Neural Correlates of Cognitive Workload and Learning: Portable Brain Monitoring During Skill Acquisition and Real-World Task Performance
A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neural Engineering, Neuroergonomics and Neurorobotics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 March 2026 | Viewed by 4
Special Issue Editors
Interests: signal analysis; biomedical signal processing; brain imaging; cognitive neuroscience; biomedical engineering; event-related potentials; neurostimulation and hyperscanning
Interests: neuroscience; neuroergonomics; functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS); electroencephalography (EEG); cognitive training; cognitive rehabilitation; pilots; traumatic brain injuries; executive function
Interests: neuroergonomics; functional neuroimaging; biomedical signal processing; neu-roengineering; functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS); electroencephalog-raphy (EEG); brain–computer interfaces (BCIs); mobile brain/body imaging (Mo-BI); cognitive workload; working memory; attention
Interests: neuroergonomics; pediatric neuroimaging; functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electroencephalogram (EEG) signal processing; brain stimulation; cognitive neuroscience; educational neuroscience; social neuroscience
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The emergence of portable neuroimaging technologies has revolutionized our ability to study cognitive function and skill acquisition in naturalistic environments, including in high-fidelity simulators, or even in actual field conditions. This Special Issue explores how wearable brain monitoring systems, such as EEG and fNIRS systems, capture neural correlates during real-world task performance, under cognitive task loads, or during skill development across diverse domains.
From surgical training to e-sports performance, and from flight simulation to motor rehabilitation, portable neuroimaging offers unprecedented insights into the neural substrates of expertise. Rather than being constrained to laboratory-based paradigms, we can now track cortical hemodynamic changes during actual laparoscopic procedures, measure attentional networks during competitive gaming sessions, or monitor motor cortex reorganization during sports training.
This Special Issue welcomes empirical studies that leverage portable neuroimaging to investigate skill acquisition in ecologically valid settings. We particularly encourage submissions that demonstrate practical training applications, validate assessment protocols, or develop open-source tools for the research community.
Key Topics
- Short-term neural adaptations during intensive training periods (days to weeks).
- Validation studies comparing expert vs. novice neural signatures.
- Closed-loop training systems using real-time neural feedback.
- Motor skill acquisition in surgery, sports, and rehabilitation.
- Cognitive skill development in gaming, piloting, and specialized operations.
- Open datasets and standardized protocols for skill acquisition research.
- Multimodal integration approaches (brain + behavior + physiology).
Dr. Adrian Curtin
Dr. Sebastien Scannella
Prof. Dr. Hasan Ayaz
Guest Editors
Dr. Candida Barreto
Guest Editor Assistant
Manuscript Submission Information
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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
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Keywords
- portable neuroimaging
- wearable brain sensing
- skill acquisition
- expertise development
- motor learning
- cognitive workload
- fNIRS/EEG applications
- neural efficiency
- closed-loop training
- neurostimulation (tDCS/rTMS/FUS)
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