM on their cognitive processes during reading as indicated by the psychophysiological responses. Stepwise linear regression showed that the presence of lyrics predicted decreased reading comprehension accuracy and disrupted word-level lexical processing, while a fast tempo was related to more efficient text processing. These findings offer empirical evidence on how BGM influences learners' reading task performance and cognitive processes and provide practical guidance for stakeholders (e.g., learners, instructors, learning environment designers) on the personalized and appropriate use of BGM for enhancing reading comprehension.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Grace E. Hallenbeck; Nathan Tardiff; Thomas C. Sprague; Clayton E. Curtis<\/p>

Prioritizing working memory resources depends on the prefrontal cortex<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>The Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 11, <\/span>pp. 1\u201310, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Hallenbeck2025,
\r\ntitle = {Prioritizing working memory resources depends on the prefrontal cortex},
\r\nauthor = {Grace E. Hallenbeck and Nathan Tardiff and Thomas C. Sprague and Clayton E. Curtis},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.1552-24.2025},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-03-01},
\r\njournal = {The Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {11},
\r\npages = {1\u201310},
\r\npublisher = {Society for Neuroscience},
\r\nabstract = {How the prefrontal cortex contributes to working memory remains controversial, as theories differ in their emphasis on its role in storing memories versus controlling their content. To adjudicate between these competing ideas, we tested how perturbations to the human (both sexes) lateral prefrontal cortex impact the storage and control aspects of working memory during a task that requires human subjects to allocate resources to memory items based on their behavioral priority. Our computational model made a strong prediction that disruption of this control process would counterintuitively improve memory for low-priority items. Remarkably, transcranial magnetic stimulation of retinotopically-defined superior precentral sulcus, but not intraparietal sulcus, unbalanced the prioritization of resources, improving memory for low-priority items as predicted by the model. Therefore, these results provide direct causal support for models in which the prefrontal cortex controls the allocation of resources that support working memory, rather than simply storing the features of memoranda.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Amie J. Durston; Roxane J. Itier<\/p>

Event-related potentials to facial expressions are related to stimulus-level perceived arousal and valence<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Psychophysiology, <\/span>vol. 62, <\/span>no. 3, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Durston2025,
\r\ntitle = {Event-related potentials to facial expressions are related to stimulus-level perceived arousal and valence},
\r\nauthor = {Amie J. Durston and Roxane J. Itier},
\r\ndoi = {10.1111\/psyp.70045},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-03-01},
\r\njournal = {Psychophysiology},
\r\nvolume = {62},
\r\nnumber = {3},
\r\npublisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},
\r\nabstract = {Facial expressions provide critical details about social partners' inner states. We investigated whether event-related potentials (ERP) related to the visual processing of facial expressions are modulated by participants' perceived arousal and valence at the stimulus level. ERPs were recorded while participants (N = 80) categorized the gender of faces expressing fear, anger, happiness, and no emotion. Participants then viewed each face again and rated them on arousal and valence using 1\u20139 Likert scales. For each participant, ratings of each unique face were linked back to corresponding ERP trials. ERPs were analyzed at all time points and electrodes using hierarchical mass univariate statistics. Three different ANOVA models were employed: the original emotion model, and models with valence or arousal ratings as trial-level regressors. Results from models with ratings highly overlapped with the original model, although they were more temporally restricted. The N170 component was the most impacted by arousal and valence ratings, with four out of six emotion contrasts revealing significant valence or arousal interactions. Emotion effects on the P2 component were mostly unrelated to ratings. On the EPN component, only two contrasts related to both arousal and valence ratings. Thus, ERP emotion effects are related to participants' perceived arousal and valence of the stimuli, although this association depends on the contrast analyzed. These findings, their limitations, and generalizability are discussed in reference to existing theories and literature.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Facial expressions provide critical details about social partners' inner states. We investigated whether event-related potentials (ERP) related to the visual processing of facial expressions are modulated by participants' perceived arousal and valence at the stimulus level. ERPs were recorded while participants (N = 80) categorized the gender of faces expressing fear, anger, happiness, and no emotion. Participants then viewed each face again and rated them on arousal and valence using 1\u20139 Likert scales. For each participant, ratings of each unique face were linked back to corresponding ERP trials. ERPs were analyzed at all time points and electrodes using hierarchical mass univariate statistics. Three different ANOVA models were employed: the original emotion model, and models with valence or arousal ratings as trial-level regressors. Results from models with ratings highly overlapped with the original model, although they were more temporally restricted. The N170 component was the most impacted by arousal and valence ratings, with four out of six emotion contrasts revealing significant valence or arousal interactions. Emotion effects on the P2 component were mostly unrelated to ratings. On the EPN component, only two contrasts related to both arousal and valence ratings. Thus, ERP emotion effects are related to participants' perceived arousal and valence of the stimuli, although this association depends on the contrast analyzed. These findings, their limitations, and generalizability are discussed in reference to existing theories and literature.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Caoimhe Moran; Philippa A. Johnson; Hinze Hogendoorn; Ayelet N. Landau<\/p>

The representation of stimulus features during stable fixation and active vision<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>The Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 12, <\/span>pp. 1\u201311, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Moran2025,
\r\ntitle = {The representation of stimulus features during stable fixation and active vision},
\r\nauthor = {Caoimhe Moran and Philippa A. Johnson and Hinze Hogendoorn and Ayelet N. Landau},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.1652-24.2024},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-03-01},
\r\njournal = {The Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {12},
\r\npages = {1\u201311},
\r\npublisher = {Society for Neuroscience},
\r\nabstract = {Predictive updating of an object's spatial coordinates from presaccade to postsaccade contributes to stable visual perception. Whether object features are predictively remapped remains contested. We set out to characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics of feature processing during stable fixation and active vision. To do so, we applied multivariate decoding methods to EEG data collected while human participants (male and female) viewed brief visual stimuli. Stimuli appeared at different locations across the visual field at either high or low spatial frequency (SF). During fixation, classifiers were trained to decode SF presented at one parafoveal location and cross-tested on SF from either the same, adjacent, or more peripheral locations. When training and testing on the same location, SF was classified shortly after stimulus onset (\u223c79 ms). Decoding of SF at locations farther from the trained location emerged later (\u223c144\u2013295 ms), with decoding latency modulated by eccentricity. This analysis provides a detailed time course for the spread of feature information across the visual field. Next, we investigated how active vision impacts the emergence of SF information. In the presence of a saccade, the decoding time of peripheral SF at parafoveal locations was earlier, indicating predictive anticipation of SF due to the saccade. Crucially, however, this predictive effect was not limited to the specific remapped location. Rather, peripheral SF was correctly classified, at an accelerated time course, at all parafoveal positions. This indicates spatially coarse, predictive anticipation of stimulus features during active vision, likely enabling a smooth transition on saccade landing.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Predictive updating of an object's spatial coordinates from presaccade to postsaccade contributes to stable visual perception. Whether object features are predictively remapped remains contested. We set out to characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics of feature processing during stable fixation and active vision. To do so, we applied multivariate decoding methods to EEG data collected while human participants (male and female) viewed brief visual stimuli. Stimuli appeared at different locations across the visual field at either high or low spatial frequency (SF). During fixation, classifiers were trained to decode SF presented at one parafoveal location and cross-tested on SF from either the same, adjacent, or more peripheral locations. When training and testing on the same location, SF was classified shortly after stimulus onset (\u223c79 ms). Decoding of SF at locations farther from the trained location emerged later (\u223c144\u2013295 ms), with decoding latency modulated by eccentricity. This analysis provides a detailed time course for the spread of feature information across the visual field. Next, we investigated how active vision impacts the emergence of SF information. In the presence of a saccade, the decoding time of peripheral SF at parafoveal locations was earlier, indicating predictive anticipation of SF due to the saccade. Crucially, however, this predictive effect was not limited to the specific remapped location. Rather, peripheral SF was correctly classified, at an accelerated time course, at all parafoveal positions. This indicates spatially coarse, predictive anticipation of stimulus features during active vision, likely enabling a smooth transition on saccade landing.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Veera Ruuskanen; C. Nico Boehler; Sebastiaan Math\u00f4t<\/p>

The interplay of spontaneous pupil-size fluctuations and EEG power in near-threshold detection<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Psychophysiology, <\/span>vol. 62, <\/span>no. 3, <\/span>pp. 1\u201311, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Ruuskanen2025,
\r\ntitle = {The interplay of spontaneous pupil-size fluctuations and EEG power in near-threshold detection},
\r\nauthor = {Veera Ruuskanen and C. Nico Boehler and Sebastiaan Math\u00f4t},
\r\ndoi = {10.1111\/psyp.70035},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-03-01},
\r\njournal = {Psychophysiology},
\r\nvolume = {62},
\r\nnumber = {3},
\r\npages = {1\u201311},
\r\npublisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},
\r\nabstract = {Detection of near-threshold stimuli depends on the properties of the stimulus and the state of the observer. In visual detection tasks, improved accuracy is associated with larger prestimulus pupil size. However, it is still unclear whether this association is due to optical effects (more light entering the eye), correlations with arousal, correlations with cortical excitability (as reflected in alpha power), or a mix of these. To better understand this, we investigated the relative contributions of pupil size and power in the alpha, beta, and theta frequency bands on near-threshold detection. We found that larger prestimulus pupil size is associated with improved accuracy and more stimulus-present responses, and these effects were not mediated by spectral power in the EEG. Pupil size was also positively correlated with power in the beta and alpha bands. Taken together, our results show an independent effect of pupil size on detection performance that is not driven by cortical excitability but may be driven by optical effects, physiological arousal, or a mix of both.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Markus R T\u00fcnte; Stefanie Hoehl; Moritz Wunderwald; Johannes Bullinger; Asena Boyadziheva; Lara Maister; Birgit Elsner; Manos Tsakiris; Ezgi Kayhan<\/p>

Respiratory and cardiac interoceptive sensitivity in the first two years of life<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>eLife, <\/span>vol. 12, <\/span>pp. 1\u201340, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Tuente2025,
\r\ntitle = {Respiratory and cardiac interoceptive sensitivity in the first two years of life},
\r\nauthor = {Markus R T\u00fcnte and Stefanie Hoehl and Moritz Wunderwald and Johannes Bullinger and Asena Boyadziheva and Lara Maister and Birgit Elsner and Manos Tsakiris and Ezgi Kayhan},
\r\ndoi = {10.7554\/elife.91579},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-03-01},
\r\njournal = {eLife},
\r\nvolume = {12},
\r\npages = {1\u201340},
\r\npublisher = {eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd},
\r\nabstract = {Several recent theoretical accounts have posited that interoception, the perception of internal bodily signals, plays a vital role in early human development. Yet, empirical evidence of cardiac interoceptive sensitivity in infants to date has been mixed. Furthermore, existing evidence does not go beyond the perception of cardiac signals and focuses only on the age of 5\u20137 mo, limiting the generalizability of the results. Here, we used a modified version of the cardiac interoceptive sensitivity paradigm introduced by Maister et al., 2017 in 3-, 9-, and 18-mo-old infants using cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches. Going beyond, we introduce a novel experimental paradigm, namely the iBREATH, to investigate respiratory interoceptive sensitivity in infants. Overall, for cardiac interoceptive sensitivity ( total n =135) we find rather stable evidence across ages with infants on average preferring stimuli presented synchronously to their heartbeat. For respiratory interoceptive sensitivity ( total n =120) our results show a similar pattern in the first year of life, but not at 18 mo. We did not observe a strong relationship between cardiac and respiratory interoceptive sensitivity at 3 and 9 mo but found some evidence for a relationship at 18 mo. We validated our results using specification curve- and mega-analytic approaches. By examining early cardiac and respiratory interoceptive processing, we provide evidence that infants are sensitive to their interoceptive signals.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Several recent theoretical accounts have posited that interoception, the perception of internal bodily signals, plays a vital role in early human development. Yet, empirical evidence of cardiac interoceptive sensitivity in infants to date has been mixed. Furthermore, existing evidence does not go beyond the perception of cardiac signals and focuses only on the age of 5\u20137 mo, limiting the generalizability of the results. Here, we used a modified version of the cardiac interoceptive sensitivity paradigm introduced by Maister et al., 2017 in 3-, 9-, and 18-mo-old infants using cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches. Going beyond, we introduce a novel experimental paradigm, namely the iBREATH, to investigate respiratory interoceptive sensitivity in infants. Overall, for cardiac interoceptive sensitivity ( total n =135) we find rather stable evidence across ages with infants on average preferring stimuli presented synchronously to their heartbeat. For respiratory interoceptive sensitivity ( total n =120) our results show a similar pattern in the first year of life, but not at 18 mo. We did not observe a strong relationship between cardiac and respiratory interoceptive sensitivity at 3 and 9 mo but found some evidence for a relationship at 18 mo. We validated our results using specification curve- and mega-analytic approaches. By examining early cardiac and respiratory interoceptive processing, we provide evidence that infants are sensitive to their interoceptive signals.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Dirk Moorselaar; Ningkai Wang; Jan Theeuwes<\/p>

Differential neural mechanisms underlying inhibition of color and dynamic motion distractors<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 37, <\/span>no. 3, <\/span>pp. 543\u2013554, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Moorselaar2025a,
\r\ntitle = {Differential neural mechanisms underlying inhibition of color and dynamic motion distractors},
\r\nauthor = {Dirk Moorselaar and Ningkai Wang and Jan Theeuwes},
\r\ndoi = {10.1162\/jocn_a_02287},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-03-01},
\r\njournal = {Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {37},
\r\nnumber = {3},
\r\npages = {543\u2013554},
\r\nabstract = {Navigating visually complex environments requires focusing on relevant information while filtering out (salient) distractions. The signal suppression hypothesis posits that salient stimuli generate an automatic saliency signal that captures attention unless overridden by learned suppression mechanisms. In support of this, ERP studies have demonstrated that salient stimuli that do not capture attention elicit a distractor positivity (PD), a putative neural index of suppression. Yet, to date, this hypothesis has been primarily tested with color singletons, leaving it unclear if the PD reflects general suppression or is specific to color singletons. This study compared lateralized ERPs elicited by color singleton and dynamic motion distractors using a variant of the additional singleton paradigm that has been shown to result in proactive suppression of colored distractors. Behavioral results showed a singleton presence benefit for both distractor types, indicating distractor suppression. However, ERP data revealed clear differences in the underlying neural mechanisms: Color singletons elicited a PD component indicative of proactive suppression, whereas motion singletons elicited a later positivity preceded by an N2pc, suggesting reactive suppression. Our findings suggest that motion singletons, unlike color singletons, are suppressed reactively after initial capture. This study highlights the importance of considering distractor feature dimensions in understanding attentional suppression mechanisms and underscores the need for caution in establishing proactive suppression based on a single metric. Further research is needed to clarify the conditions under which the early PD reliably indicates proactive suppression and to explore the neural processes underlying the suppression of various salient distractors.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Navigating visually complex environments requires focusing on relevant information while filtering out (salient) distractions. The signal suppression hypothesis posits that salient stimuli generate an automatic saliency signal that captures attention unless overridden by learned suppression mechanisms. In support of this, ERP studies have demonstrated that salient stimuli that do not capture attention elicit a distractor positivity (PD), a putative neural index of suppression. Yet, to date, this hypothesis has been primarily tested with color singletons, leaving it unclear if the PD reflects general suppression or is specific to color singletons. This study compared lateralized ERPs elicited by color singleton and dynamic motion distractors using a variant of the additional singleton paradigm that has been shown to result in proactive suppression of colored distractors. Behavioral results showed a singleton presence benefit for both distractor types, indicating distractor suppression. However, ERP data revealed clear differences in the underlying neural mechanisms: Color singletons elicited a PD component indicative of proactive suppression, whereas motion singletons elicited a later positivity preceded by an N2pc, suggesting reactive suppression. Our findings suggest that motion singletons, unlike color singletons, are suppressed reactively after initial capture. This study highlights the importance of considering distractor feature dimensions in understanding attentional suppression mechanisms and underscores the need for caution in establishing proactive suppression based on a single metric. Further research is needed to clarify the conditions under which the early PD reliably indicates proactive suppression and to explore the neural processes underlying the suppression of various salient distractors.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Monica Vanoncini; Ezgi Kayhan; Birgit Elsner; Moritz Wunderwald; Sebastian Wallot; Stefanie Hoehl; Natalie Boll-Avetisyan<\/p>

Individual differences in infants' speech segmentation performance: The role of mother-infant cardiac synchrony<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Infancy, <\/span>vol. 30, <\/span>no. 2, <\/span>pp. 1\u201313, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Vanoncini2025,
\r\ntitle = {Individual differences in infants' speech segmentation performance: The role of mother-infant cardiac synchrony},
\r\nauthor = {Monica Vanoncini and Ezgi Kayhan and Birgit Elsner and Moritz Wunderwald and Sebastian Wallot and Stefanie Hoehl and Natalie Boll-Avetisyan},
\r\ndoi = {10.1111\/infa.70020},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-03-01},
\r\njournal = {Infancy},
\r\nvolume = {30},
\r\nnumber = {2},
\r\npages = {1\u201313},
\r\npublisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},
\r\nabstract = {Caregiver-infant coregulation is an early form of communication. This study investigated whether mother-infant biological coregulation is associated with 9-month-olds' word segmentation performance, a crucial milestone predicting language development. We hypothesized that coregulation would relate with infants' word segmentation performance. Additionally, we examined whether this relationship is influenced by the caregiving environment (i.e., parental reflective functioning) and the infant's emotional state (i.e., positive affect). Coregulation was investigated via cardiac synchrony in 28 nine-month-old infants (16 females) during a 5-min free-play with their German-speaking mothers. Cardiac synchrony was measured through Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA), employing Recurrence Quantification Analysis to evaluate dyadic coupling (i.e., Recurrence Rate) and dyadic predictability (i.e., Entropy). Infants' word segmentation was measured with an eye-tracking central-fixation procedure. A stepwise regression revealed that higher dyadic coupling, but not predictability, of the dyads' RSA was associated with infants looking longer toward the screen when listening to novel as compared to familiar test words, indicating advanced word segmentation performance (Cohen's d = 0.25). Moreover, cardiac synchrony correlated positively with maternal sensitivity to their infant's mental states, but not with the infant's positive affect. These results suggest that caregiver-infant biological coregulation may play a foundational role in language acquisition.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Caregiver-infant coregulation is an early form of communication. This study investigated whether mother-infant biological coregulation is associated with 9-month-olds' word segmentation performance, a crucial milestone predicting language development. We hypothesized that coregulation would relate with infants' word segmentation performance. Additionally, we examined whether this relationship is influenced by the caregiving environment (i.e., parental reflective functioning) and the infant's emotional state (i.e., positive affect). Coregulation was investigated via cardiac synchrony in 28 nine-month-old infants (16 females) during a 5-min free-play with their German-speaking mothers. Cardiac synchrony was measured through Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA), employing Recurrence Quantification Analysis to evaluate dyadic coupling (i.e., Recurrence Rate) and dyadic predictability (i.e., Entropy). Infants' word segmentation was measured with an eye-tracking central-fixation procedure. A stepwise regression revealed that higher dyadic coupling, but not predictability, of the dyads' RSA was associated with infants looking longer toward the screen when listening to novel as compared to familiar test words, indicating advanced word segmentation performance (Cohen's d = 0.25). Moreover, cardiac synchrony correlated positively with maternal sensitivity to their infant's mental states, but not with the infant's positive affect. These results suggest that caregiver-infant biological coregulation may play a foundational role in language acquisition.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Britta U. Westner; Ella Bosch; Christian Utzerath; Jan Buitelaar; Floris P. Lange<\/p>

Typical neural adaptation for familiar images in autistic adolescents<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Imaging Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 3, <\/span>pp. 1\u201315, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Westner2025,
\r\ntitle = {Typical neural adaptation for familiar images in autistic adolescents},
\r\nauthor = {Britta U. Westner and Ella Bosch and Christian Utzerath and Jan Buitelaar and Floris P. Lange},
\r\ndoi = {10.1162\/imag_a_00505},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-03-01},
\r\njournal = {Imaging Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {3},
\r\npages = {1\u201315},
\r\npublisher = {Massachusetts Institute of Technology},
\r\nabstract = {It has been proposed that autistic perception may be marked by a reduced influence of temporal context. Following this theory, prior exposure to a stimulus should lead to a weaker or absent alteration of the behavioral and neural response to the stimulus in autism, compared with a typical population. To examine these hypotheses, we recruited two samples of human volunteers: a student sample (N = 26), which we used to establish our analysis pipeline, and an adolescent sample (N = 36), which consisted of a group of autistic (N = 18) and a group of non-autistic (N = 18) participants. All participants were presented with visual stimulus streams consisting of novel and familiar image pairs, while they attentively monitored each stream. We recorded task performance and used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to measure neural responses, and to compare the responses with familiar and novel images. We found behavioral facilitation as well as a reduction of event-related field (ERF) amplitude for familiar, compared with novel, images in both samples. Crucially, we found statistical evidence against between-group effects of familiarity on both behavioral and neural responses in the adolescent sample, suggesting that the influence of familiarity is comparable between autistic and non-autistic adolescents. These findings challenge the notion that perception in autism is marked by a reduced influence of prior exposure.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
It has been proposed that autistic perception may be marked by a reduced influence of temporal context. Following this theory, prior exposure to a stimulus should lead to a weaker or absent alteration of the behavioral and neural response to the stimulus in autism, compared with a typical population. To examine these hypotheses, we recruited two samples of human volunteers: a student sample (N = 26), which we used to establish our analysis pipeline, and an adolescent sample (N = 36), which consisted of a group of autistic (N = 18) and a group of non-autistic (N = 18) participants. All participants were presented with visual stimulus streams consisting of novel and familiar image pairs, while they attentively monitored each stream. We recorded task performance and used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to measure neural responses, and to compare the responses with familiar and novel images. We found behavioral facilitation as well as a reduction of event-related field (ERF) amplitude for familiar, compared with novel, images in both samples. Crucially, we found statistical evidence against between-group effects of familiarity on both behavioral and neural responses in the adolescent sample, suggesting that the influence of familiarity is comparable between autistic and non-autistic adolescents. These findings challenge the notion that perception in autism is marked by a reduced influence of prior exposure.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Yuting Xu; Ayumu Yamashita; Kyuto Uno; Tomoya Kawashima; Kaoru Amano<\/p>

Prediction of alpha power using multiple subjective measures and autonomic responses<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Psychophysiology, <\/span>vol. 62, <\/span>no. 3, <\/span>pp. 1\u201313, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Xu2025d,
\r\ntitle = {Prediction of alpha power using multiple subjective measures and autonomic responses},
\r\nauthor = {Yuting Xu and Ayumu Yamashita and Kyuto Uno and Tomoya Kawashima and Kaoru Amano},
\r\ndoi = {10.1111\/psyp.70028},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-03-01},
\r\njournal = {Psychophysiology},
\r\nvolume = {62},
\r\nnumber = {3},
\r\npages = {1\u201313},
\r\npublisher = {John Wiley and Sons Inc},
\r\nabstract = {Alpha oscillations are associated with various cognitive functions. However, the determinants of alpha power variation remain ambiguous, primarily due to its inconsistent associations with autonomic responses and subjective states under different experimental conditions. To thoroughly examine the correlations between alpha power variation and these factors, we implemented a range of experimental conditions, encompassing attentional and emotional tasks, as well as a resting-state. In addition to the electroencephalogram data, we gathered a suite of autonomic response measurements and subjective ratings. We employed multiple linear regression analysis, utilizing autonomic responses and subjective reports as predictors of alpha power. We also subtracted the aperiodic components for better estimation of the power of periodic alpha oscillations. Our results from two separately conducted experiments robustly demonstrated that the combined use of autonomic response measurements and subjective ratings effectively predicted the parietal-occipital periodic alpha power variation across a range of conditions. These predictions were supported by leave-one-participant-out cross-validation and cross-experiment validation, confirming that multiple linear relationships can be generalized to new participants. This study demonstrates the links of alpha power variations with autonomic responses and subjective states, suggesting that during investigations of the cognitive functions of alpha oscillations, it is important to consider the potential influences of autonomic responses and subjective states on alpha oscillations.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Alpha oscillations are associated with various cognitive functions. However, the determinants of alpha power variation remain ambiguous, primarily due to its inconsistent associations with autonomic responses and subjective states under different experimental conditions. To thoroughly examine the correlations between alpha power variation and these factors, we implemented a range of experimental conditions, encompassing attentional and emotional tasks, as well as a resting-state. In addition to the electroencephalogram data, we gathered a suite of autonomic response measurements and subjective ratings. We employed multiple linear regression analysis, utilizing autonomic responses and subjective reports as predictors of alpha power. We also subtracted the aperiodic components for better estimation of the power of periodic alpha oscillations. Our results from two separately conducted experiments robustly demonstrated that the combined use of autonomic response measurements and subjective ratings effectively predicted the parietal-occipital periodic alpha power variation across a range of conditions. These predictions were supported by leave-one-participant-out cross-validation and cross-experiment validation, confirming that multiple linear relationships can be generalized to new participants. This study demonstrates the links of alpha power variations with autonomic responses and subjective states, suggesting that during investigations of the cognitive functions of alpha oscillations, it is important to consider the potential influences of autonomic responses and subjective states on alpha oscillations.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Taishen Zeng; Longxia Lou; Zhifang Liu; Zhijun Zhang<\/p>

Age-related depreciation in predictive processing during Chinese reading: Insights from fixation-related potentials<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Current Psychology, <\/span>vol. 44, <\/span>no. 2004, <\/span>pp. 1\u201311, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Zeng2025a,
\r\ntitle = {Age-related depreciation in predictive processing during Chinese reading: Insights from fixation-related potentials},
\r\nauthor = {Taishen Zeng and Longxia Lou and Zhifang Liu and Zhijun Zhang},
\r\ndoi = {10.1007\/s12144-025-07344-7},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-03-01},
\r\njournal = {Current Psychology},
\r\nvolume = {44},
\r\nnumber = {2004},
\r\npages = {1\u201311},
\r\npublisher = {Springer},
\r\nabstract = {To overcome methodological deficiencies in previous eye-tracking and event-related potentials (ERP) studies, the fixa- tion-related potential (FRP) approach was used to investigate how aging affects predictive processing in silent Chinese free-view reading. Forty older and 42 young adults participated in the experiment. All of them reported good reading abilities and none suffered from physical, mental, or cognitive diseases. The older participants were over 60 years of age (62.670 \u00b1 3.018), and they did not differ from the younger group in the schooling years (11.43 vs. 12.10},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Xizi Gong; Tao He; Qian Wang; Junshi Lu; Fang Fang<\/p>

Time course of orientation ensemble representation in the human brain<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>The Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 7, <\/span>pp. 1\u201313, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Gong2025,
\r\ntitle = {Time course of orientation ensemble representation in the human brain},
\r\nauthor = {Xizi Gong and Tao He and Qian Wang and Junshi Lu and Fang Fang},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.1688-23.2024},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-02-01},
\r\njournal = {The Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {7},
\r\npages = {1\u201313},
\r\npublisher = {Society for Neuroscience},
\r\nabstract = {Natural scenes are filled with groups of similar items. Humans employ ensemble coding to extract the summary statistical information of the environment, thereby enhancing the efficiency of information processing, something particularly useful when observing natural scenes. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the representation ofensemble information in the brain remain elusive. In particular, whether ensemble representation results from the mere summation of individual item representations or it engages other specific processes remains unclear. In this study, we utilized a set of orientation ensembles wherein none ofthe individual item orientations were the same as the ensemble orientation. We recorded magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals from human participants (both sexes) when they performed an ensemble orientation discrimination task. Time-resolved multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) and the inverted encoding model (IEM) were employed to unravel the neural mechanisms of the ensemble orientation representation and track its time course. First, we achieved successful decoding of the ensemble orientation, with a high correlation between the decoding and behavioral accuracies. Second, the IEM analysis demonstrated that the representation of the ensemble orientation differed from the sum of the representations of individual item orientations, suggesting that ensemble coding could fur- ther modulate orientation representation in the brain. Moreover, using source reconstruction, we showed that the representation of ensemble orientation manifested in early visual areas. Taken together, our findings reveal the emergence of the ensemble representation in the human visual cortex and advance the understanding of how the brain captures and represents ensemble information.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Natural scenes are filled with groups of similar items. Humans employ ensemble coding to extract the summary statistical information of the environment, thereby enhancing the efficiency of information processing, something particularly useful when observing natural scenes. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the representation ofensemble information in the brain remain elusive. In particular, whether ensemble representation results from the mere summation of individual item representations or it engages other specific processes remains unclear. In this study, we utilized a set of orientation ensembles wherein none ofthe individual item orientations were the same as the ensemble orientation. We recorded magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals from human participants (both sexes) when they performed an ensemble orientation discrimination task. Time-resolved multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) and the inverted encoding model (IEM) were employed to unravel the neural mechanisms of the ensemble orientation representation and track its time course. First, we achieved successful decoding of the ensemble orientation, with a high correlation between the decoding and behavioral accuracies. Second, the IEM analysis demonstrated that the representation of the ensemble orientation differed from the sum of the representations of individual item orientations, suggesting that ensemble coding could fur- ther modulate orientation representation in the brain. Moreover, using source reconstruction, we showed that the representation of ensemble orientation manifested in early visual areas. Taken together, our findings reveal the emergence of the ensemble representation in the human visual cortex and advance the understanding of how the brain captures and represents ensemble information.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Changrun Huang; Dirk Moorselaar; Joshua Foster; Mieke Donk; Jan Theeuwes<\/p>

Neural mechanisms of learned suppression uncovered by probing the hidden attentional priority map<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>eLife, <\/span>vol. 13, <\/span>pp. 1\u201321, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Huang2025b,
\r\ntitle = {Neural mechanisms of learned suppression uncovered by probing the hidden attentional priority map},
\r\nauthor = {Changrun Huang and Dirk Moorselaar and Joshua Foster and Mieke Donk and Jan Theeuwes},
\r\ndoi = {10.7554\/elife.98304},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-02-01},
\r\njournal = {eLife},
\r\nvolume = {13},
\r\npages = {1\u201321},
\r\npublisher = {eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd},
\r\nabstract = {Attentional capture by an irrelevant salient distractor is attenuated when the distractor appears more frequently in one location, suggesting learned suppression of that location. However, it remains unclear whether suppression is proactive (before attention is directed) or reactive (after attention is allocated). Here, we investigated this using a \u2018pinging' technique to probe the attentional distribution before search onset. In an EEG experiment, participants searched for a shape singleton while ignoring a color singleton distractor at a high-probability location. To reveal the hidden attentional priority map, participants also performed a continuous recall spatial memory task, with a neutral placeholder display presented before search onset. Behaviorally, search was more efficient when the distractor appeared at the high-probability location. Inverted encoding analysis of EEG data showed tuning profiles that decayed during memory maintenance but were revived by the placeholder display. Notably, tuning was most pronounced at the to-be-suppressed location, suggesting initial spatial selection followed by suppression. These findings suggest that learned distractor suppression is a reactive process, providing new insights into learned spatial distractor suppression mechanisms.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Rose Nasrawi; Mika Mautner-Rohde; Freek Ede<\/p>

Memory load influences our preparedness to act on visual representations in working memory without affecting their accessibility<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Progress in Neurobiology, <\/span>vol. 245, <\/span>pp. 1\u201311, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Nasrawi2025,
\r\ntitle = {Memory load influences our preparedness to act on visual representations in working memory without affecting their accessibility},
\r\nauthor = {Rose Nasrawi and Mika Mautner-Rohde and Freek Ede},
\r\ndoi = {10.1016\/j.pneurobio.2025.102717},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-02-01},
\r\njournal = {Progress in Neurobiology},
\r\nvolume = {245},
\r\npages = {1\u201311},
\r\npublisher = {Elsevier Ltd},
\r\nabstract = {It is well established that when we hold more content in working memory, we are slower to act upon part of that content when it becomes relevant for behavior. Here, we asked whether this load-related slowing is due to slower access to the sensory representations held in working memory (as predicted by serial working-memory search), or by a reduced preparedness to act upon those sensory representations once accessed. To address this, we designed a visual-motor working-memory task in which participants memorized the orientation of two or four colored bars, of which one was cued for reproduction. We independently tracked EEG markers associated with the selection of visual (cued item location) and motor (relevant manual action) information from the EEG time-frequency signal, and compared their latencies as a function of memory load. We confirm slower memory-guided behavior with higher working-memory load and show that this is associated with delayed motor selection. In contrast, we find no evidence for a concomitant delay in the latency of visual selection. Moreover, we show that variability in decision times within each memory-load condition is associated with corresponding changes in the latency of motor, but not visual selection. These results reveal how memory load affects our preparedness to act on sensory representations in working memory, while leaving sensory access itself unaffected. This posits action readiness as a key factor that shapes the speed of memory-guided behavior and that underlies delayed responding with higher working-memory load.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
It is well established that when we hold more content in working memory, we are slower to act upon part of that content when it becomes relevant for behavior. Here, we asked whether this load-related slowing is due to slower access to the sensory representations held in working memory (as predicted by serial working-memory search), or by a reduced preparedness to act upon those sensory representations once accessed. To address this, we designed a visual-motor working-memory task in which participants memorized the orientation of two or four colored bars, of which one was cued for reproduction. We independently tracked EEG markers associated with the selection of visual (cued item location) and motor (relevant manual action) information from the EEG time-frequency signal, and compared their latencies as a function of memory load. We confirm slower memory-guided behavior with higher working-memory load and show that this is associated with delayed motor selection. In contrast, we find no evidence for a concomitant delay in the latency of visual selection. Moreover, we show that variability in decision times within each memory-load condition is associated with corresponding changes in the latency of motor, but not visual selection. These results reveal how memory load affects our preparedness to act on sensory representations in working memory, while leaving sensory access itself unaffected. This posits action readiness as a key factor that shapes the speed of memory-guided behavior and that underlies delayed responding with higher working-memory load.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Rossella Breveglieri; Riccardo Brandolani; Stefano Diomedi; Markus Lappe; Claudio Galletti; Patrizia Fattori<\/p>

Role of the medial posterior parietal cortex in orchestrating attention and reaching<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>The Journal of Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 45, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 1\u201311, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Breveglieri2025,
\r\ntitle = {Role of the medial posterior parietal cortex in orchestrating attention and reaching},
\r\nauthor = {Rossella Breveglieri and Riccardo Brandolani and Stefano Diomedi and Markus Lappe and Claudio Galletti and Patrizia Fattori},
\r\ndoi = {10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.0659-24.2024},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-01-01},
\r\njournal = {The Journal of Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {45},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {1\u201311},
\r\nabstract = {The interplay between attention, alertness, and motor planning is crucial for our manual interactions. To investigate the neural bases of this interaction and challenge the views that attention cannot be disentangled from motor planning, we instructed human volunteers of both sexes to plan and execute reaching movements while attending to the target, while attending elsewhere, or without constraining attention. We recorded reaction times to reach initiation and pupil diameter and interfered with the functions of the medial posterior parietal cortex (mPPC) with online repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to test the causal role of this cortical region in the interplay between spatial attention and reaching. We found that mPPC plays a key role in the spatial association of reach planning and covert attention. Moreover, we have found that alertness, measured by pupil size, is a good predictor of the promptness of reach initiation only if we plan a reach to attended targets, and mPPC is causally involved in this coupling. Different from previous understanding, we suggest that mPPC is neither involved in reach planning per se, nor in sustained covert attention in the absence of a reach plan, but it is specifically involved in attention functional to reaching.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Ayelet Arazi; Alessandro Toso; Tineke Grent-\u2018t-Jong; Peter J. Uhlhaas; Tobias H. Donner<\/p>

Large-scale maps of altered cortical dynamics in early-stage psychosis are related to GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Science Advances, <\/span>vol. 11, <\/span>no. 33, <\/span>pp. 1\u201319, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Arazi2025,
\r\ntitle = {Large-scale maps of altered cortical dynamics in early-stage psychosis are related to GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission},
\r\nauthor = {Ayelet Arazi and Alessandro Toso and Tineke Grent-\u2018t-Jong and Peter J. Uhlhaas and Tobias H. Donner},
\r\ndoi = {10.1126\/sciadv.ads0400},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-01-01},
\r\njournal = {Science Advances},
\r\nvolume = {11},
\r\nnumber = {33},
\r\npages = {1\u201319},
\r\nabstract = {Psychotic disorders affect GABAergic inhibition and glutamatergic excitation via NMDA receptors across the cerebral cortex. The mechanisms by which these distributed synaptic alterations produce the heterogenous symptoms of psychosis remain poorly understood. Using magnetoencephalographical source imaging, we mapped psychosis-related alterations of various features of intrinsic neural population dynamics across the human cortex. The cortex-wide patterns of these features were highly reproducible and related to the anatomical hierarchy of cortical areas. We found similar changes in these patterns for individuals with a first episode of psychosis and those at clinical high risk for psychosis. Maps of psychosis-induced changes in dynamics resembled the maps of GABA-A receptor densities and of pharmacological GABA-A or NMDA manipulation effects on cortical dynamics in healthy participants. The level of pattern similarity to GABA-A manipulation effects in individual patients correlated with positive symptoms, while the pattern similarity to NMDA effects correlated with negative symptoms. Our results open up a window on the distributed mechanisms of psychotic symptoms.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Cemre Baykan; Alexander C. Sch\u00fctz<\/p>

Electroencephalographic responses to the number of objects in partially occluded and uncovered scenes<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Journal of Cognitive neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 37, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 227\u2013238, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Baykan2025,
\r\ntitle = {Electroencephalographic responses to the number of objects in partially occluded and uncovered scenes},
\r\nauthor = {Cemre Baykan and Alexander C. Sch\u00fctz},
\r\ndoi = {10.1162\/jocn_a_02264},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-01-01},
\r\njournal = {Journal of Cognitive neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {37},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {227\u2013238},
\r\nabstract = {Perceptual completion is ubiquitous when estimating properties such as the shape, size, or number of objects in partially occluded scenes. Behavioral experiments showed that the number of hidden objects is underestimated in partially occluded scenes compared with an estimation based on the density of visible objects and the amount of occlusion. It is still unknown at which processing level this (under)estimation of the number of hidden objects occurs. We studied this question using a passive viewing task in which observers viewed a game board that was initially partially occluded and later was uncovered to reveal its hidden parts. We simultaneously measured the electroencephalographic responses to the partially occluded board presentation and its uncovering. We hypothesized that if the underestimation is a result of early sensory processing, it would be observed in the activities of P1 and N1, whereas if it is because of higher level processes such as expectancy, it would be reflected in P3 activities. Our data showed that P1 amplitude increased with numerosity in both occluded and uncovered states, indicating a link between P1 and simple stimulus features. The N1 amplitude was highest when both the initially visible and uncovered areas of the board were completely filled with game pieces, suggesting that the N1 component is sensitive to the overall Gestalt. Finally, we observed that P3 activity was reduced when the density of game pieces in the uncovered parts matched the initially visible parts, implying a relationship between the P3 component and expectation mismatch. Overall, our results suggest that inferences about the number of hidden items are reflected in high-level processing.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Perceptual completion is ubiquitous when estimating properties such as the shape, size, or number of objects in partially occluded scenes. Behavioral experiments showed that the number of hidden objects is underestimated in partially occluded scenes compared with an estimation based on the density of visible objects and the amount of occlusion. It is still unknown at which processing level this (under)estimation of the number of hidden objects occurs. We studied this question using a passive viewing task in which observers viewed a game board that was initially partially occluded and later was uncovered to reveal its hidden parts. We simultaneously measured the electroencephalographic responses to the partially occluded board presentation and its uncovering. We hypothesized that if the underestimation is a result of early sensory processing, it would be observed in the activities of P1 and N1, whereas if it is because of higher level processes such as expectancy, it would be reflected in P3 activities. Our data showed that P1 amplitude increased with numerosity in both occluded and uncovered states, indicating a link between P1 and simple stimulus features. The N1 amplitude was highest when both the initially visible and uncovered areas of the board were completely filled with game pieces, suggesting that the N1 component is sensitive to the overall Gestalt. Finally, we observed that P3 activity was reduced when the density of game pieces in the uncovered parts matched the initially visible parts, implying a relationship between the P3 component and expectation mismatch. Overall, our results suggest that inferences about the number of hidden items are reflected in high-level processing.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Merit Bruckmaier; Artyom Zinchenko; Hermann J. M\u00fcller; Thomas Geyer<\/p>

Increasing signal, reducing noise: Contrasting neural mechanisms of attention in visual search<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, <\/span>vol. 38, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 89\u201399, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Bruckmaier2025,
\r\ntitle = {Increasing signal, reducing noise: Contrasting neural mechanisms of attention in visual search},
\r\nauthor = {Merit Bruckmaier and Artyom Zinchenko and Hermann J. M\u00fcller and Thomas Geyer},
\r\ndoi = {10.1162\/jocn.a.92},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-01-01},
\r\njournal = {Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience},
\r\nvolume = {38},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {89\u201399},
\r\npublisher = {MIT Press},
\r\nabstract = {When invariant target\u2013distractor arrays are presented repeatedly during visual search, participants respond faster on repeated versus novel configuration trials. This effect reflects attentional guidance through long-term memory (LTM) templates\u2014a phenomenon termed contextual cueing. Subsequently, relocating the target within the same distractor layout abolishes any contextual cueing effects, and relearning the new target position is much harder than the initial learning\u2014likely due to consistent attentional misguidance toward the initial (learnt) target position. Here, we studied how the different processes involved in contextual cueing and relearning affect the variability of neural responses in human participants as measured with EEG. Attention has previously been shown to reduce trial-by-trial variability in EEG [Arazi, A., Yeshurun, Y., & Dinstein, I. Neural variability is quenched by attention. Journal of Neuroscience, 39, 5975\u20135985, 2019], indicating that, in addition to increasing the neural response to an attended stimulus, attention may reduce the noise within the neural response itself. While repeated versus novel contexts did not modulate the trial-by-trial variability during initial learning, significant lateralized variability reductions were observed for repeated but not novel context trials in the relocations phase. This contrasts with how contextual cueing affected lateralized ERPs in past research. Zinchenko and colleagues [Zinchenko, A., Conci, M., T\u00f6llner, T., M\u00fcller, H. J., & Geyer, T. Automatic guidance (and misguidance) of visuospatial attention by acquired scene memory: Evidence from an N1pc polarity reversal. Psychological Science, 31, 1531\u20131543, 2020] found that lateralized ERPs signal correct and incorrect (i.e., misguided) attentional selection of target positions learned earlier. This phenomenon was observed during both the learning and relocation phases. Thus, variability and lateralized ERPs may represent different facets of attention, where variability becomes evident specifically under high attentional demand conditions, such as when participants must override the misguidance caused by LTM templates.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
When invariant target\u2013distractor arrays are presented repeatedly during visual search, participants respond faster on repeated versus novel configuration trials. This effect reflects attentional guidance through long-term memory (LTM) templates\u2014a phenomenon termed contextual cueing. Subsequently, relocating the target within the same distractor layout abolishes any contextual cueing effects, and relearning the new target position is much harder than the initial learning\u2014likely due to consistent attentional misguidance toward the initial (learnt) target position. Here, we studied how the different processes involved in contextual cueing and relearning affect the variability of neural responses in human participants as measured with EEG. Attention has previously been shown to reduce trial-by-trial variability in EEG [Arazi, A., Yeshurun, Y., & Dinstein, I. Neural variability is quenched by attention. Journal of Neuroscience, 39, 5975\u20135985, 2019], indicating that, in addition to increasing the neural response to an attended stimulus, attention may reduce the noise within the neural response itself. While repeated versus novel contexts did not modulate the trial-by-trial variability during initial learning, significant lateralized variability reductions were observed for repeated but not novel context trials in the relocations phase. This contrasts with how contextual cueing affected lateralized ERPs in past research. Zinchenko and colleagues [Zinchenko, A., Conci, M., T\u00f6llner, T., M\u00fcller, H. J., & Geyer, T. Automatic guidance (and misguidance) of visuospatial attention by acquired scene memory: Evidence from an N1pc polarity reversal. Psychological Science, 31, 1531\u20131543, 2020] found that lateralized ERPs signal correct and incorrect (i.e., misguided) attentional selection of target positions learned earlier. This phenomenon was observed during both the learning and relocation phases. Thus, variability and lateralized ERPs may represent different facets of attention, where variability becomes evident specifically under high attentional demand conditions, such as when participants must override the misguidance caused by LTM templates.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>

Yi-Hsuan Chang; Chia-Shiang Lin; Cesar Barquero; Chin-An Wang<\/p>

Emotional conflict affects microsaccade dynamics in the emotional face\u2013word Stroop task<\/a> Journal Article<\/span> <\/p>

In: <\/span>Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, <\/span>vol. 1547, <\/span>no. 1, <\/span>pp. 204\u2013219, <\/span>2025<\/span>.<\/p>

Abstract<\/a><\/span> | Links<\/a><\/span> | BibTeX<\/a><\/span><\/p>

@article{Chang2025f,
\r\ntitle = {Emotional conflict affects microsaccade dynamics in the emotional face\u2013word Stroop task},
\r\nauthor = {Yi-Hsuan Chang and Chia-Shiang Lin and Cesar Barquero and Chin-An Wang},
\r\ndoi = {10.1111\/nyas.15342},
\r\nyear  = {2025},
\r\ndate = {2025-01-01},
\r\njournal = {Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences},
\r\nvolume = {1547},
\r\nnumber = {1},
\r\npages = {204\u2013219},
\r\nabstract = {Achieving optimal performance requires effectively resolving emotional conflict arising from the interference of task-irrelevant, emotionally salient stimuli. While microsaccade behavior has been linked to various cognitive and emotional processes, whether emotional conflict affects microsaccade responses remains to be determined. Additionally, pupil dilation is known to be modulated by emotional conflict signals, and both microsaccades and pupil dilation are arguably mediated by the superior colliculus (SC). However, the relationship between microsaccades and pupil dilation remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of emotional conflict on microsaccade rates and metrics by presenting an emotional face\u2013word stimulus in the face\u2013word Stroop task. Larger microsaccade amplitudes (or higher peak velocities) were observed in the incongruent condition compared to the congruent condition, while microsaccade rates were similar between the two conditions. Additionally, microsaccade amplitudes were larger in incongruent trials following congruent trials than in those following incongruent trials. Furthermore, interindividual correlations between differences in microsaccade responses and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores were observed. Finally, trials with lower microsaccade rates were associated with larger pupil dilation. These results demonstrate the modulation of microsaccade metrics by emotional conflict, implicating the SC in integrating signals from the locus coeruleus network to coordinate these responses.},
\r\nkeywords = {},
\r\npubstate = {published},
\r\ntppubtype = {article}
\r\n}
\r\n<\/pre><\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>
Achieving optimal performance requires effectively resolving emotional conflict arising from the interference of task-irrelevant, emotionally salient stimuli. While microsaccade behavior has been linked to various cognitive and emotional processes, whether emotional conflict affects microsaccade responses remains to be determined. Additionally, pupil dilation is known to be modulated by emotional conflict signals, and both microsaccades and pupil dilation are arguably mediated by the superior colliculus (SC). However, the relationship between microsaccades and pupil dilation remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of emotional conflict on microsaccade rates and metrics by presenting an emotional face\u2013word stimulus in the face\u2013word Stroop task. Larger microsaccade amplitudes (or higher peak velocities) were observed in the incongruent condition compared to the congruent condition, while microsaccade rates were similar between the two conditions. Additionally, microsaccade amplitudes were larger in incongruent trials following congruent trials than in those following incongruent trials. Furthermore, interindividual correlations between differences in microsaccade responses and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores were observed. Finally, trials with lower microsaccade rates were associated with larger pupil dilation. These results demonstrate the modulation of microsaccade metrics by emotional conflict, implicating the SC in integrating signals from the locus coeruleus network to coordinate these responses.<\/div>
Close<\/a><\/p><\/div>