Revealing the neurobiology underlying interpersonal neural synchronization with multimodal data fusion

• Published in: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews Vol. 146; p. 105042
• Main Authors: Lotter, Leon D., Kohl, Simon H., Gerloff, Christian, Bell, Laura, Niephaus, Alexandra, Kruppa, Jana A., Dukart, Juergen, Schulte-Rüther, Martin, Reindl, Vanessa, Konrad, Kerstin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2023
• Subjects: Activation likelihood estimation; Brain; Brain Mapping - methods; Excitation/inhibition; FMRI; FNIRS; GABA; Humans; Hyperscanning; Interpersonal neural synchronization; Interpersonal Relations; Multimodal data fusion; Neurobiology; Prefrontal Cortex - physiology; Activation likelihood estimation; Interpersonal neural synchronization; Hyperscanning; Multimodal data fusion; GABA; FNIRS; Excitation/inhibition; FMRI
• ISSN: 0149-7634; 1873-7528; 1873-7528
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105042

Humans synchronize with one another to foster successful interactions. Here, we use a multimodal data fusion approach with the aim of elucidating the neurobiological mechanisms by which interpersonal neural synchronization (INS) occurs. Our meta-analysis of 22 functional magnetic resonance imaging and 69 near-infrared spectroscopy hyperscanning experiments (740 and 3721 subjects) revealed robust brain regional correlates of INS in the right temporoparietal junction and left ventral prefrontal cortex. Integrating this meta-analytic information with public databases, biobehavioral and brain-functional association analyses suggested that INS involves sensory-integrative hubs with functional connections to mentalizing and attention networks. On the molecular and genetic levels, we found INS to be associated with GABAergic neurotransmission and layer IV/V neuronal circuits, protracted developmental gene expression patterns, and disorders of neurodevelopment. Although limited by the indirect nature of phenotypic-molecular association analyses, our findings generate new testable hypotheses on the neurobiological basis of INS. •When we interact, both our behavior and our neural activity synchronize.•Neuroimaging meta-analysis and multimodal data fusion may reveal neural mechanisms.•Robust involvement of right temporoparietal and left prefrontal brain regions.•Associations to attention and mentalizing, GABA and layer IV/V neurotransmission.•Brain-wide associated genes are enriched in neurodevelopmental disorders.