Inter-Brain Coupling in Social Interactions can be Augmented by Environmental Factors: a hyperscanning investigation.

超扫描是一种新形式的神经成像实验，两个参与者在互动时同时成像。近年来，它引起了人们对社会神经科学的兴趣，在社会神经科学中，参与者的神经数据之间的关系被用来评估大脑反应如何随着不同程度的社会互动和联系而变化。研究人员提出，量化互动参与者之间的相互作用可以作为一种调查精神分裂症、社交焦虑和自闭症等心理健康状况的方法。社会互动是人类生存的一个基本方面，从孩子和父母之间的互动，到全球舞台上的世界领导人。我们所拥有的社会互动的质量通常被认为是心理健康的关键驱动因素或结果。识别和量化社会互动的二元神经标记，并在此过程中提出通过例如环境变化来增强这些标记的方法；会增强我们对社会互动的理解。这是社会神经科学背景下神经成像的一个重要目标。为了实现上述挑战和目标，被称为功能近红外光谱（fNIRS）的脑光学神经成像技术可以实时提供同步双进脑成像；并且可以量化大脑间的神经耦合。fNIRS能够以良好的空间分辨率和高时间分辨率成像测量继发于神经元活动的脑血流动力学氧合变化。此外，fNIRS是一种高度便携的技术，可以很容易地与其他模式接口，包括眼动追踪和系统生理学，以提供一个真正的测量大脑和身体的相互作用。研究目标：本博士项目将：使用最先进的脑功能近红外光谱（或fNIRS）在两人互动时实时监测大脑图像；开发量化社会互动标记的二元神经数据之间关系的计算方法；在有或没有环境增强的双元之间的社会互动的自然环境中应用和评估这些发展，以证明社会互动和神经双元标记的调节

Hyperscanning is a new form of neuroimaging experiment where two participants are imaged simultaneously whilst they interact. In recent years, it has gathered interest specifically in social neuroscience, where the relationship between the neural data of participants is used to evaluate how brain response changes in tandem with varying degrees of social interactions and connectedness. It is proposed that quantification of the interplay between interacting participants can be used as a way to investigate mental health conditions including schizophrenia, social anxiety and autism. Social interactions are a fundamental aspect of human existence, from the interactions between a child and their parent, to world leaders on the global stage. The quality of social interaction we have is often considered a key driver, or consequence, of mental well-being. Identifying and quantifying dyadic neural markers of social interaction and in the process proposing ways to augment these markers via for example environmental changes; will enhance our understanding of social interactions. This an important goal of neuroimaging in a social neuroscience context.Towards achieving the above challenges and goal, brain optical neuroimaging technology known as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) can provide synchronous dyadic brain imaging in real time; and allow to quantify neural inter-brain coupling. fNIRS can image\measure with good spatial resolution and high temporal resolution the brain haemodynamic\oxygenation changes secondary to neuronal activity. In addition, fNIRS is a highly portable technique that can be easily interfaced with other modalities including eye-tracking and systemic physiology, to provide a true measurement of brain and body interaction.Research Aims:This PhD project will:use state-of-the-art brain functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy (or fNIRS) to monitor\image the brain in real-time during two-person interacting dyads;develop computational methods of quantifying the relationship between dyadic neural data towards markers of social interaction;apply and evaluate these developments in naturalistic settings of social interaction between dyads with and without environmental augmentations to prove modulation of social interaction and neural dyadic markers