Dyadic inter-brain EEG coherence induced by interoceptive hyperscanning

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Psychophysiology

Background:

• Previous research indicated a link between interoception and interpersonal synchronization using single-brain studies.
• Interoception, the sense of the internal state of the body, is increasingly recognized for its role in social cognition and behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate electrophysiological intersubject coherence using electroencephalography (EEG) hyperscanning during dyadic synchronization tasks.
• To examine the effect of focused interoception (breath focus) on neural synchronization during cognitive and motor tasks.

Main Methods:

• Utilized EEG hyperscanning to record neural activity from 15 dyads performing synchronization tasks.
• Compared neural coherence between conditions with and without a focus on breath.
• Analyzed EEG frequency bands (alpha, delta, theta) and coherence in specific brain regions.

Main Results:

• Greater alpha band EEG coherence was observed in frontopolar and central brain regions during breath focus in the motor task compared to the cognitive task.
• Delta and theta bands showed increased inter-individual coherence in frontal and central areas during breath focus for the motor task.
• Breath focus condition strengthened EEG markers of interpersonal tuning in specific brain areas during motor synchronization.

Conclusions:

• Interoceptive focus, specifically breath awareness, enhances neural markers of interpersonal synchronization during motor tasks.
• The findings suggest that directing attention inward can facilitate external coordination and social attunement.
• EEG hyperscanning provides valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying synchronized social interactions.