Measuring speaker–listener neural coupling with functional near infrared spectroscopy

Liu, Yichuan; Piazza, Elise A.; Simony, Erez; Shewokis, Patricia A.; Onaral, Banu; Hasson, Uri; Ayaz, Hasan

doi:10.1038/srep43293

Cited by 148 publications

(102 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…Cross-brain coherence using wavelet analysis and related correlation techniques have been applied in neuroimaging studies to confirm synchronous neural activation between two individuals and to analyze cross-brain synchrony during either live interpersonal interactions or delayed story-telling and listening paradigms (Cui et al, 2012; Jiang et al, 2012; Scholkmann et al, 2013; Tang et al, 2016; Kawasaki et al, 2013; Hasson et al, 2004; Dumas et al, 2010), Liu, et al, 2017). Wavelet analysis decomposes a time varying signal into frequency components.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Frontal temporal and parietal systems synchronize within and across brains during live eye-to-eye contact

et al. 2017

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Human eye-to-eye contact is a primary source of social cues and communication. In spite of the biological significance of this interpersonal interaction, the underlying neural processes are not well-understood. This knowledge gap, in part, reflects limitations of conventional neuroimaging methods, including solitary confinement in the bore of a scanner and minimal tolerance of head movement that constrain investigations of natural, two-person interactions. However, these limitations are substantially resolved by recent technical developments in functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a non-invasive spectral absorbance technique that detects changes in blood oxygen levels in the brain by using surface-mounted optical sensors. Functional NIRS is tolerant of limited head motion and enables simultaneous acquisitions of neural signals from two interacting partners in natural conditions. We employ fNIRS to advance a data-driven theoretical framework for two-person neuroscience motivated by the Interactive Brain Hypothesis which proposes that interpersonal interaction between individuals evokes neural mechanisms not engaged during solo, non-interactive, behaviors. Within this context, two specific hypotheses related to eye-to-eye contact, functional specificity and functional synchrony, were tested. The functional specificity hypothesis proposes that eye-to-eye contact engages specialized, within-brain, neural systems; and the functional synchrony hypothesis proposes that eye-to-eye contact engages specialized, across-brain, neural processors that are synchronized between dyads. Signals acquired during eye-to-eye contact between partners (interactive condition) were compared to signals acquired during mutual gaze at the eyes of a picture-face (non-interactive condition). In accordance with the specificity hypothesis, responses during eye-to-eye contact were greater than eye-to-picture gaze for a left frontal cluster that included pars opercularis (associated with canonical language production functions known as Broca’s region), pre- and supplementary motor cortices (associated with articulatory systems), as well as the subcentral area. This frontal cluster was also functionally connected to a cluster located in the left superior temporal gyrus (associated with canonical language receptive functions known as Wernicke’s region), primary somatosensory cortex, and the subcentral area. In accordance with the functional synchrony hypothesis, cross-brain coherence during eye-to-eye contact relative to eye-to-picture gaze increased for signals originating within left superior temporal, middle temporal, and supramarginal gyri as well as the pre- and supplementary motor cortices of both interacting brains. These synchronous cross-brain regions are also associated with known language functions, and were partner-specific (i.e., disappeared with randomly assigned partners). Together, both within and across-brain neural correlates of eye-to-eye contact included components of previously established productive and receptive lan...

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Frontal temporal and parietal systems synchronize within and across brains during live eye-to-eye contact

et al. 2017

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“…However, despite these studies demonstrating the central role of social interaction in shaping cognition, most have focused on the neural underpinnings of the isolated individual rather than on the synchronization of neural activation between partners during interaction. Some studies have noted inter-individual coupling of activation patterns during storytelling (Stephens et al , 2010; Liu et al , 2017), gesture (Schippers et al , 2010), facial expression (Anders et al , 2011), and film viewing (Hasson et al , 2004); however, brain activation data were collected individually while simulating social interaction in an experimental context (e.g. viewing videos of the social partner).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Putting our heads together: interpersonal neural synchronization as a biological mechanism for shared intentionality

Fishburn

Murty

Hlutkowsky

et al. 2018

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience

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Shared intentionality, or collaborative interactions in which individuals have a shared goal and must coordinate their efforts, is a core component of human interaction. However, the biological bases of shared intentionality and, specifically, the processes by which the brain adjusts to the sharing of common goals, remain largely unknown. Using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), coordination of cerebral hemodynamic activation was found in subject pairs when completing a puzzle together in contrast to a condition in which subjects completed identical but individual puzzles (same intention without shared intentionality). Interpersonal neural coordination was also greater when completing a puzzle together compared to two control conditions including the observation of another pair completing the same puzzle task or watching a movie with a partner (shared experience). Further, permutation testing revealed that the time course of neural activation of one subject predicted that of their partner, but not that of others completing the identical puzzle in different partner sets. Results indicate unique brain-to-brain coupling specific to shared intentionality beyond what has been previously found by investigating the fundamentals of social exchange.

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“…Interperson synchrony of student EEG measures collected across an entire semester were found to significantly predict self‐reported measures of social dynamics and class engagement (Dikker et al, ). Similar work using fNIRS has found significant synchrony in interperson hemodynamics between individuals engaged with a common narrative (Liu et al, ). These early findings point to a powerful and promising approach for the use of neurocognitive measures in classrooms.…”

Section: Brain Synchrony and Classroom Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 63%

Showing Is Knowing: The Potential and Challenges of Using Neurocognitive Measures of Implicit Learning in the Classroom

Dahlstrom‐Hakki

Asbell‐Clarke²,

Rowe³

2018

Mind Brain and Education

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The value of neurocognitive measures to study memory, attention, cognition, and learning is well established. However, the vast majority of work using these tools is performed in tightly controlled lab experiments using simple lab stimuli. This article looks at the viability of using multimodal neurocognitive instruments to measure implicit knowledge in real‐world learning contexts. We focus on some of the most promising neurocognitive tools for this purpose, including eye‐tracking, electroencephalography (EEG), and functional near infra‐red spectroscopy (fNIRS). The specific challenges and potential of each tool are considered for use within learning contexts. These tools may be of particular importance to student populations that typically underperform on traditional learning assessments, including students with disabilities, English language learners, and students from low socioeconomic status backgrounds, among others. This review concludes with recommendations to the field for further work required to bring objective measures of implicit knowledge to real world learning contexts.

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Measuring speaker–listener neural coupling with functional near infrared spectroscopy

Cited by 148 publications

References 58 publications

Frontal temporal and parietal systems synchronize within and across brains during live eye-to-eye contact

Frontal temporal and parietal systems synchronize within and across brains during live eye-to-eye contact

Putting our heads together: interpersonal neural synchronization as a biological mechanism for shared intentionality

Showing Is Knowing: The Potential and Challenges of Using Neurocognitive Measures of Implicit Learning in the Classroom

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