Search Results (343)

Background: Future-oriented cognition involves several neurocognitive processes putatively supported by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and beta-band oscillations. This study aimed to corroborate the role of beta oscillations in the DLPFC during three future cognition tasks: mental time travel (MTT), delay discounting (DD), and time-based prospective memory (PM). Methods: Thirty-three participants (22–29 years) completed the three tasks under two conditions—active and sham stimulation—administered in a counterbalanced within-subjects design, one week apart. Beta-frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS; 22 Hz, 1.5 mA) was applied bilaterally over the DLPFC (F3–F4). Results: Beta-tACS was associated with dissociable effects across domains. In MTT, stimulation selectively improved accuracy for ordinality judgements anchored to past and present reference points (2014, 2024), without affecting future projections (2034) or reaction times. In DD, beta-tACS did not modify the steepness of temporal discounting in a statistically significant way. In PM, stimulation enhanced both dichotomous accuracy and continuous temporal precision, with no changes in clock-checking behavior. Conclusions: These findings provide preliminary evidence that suggests a possible role of DLPFC beta oscillations in supporting the maintenance and utilization of more concrete temporal representations across distinct temporal domains, resulting in anchoring in more available representations (MTT) and focus on temporal information (PM), challenging unitary accounts of prefrontal beta function and highlighting task-dependent neuromodulation effects within the future temporal domain. Full article

Background/Objectives: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease increasingly recognized for extra-motor manifestations, including cognitive dysfunction involving frontal cortical systems. Conventional clinical assessments are primarily behavioral and may not capture subtle alterations in the neural systems that support cognitive performance. This pilot study examined whether wearable functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) could detect task-evoked prefrontal hemodynamic differences during the King-Devick Task (KDT), a rapid oculomotor number-naming task that engages visual scanning, attention, processing speed, and verbal response production. Methods: Sixteen participants, including seven individuals with ALS and nine age-matched healthy controls (HC), completed four progressively difficult KDT conditions while prefrontal cortical activity was recorded. Results: As task difficulty increased, response times became slower across participants, while accuracy remained preserved and behavioral performance did not differ significantly between groups. Prefrontal oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) responses increased with task difficulty across all prefrontal optodes, supporting task-evoked cortical engagement. In contrast, deoxygenated hemoglobin (HbR) responses showed a group-specific pattern in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: individuals with ALS demonstrated progressively increasing HbR responses across difficulty conditions, whereas HC showed relatively stable responses, with group differences emerging at higher difficulty levels. Conclusions: These findings suggest a dissociation between preserved behavioral performance and altered prefrontal hemodynamic regulation in ALS. The observed HbR pattern may reflect differences in cortical recruitment, neurovascular coupling, oxygen extraction, vascular responsiveness, or the efficiency of cortical resource allocation during increasing cognitive-motor demands. Wearable fNIRS may therefore complement behavioral assessments by revealing task-evoked neural alterations that are not evident from performance measures alone. Full article

Background: Long COVID has emerged as a global health challenge characterized by persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms, including depression, fatigue, and cognitive impairment. Growing evidence indicates that sustained neuroinflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and fronto-limbic network disruption may underlie these symptoms, representing pathophysiological features distinct from major depressive disorder (MDD). Although repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an established treatment for MDD, its therapeutic efficacy in Long COVID-associated depression remains uncertain. Methods: Long COVID was defined as laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection followed by persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms lasting ≥3 months, including cognitive impairment (“brain fog”), fatigue, and new-onset depressive symptoms. We conducted a retrospective registry-based cohort study using real-world clinical data from two TMS clinics in Tokyo (May 2022–April 2026). Forty-four medication-free patients with Long COVID-associated MDD were compared with eighty-eight propensity score–matched patients with primary MDD (1:2 nearest-neighbor matching based on age, sex, and baseline Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)). All participants received left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS). Treatment outcomes were evaluated using MADRS and 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D₁₇) improvement rates, HAM-D₁₇ response, and remission. Statistically adjusted analyses (inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and doubly robust estimation) were used to reduce measured confounding; however, residual unmeasured confounding cannot be excluded due to the retrospective observational design. Results: Long COVID patients showed significantly attenuated antidepressant response. Improvement rates were markedly lower for MADRS (38.4% vs. 61.5%) and HAM-D₁₇ (36.7% vs. 58.4%). IPTW and doubly robust models demonstrated large adjusted percentage-point differences (MADRS: −23.0 percentage points; HAM-D₁₇: −21.8 percentage points; both p < 0.001). While HAM-D₁₇ response did not differ significantly, remission rates were substantially reduced (27.3% vs. 61.4%). Conclusions: These findings indicate an adjusted association suggesting reduced rTMS responsiveness in Long COVID-associated depression. Given the retrospective observational design and the possibility of residual unmeasured confounding, the results should be interpreted as associations rather than evidence of a causal effect. Full article

Foreign language reading comprehension is a critical indicator of university students’ academic cognitive ability and global competence, yet effectively assessing their latent learning potential remains a major challenge. Therefore, from a neurocognitive perspective, this study combined functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) with dynamic assessment (DA) to investigate the activation characteristics of the left frontal and temporal regions in non-English majors during reading tasks across two difficulty levels (CET-4/CET-6) and two assessment conditions (static/dynamic testing). The results showed that reading tasks activated the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and middle temporal gyrus. Compared with CET-4, the more difficult CET-6 task showed a broader descriptive cortical activation pattern. Notably, mediated prompts were associated with different behavioral and activation-frequency patterns across task difficulty levels: in the CET-4 task, dynamic assessment showed higher normalized activation-frequency values than static assessment in areas corresponding to the middle and inferior frontal gyrus, accompanied by rising prompt scores; however, the CET-6 task exhibited the opposite pattern. These findings suggest that mediated prompts may be more effective in stimulating learning potential when task difficulty aligns with the learner’s zone of proximal development. Overall, by considering behavioral dynamic-assessment indicators in foreign-language reading together with fNIRS-based cortical activation patterns, this exploratory study offers preliminary insights into learning potential, personalized instructional interventions, and academic cognitive assessment. Full article

Gamma-band oscillations centered around 40 Hz play an important role in cortical communication, and their disruption has been documented as a neurophysiological feature of several neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. This narrative review synthesizes preclinical and early-phase clinical evidence for 40 Hz non-invasive brain stimulation across five delivery modalities: (1) auditory stimulation, which leverages the 40 Hz auditory steady-state response (ASSR) to probe parvalbumin-positive (PV⁺) interneuron circuits and serves as a validated neurophysiological biomarker in schizophrenia; (2) visual stimulation, using luminance or invisible spectral flicker to induce steady-state visually evoked potentials (SSVEPs) and, in animal models, to activate microglial phagocytosis; (3) transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), which delivers sinusoidal sub-threshold membrane polarization at gamma frequency, with preliminary case-series evidence suggesting tau burden reduction and EEG-based biomarker changes in Alzheimer’s disease; (4) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), offering focal cortical entrainment that, when combined with tACS in phase-synchronized protocols, produces sustained gamma enhancement in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; and (5) multisensory combined stimulation, which engages multiple convergent pathways and currently represents the approach with the most promising early translational signal, including cognitive stabilization and hippocampal volume preservation in small AD trials. While single-session entrainment does not reliably yield cognitive gains, multi-week applications have shown neurophysiological and preliminary biomarker-level changes in selected populations. It should be emphasized, however, that the human evidence base remains early-phase and largely derived from small, often uncontrolled studies; 40 Hz stimulation should accordingly be regarded as a biologically plausible and well-tolerated investigational approach rather than an established therapeutic intervention. Adequately powered, randomized, sham-controlled trials are required before clinical conclusions can be drawn. Full article

Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been linked to oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired neuronal plasticity, but the reproducibility of related transcriptomic alterations across postmortem brain cohorts remains uncertain. We performed a targeted cross-platform analysis of a prespecified 14-gene panel spanning antioxidant defense, mitochondrial-redox regulation, cellular stress responses, neurotrophic signaling, synaptic plasticity, and polyamine metabolism across seven postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex cohorts comprising 146 MDD cases and 179 controls. Primary support required Fisher-combined evidence, Benjamini–Hochberg correction across the panel, and concordant MDD-minus-control direction across all available cohorts. NPTX2, EGR1, VGF, BDNF, and SAT1 met these criteria, with lower expression in MDD. The same five-gene pattern was supported by weighted signed Stouffer analysis, one-stage generalized least-squares models, random-effects meta-analysis, and 200,000 disease-label permutations; none produced at least five genes meeting the complete primary-support criterion (empirical p = 5.0 × 10⁻⁶). The most robust cross-cohort finding was a convergent lower-expression pattern across genes supporting redox-linked stress adaptation, polyamine homeostasis, neurotrophic signaling, activity-dependent transcription, and synaptic plasticity. This pattern suggests impaired molecular capacity for neuronal stress resilience and adaptive plasticity in MDD. Full article

To investigate the influence of decision-making styles on college students’ sports and health consumption preferences and the underlying cognitive neural mechanisms, this study recruited 39 college students as participants, adopted a one-factor within-subjects design, and combined behavioral experiments with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). It examined consumption preferences and brain activation characteristics in maximizers and satisficers under three conditions: no promotion, discount promotion, and public welfare promotion. In behavioral terms, college students demonstrated the highest inclination towards public welfare promotions, with discounts being the second most favored, while the no-promotion condition received the lowest preference. Maximizers preferred discount promotion, while satisficers prioritized public welfare promotion. In neural terms, public welfare promotion widely activated the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, whereas discount promotion only activated a local region of this cortex. Maximizers showed the strongest activation in the corresponding region under discount promotion, and satisficers exhibited more significant activation in the corresponding region under public welfare promotion. Decision-making styles shaped consumption preferences through depth of information processing and brain activation patterns: maximizers focused on rational calculation and benefit maximization, while satisficers relied on intuitive experience and value perception. These findings provide behavioral and neuroscientific evidence for precision marketing in the sport and health consumption market and the implementation of the national fitness program. Full article

Background/Objectives: Assessing inhibitory function and error detection is crucial for the early detection of age-related cognitive decline. This study aimed to investigate the neural network dynamics underlying these functions in younger and older adults to better understand age-related changes in cognitive control. Methods: We recorded electroencephalograms (EEGs) during an inhibitory control task in 17 older and 15 younger healthy adults. Behavioral performance was assessed, and directional functional connectivity was analyzed using Low-Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (LORETA), isolated effective coherence (iCoh), and Full Vector Field analysis across the theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands. Results: Older adults showed significantly fewer correct responses than younger adults. During incorrect responses, older adults exhibited strong beta-band directionality from the ventral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to the left frontal polar cortex (FPC), alongside strong intra-ACC connectivity. During correct responses, they demonstrated alpha- and beta-band directionality from the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) to the right FPC. Conversely, compared with older adults, younger adults demonstrated significantly stronger mutual directionality within the ACC and widespread robust connectivity among the ACC, bilateral DLPFC, and FPC during correct responses. Conclusions: Efficient inhibitory control in older adults appears to rely on higher-order error-monitoring and error detection networks. The altered network dynamics in older adults suggest an age-related decline in immediate cognitive control. Evaluating these neural networks via EEGs provides a potential non-invasive biomarker for early cognitive decline and highlights higher-order executive control as a promising target for preventive interventions. Full article

Introduction: Transcranial photobiomodulation (t-PBM) is a non-invasive metabolic neuromodulation technique intended to enhance cerebral bioenergetics by stimulating mitochondrial activity. To characterize both baseline metabolic vulnerability and real-time metabolic engagement during stimulation, this preliminary study integrated phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (³¹P-MRS) with resting-state fMRI. Methods: Eleven individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early Alzheimer’s disease underwent ³¹P-MRS to quantify baseline cerebral metabolism (PCr/Pi, pH), followed by MRI sessions during which t-PBM was applied over bilateral frontal sites. Fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), a resting-state index strongly associated with cerebral glucose metabolism, was used as a real-time proxy of metabolic change during stimulation. Results: Linear regression analyses indicated that lower baseline PCr/Pi and lower pH, markers of impaired oxidative metabolism, predicted greater increases in fALFF during t-PBM, most prominently in the right frontal pole (FP2) and, to a lesser extent, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (F4). While greater dementia severity also predicted larger fALFF responses in select regions, our findings suggest that t-PBM can boost metabolism in some brain regions where it is compromised, but that this may be independent of cognitive function in early AD/MCI. These findings suggest that t-PBM may preferentially engage brain regions with reduced metabolic capacity to exhibit stronger acute responses. Discussion: Overall, these hypothesis-generating results support the combined use of ³¹P-MRS and fALFF as complementary biomarkers to quantify baseline metabolic status and real-time target engagement. A single session of t-PBM produced neural activity changes consistent with partial metabolic normalization in vulnerable cortical regions. As these results are preliminary, ongoing longitudinal work with a larger cohort will determine whether baseline metabolic profiles and acute fALFF responses predict clinical outcomes after repeated t-PBM treatment. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cognitive flexibility and working memory are regulated by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), which is closely linked to the progression of cognitive decline. The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for the Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet shows potential to lower cognitive decline risk in older adults. This study aimed to examine the association between Malaysian-MIND diet (MY-MINDD©) scores with brain activation among Malaysian older adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among forty older adults aged 60–75 years. Subjects were stratified into quartiles of MY-MINDD© scores with ten subjects per quartile. Dietary intake was evaluated utilising a validated 124-item semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Brain activation was measured using task-based fMRI (N-back and Stroop Colour Word Test). DLPFC activation was analysed in Brodmann’s areas 9, 46, and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). ANCOVA and multiple linear regression were used to evaluate brain activation differences across MY-MINDD© quartiles, accommodating for gender, age, education, and body mass index (BMI). Results: Subjects in the highest MY-MINDD© quartile had significantly greater DLPFC activation during 0-back, 1-back, and SCWT incongruent tasks (p < 0.05). Higher MY-MINDD© adherence is linked to better task performance (p < 0.001). Multivariate General Linear Model (GLM) revealed a significant overall effect on brain activation (Pillai’s Trace = 0.544, F(8,27) = 4.11, p = 0.003). Multiple linear regression demonstrated significant positive associations between MY-MINDD© scores and DLPFC activation (p < 0.0125). Conclusions: Higher adherence to the MY-MINDD© diet was associated with greater brain activation, suggesting its relevance as a proxy for identifying risk of cognitive decline. Full article

Background/Objectives: Post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) is a common complication following cerebrovascular events, and many affected patients also present with pre-existing dementia or post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). PSD primarily affects the oropharyngeal phase of swallowing, whereas cognitive impairment often compromises the oral phase. This overlap complicates diagnosis and highlights the importance of accurate assessment to guide appropriate treatment strategies. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a promising therapeutic intervention for both cognitive impairment and dysphagia. Methods: In this study, we report a case of a patient with pre-existing dementia who experienced an ischemic stroke, resulting in PSD and PSCI. Videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) revealed oral-phase-predominant dysphagia. rTMS targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was administered with the aim of enhancing cognitive function. Results: Following two cycles of rTMS in combination with ongoing swallowing therapy, the patient demonstrated notable improvement in both cognitive and swallowing function. Conclusions: Although limited by a single-case design and the possibility of spontaneous recovery, this case demonstrates that rTMS targeting the DLPFC combined with swallowing therapy may be a potential intervention for managing concurrent post-stroke dysphagia and cognitive impairment. Full article

Background/Objectives: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has emerged as a non-invasive, implant-compatible imaging modality capable of capturing cortical hemodynamics during ecologically valid auditory and linguistic tasks. Its silent operation and tolerance to electrical artifacts make it particularly well suited to the study of hearing-impaired individuals, including cochlear implant (CI) users. However, evidence on the application of fNIRS to investigate speech perception, cognitive performance, and proxy of cortical activation patterns in patients with hearing loss (HL) remains fragmented. This systematic review aims to provide a structured, population-stratified description of current fNIRS literature on auditory and cognitive processing in adults with age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and CI users. Methods: A systematic search on PubMed Central, Web of Science and Scopus, based on PRISMA (2020) guidelines, was conducted to identify original studies that evaluate speech perception by means of fNIRS to assess auditory and cognitive process in hearing-impaired populations. Results: Across studies, fNIRS consistently detected activation of superior temporal and frontal cortices during speech-related tasks. In ARHL, increased dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) recruitment during speech-in-noise indicated compensatory yet inefficient processing. Longitudinal auditory training led to reduced prefrontal overactivation and enhanced temporal–frontal connectivity. In CI users, cortical responses to phonological and comprehension tasks show partially overlapping activation patterns with normal hearing (NH) peers, although arising within different neurobiological contexts, and are modulated by device experience and residual hearing (AV) speech, and stimulus-level effects further shape cortical responses. When interpreted in light of developmental evidence, these findings may be contextualized as reflecting distinct trajectories of cortical reorganization, rather than a common mechanism. Conclusions: fNIRS provides a tool to investigate auditory and cognitive responses in distinct hearing-impaired populations under ecologically valid conditions. It detects maladaptive frontal inefficiency in ARHL, tracks neuroplastic changes after rehabilitation, and captures population-specific cortical recruitment patterns in CI users. These findings are descriptive and context-dependent, and do not support cross-population mechanistic generalizations. Standardized protocols and longitudinal pediatric studies are needed to clarify the potential clinical relevance of fNIRS-derived cortical measures. Full article

Background/Objectives: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with working memory deficits linked to frontoparietal alterations. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) is a potential intervention to modulate neuroplasticity and improve this executive function. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques (tDCS/rTMS) for strengthening working memory in children and adolescents with ADHD. Methods: This systematic review adhered to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, with a search of Scopus and Web of Science conducted to identify relevant studies published between 2011 and 2026. Eligibility criteria, defined a priori, included original empirical studies (RCTs and quasi-experimental designs) focusing on pediatric populations (≤18 years) diagnosed with ADHD. Eligible interventions involved tDCS or rTMS with explicit working memory outcomes. Only peer-reviewed articles published in English or Spanish were included. Reviews, case reports, and studies exclusive to adults were excluded. Data on application parameters, durability, and safety were extracted for narrative synthesis. Results: Six studies met the criteria. Both tDCS and rTMS targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex showed improvements in working memory, particularly in executive components measured using digit span backward and N-back tasks. High-frequency rTMS (10 Hz) with repeated sessions showed more consistent effects, while tDCS showed modest and variable improvements. Evidence regarding long-term effects was limited. Both techniques were well-tolerated, with mild and transient adverse events. Conclusions: NIBS shows promise as a complementary intervention to improve working memory in pediatric ADHD; however, current evidence is limited. Larger, standardized, longitudinal trials are required to confirm its efficacy and clinical utility. Full article

Background/Objectives: Test anxiety can impair working memory, attention, and executive function, raising questions about what might increase cognitive readiness prior to testing. Methods: This study examined how brief meditation, social media use, and calming or upbeat music influence neural activity and performance on a second-language exam using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Results: Forty-five advanced German students completed two matched exams—one preceded by a randomly assigned three-minute activity and one taken without a pre-test activity. fNIRS measured cortical activity in the prefrontal cortex, Broca’s area, and Wernicke’s area during both the pre-test activity and the exam. Behaviorally, meditation significantly improved exam scores compared to control (p < 0.02), social media use significantly reduced scores (p < 0.002), calming music showed no effect (p = 0.06), and upbeat music had no effect (p = 0.27). Neural analyses revealed that social media increased activation in socially oriented prefrontal regions, including the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), while reducing activation in right Broca’s area, corresponding with lower performance. Due to technical issues, fNIRS data during the meditation condition were excluded from neural analyses. Conclusions: These findings indicate that short pre-exam interventions can influence neural engagement and academic performance, highlighting the potential benefits of meditation and the possible negative impact of social media immediately before testing. Full article

Background: Migraine is a highly prevalent neurological disorder associated with substantial disability and socioeconomic burden. Although pharmacological therapies remain the mainstay of treatment, their effectiveness may be limited by incomplete response and adverse effects. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a non-invasive neuromodulatory technique that may modulate cortical excitability and pain-processing networks involved in migraine pathophysiology. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the current evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of rTMS compared with sham stimulation in individuals with migraine. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed (MEDLINE), PsycNet, and Ovid (including MEDLINE and Embase) from database inception to December 2025 in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Studies investigating rTMS in adults with migraine and including a sham comparator were eligible for inclusion. Data regarding study design, participant characteristics, rTMS parameters, outcomes, and adverse events were extracted using a predefined template. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Results: Seven studies comprising a total of 301 participants were included. Most trials evaluated high-frequency rTMS targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Across studies, rTMS was generally associated with reductions in migraine frequency and severity compared with sham stimulation, although results varied depending on stimulation parameters and study design. Treatment was consistently well tolerated, with only mild and transient adverse effects reported. However, considerable heterogeneity was observed in diagnostic criteria, stimulation protocols, outcome measures, and follow-up duration. Conclusions: Preliminary evidence suggests that rTMS may represent a promising and well-tolerated neuromodulatory approach for migraine management. Nevertheless, methodological variability, limited sample sizes, and concerns regarding risk of bias restrict definitive conclusions. Larger randomized controlled trials with standardized protocols and longer follow-up periods are needed to clarify the clinical role of rTMS in migraine treatment. Full article