NIRS-based hyperscanning reveals increased interpersonal coherence in superior frontal cortex during cooperation

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Social Interaction Research

Background:

• Understanding neural mechanisms of social interaction is crucial.
• Previous hyperscanning studies often used multiple devices, posing logistical challenges.
• Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) offers a non-invasive method for brain activity measurement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate inter-brain activity synchrony during social interaction using a novel NIRS setup.
• To explore the neural correlates of cooperation versus competition in a dyadic setting.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of simultaneous dual-brain NIRS measurements in a naturalistic environment.

Main Methods:

• Simultaneous measurement of brain activity in two participants using a single Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) instrument.
• Participants engaged in a computer-based cooperation game.
• Calculation of inter-brain activity coherence, specifically focusing on the right superior frontal cortex.

Main Results:

• Increased inter-brain coherence in the right superior frontal cortex was observed during cooperative gameplay, but not during competitive gameplay.
• Higher coherence levels correlated positively with better cooperation performance.
• This marks the first reported use of a single NIRS device for simultaneous dual-brain measurements.

Conclusions:

• NIRS-based hyperscanning is a viable method for studying real-time neural dynamics during social interactions.
• Synchronized neural activity in specific brain regions, like the right superior frontal cortex, may underpin successful cooperation.
• This technique opens new avenues for naturalistic social neuroscience research.