Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40822293›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in human neuroscience2025

Environmental effects on inter-brain coupling: a systematic review.

Octavia Leahy, Emily Kontaris, Natalie Gunasekara, Joy Hirsch, Ilias Tachtsidis

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in human neuroscience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Octavia LeahyOptics Laboratory, Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Emily KontarisHealth and Well-being Centre of Excellence, Givaudan UK Limited, Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom.
Natalie GunasekaraOptics Laboratory, Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Joy HirschOptics Laboratory, Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Ilias TachtsidisOptics Laboratory, Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Environmental factors play a critical role in shaping social interactions, and emerging evidence suggests they may also influence inter-brain coupling (IBC). The main purpose of this paper is to systematically review how environmental variables influence IBC during hyperscanning studies of social interactions. Additionally, this article provides an overview of the experimental protocols employed and identifies both opportunities and challenges within this evolving field. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic literature search in the PubMed and Scopus databases to identify relevant articles. Of the 106 articles initially identified, 7 met the inclusion criteria for this review. The selected articles are original research published up to February 2025, each employing hyperscanning techniques to observe IBC in response to manipulated environmental factors. Articles were excluded based on factors such as the absence of environmental manipulation or not measuring IBC as an outcome. Results: The findings reveal that IBC is significantly influenced by environmental factors such as interpersonal distance, background noise, virtual reality, and music. These factors modulate neural synchrony in brain regions critical for social cognition. Conclusion: The limited number of studies in this area reflects both the emerging nature of this research field and the challenges associated with experimental protocols and funding. Despite these limitations, this review underscores the crucial role of environmental factors in shaping IBC during social interactions. This growing field holds great potential for guiding the design of supportive social settings and targeted interventions that promote social cohesion and mental wellbeing.

Indexed as

EEGenvironmentfunctional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)hyperscanninginter-brain coupling (IBC)neuroimagingsocial neurosciencetwo-person neuroscience

Identifiers

PMID40822293
PMCPMC12351501

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.