The instant effect of embodiment via mirror visual feedback on electroencephalogram-based brain connectivity changes:...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Mirror visual feedback (MVF) therapy's effectiveness is linked to embodiment perception.
• Understanding how embodiment influences brain connectivity is crucial for therapeutic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the instantaneous effects of embodiment on brain connectivity using electroencephalography (EEG).
• To analyze alterations in brain network metrics under different MVF conditions.

Main Methods:

• EEG signals were recorded from 12 healthy subjects performing motor tasks under sham-MVF, MVF, and vibrotactile-enhanced MVF (vt-MVF) conditions.
• Brain connectivity was analyzed using network metrics such as node degree, local/global efficiency, and characteristic path length in alpha and beta bands.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in average node degrees were observed across conditions, particularly in alpha band.
• vt-MVF and MVF conditions showed increased node degrees in central and visual stream regions.
• vt-MVF significantly enhanced local and global efficiency and reduced path length in alpha and beta bands compared to sham-MVF.

Conclusions:

• Embodiment, particularly when enhanced by vibrotactile feedback, positively modulates brain network connectivity and neural communication efficiency.
• These findings offer insights into the neural mechanisms underlying MVF therapies and potential for neural modulation.