Bursts of regional cortical inhibition during smartphone use

Transient beta (β) bursts-brief neural events-are increasingly recognized for their role in motor and cognitive processes, yet their contribution to naturalistic behavior remains poorly understood. Smartphone behavior, involving continuous varied engagement, provides a rich real-world context to examine these dynamics. We recorded electroencephalography (EEG) as participants interacted with their smartphones using their right thumb for ∼80 min. β-bursts were detected across the scalp, with bilateral sensorimotor electrodes accumulating more bursts than other electrodes. Brain-wide burst probability decreased before touchscreen touches and increased afterward, with the strongest modulation over left sensorimotor cortex. Touches occasionally occurred during bursts, but at lower rates over left sensorimotor regions than elsewhere. Separating touchscreen intervals with versus without bursts revealed an exaggerated difference in sensorimotor cortex: intervals containing bursts were longer. These patterns suggest that continuous smartphone touches are modulated by brief, spatially localized transient bursts that may gate motor execution in sensorimotor networks.