Cupertino Layla, Angeles Emanuele Los, Pellegrino Nathalia Mendes, Magalhães-Novaes Thayna, de Souza Brenda Luciano, Bouri Mohamed, Coelho Daniel Boari
Center for Mathematics, Computation and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil.
Biomedical Engineering, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil.
Eur J Neurosci. 2025 May;61(9):e70131. doi: 10.1111/ejn.70131.
Virtual reality (VR) environments simulating height offer a unique platform to investigate neural adaptations to emotionally salient contexts during locomotion. These simulations allow for controlled analysis of motor-cognitive interactions under perceived threat. This secondary analysis of a previously dataset aimed to explore regional and global brain network adaptations, focusing on connectivity, modularity, and centrality, during gait under neutral and height-induced negative conditions. Seventy-five healthy participants performed a VR task involving a virtual plank at two heights: street level (neutral) and 80 floors up (negative). EEG was recorded using 32 scalp electrodes. Functional connectivity was analyzed using local efficiency, modularity, and eigenvector centrality across frontal, central, parietal, temporal, and occipital regions during two tasks: preparation (elevator) and active walking (plank). Repeated-measures ANOVAs examined the effects of task and condition. Frontal connectivity was significantly higher in the negative condition across tasks, suggesting increased cognitive-emotional regulation. Central connectivity showed a task × condition interaction, with elevated values during walking under threat, indicating increased sensorimotor integration. Occipital connectivity was higher during preparation, independent of condition, likely reflecting greater visual scene processing. Modularity was reduced in the negative condition, consistent with decreased functional segregation, while eigenvector centrality was greater in frontal and parietal regions during walking, highlighting their role as integrative network hubs. Height-related threat in VR modulates both regional and global brain network properties, enhancing integration in cognitive, motor, and visual systems. These findings advance our understanding of adaptive brain responses and support the use of VR in rehabilitation.
模拟高处的虚拟现实（VR）环境为研究运动过程中神经对情绪显著情境的适应性提供了一个独特的平台。这些模拟能够在感知到威胁的情况下对运动 - 认知交互进行可控分析。对先前数据集的这一二次分析旨在探索在中性和高处诱发的负面条件下行走过程中区域和全脑网络的适应性，重点关注连通性、模块化和中心性。75名健康参与者执行了一项VR任务，该任务涉及在两个高度的虚拟木板上进行：街道高度（中性）和80层楼高（负面）。使用32个头皮电极记录脑电图。在两项任务（准备阶段（电梯）和主动行走（木板））期间，使用局部效率、模块化和特征向量中心性分析额叶、中央、顶叶、颞叶和枕叶区域的功能连通性。重复测量方差分析检验任务和条件的影响。在所有任务中，负面条件下的额叶连通性显著更高，表明认知 - 情绪调节增强。中央连通性显示出任务×条件的交互作用，在威胁下行走时数值升高，表明感觉运动整合增加。枕叶连通性在准备阶段更高，与条件无关，可能反映了更强的视觉场景处理能力。负面条件下模块化降低，与功能分离减少一致，而在行走过程中额叶和顶叶区域的特征向量中心性更大，突出了它们作为整合网络枢纽的作用。VR中与高度相关的威胁调节区域和全脑网络属性，增强认知、运动和视觉系统中的整合。这些发现推进了我们对适应性脑反应的理解，并支持在康复中使用VR。
