Dual brain stimulation enhances interpersonal learning through spontaneous movement synchrony

• DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa080
• Publication Date: 2020-06-10T11:31:06Z
• Authors: Yafeng Pan; Giacomo Novembre; Bei Song; Yi Zhu; Yi Hu
• Keywords: Brain stimulation; Social Learning

Social interactive learning denotes the ability to acquire new information from a conspecific-a prerequisite for cultural evolution and survival. As inspired by recent neurophysiological research, here we tested whether social can be augmented exogenously synchronizing oscillatory brain activity across an instructor learner engaged in naturalistic song-learning task. We used dual stimulation protocol entailing trans-cranial delivery of synchronized electric currents two individuals simultaneously. When stimulated inferior frontal regions, with 6 Hz alternating being in-phase between learner, dyad exhibited spontaneous body movement. Remarkably, this also led enhanced performance. These effects were both phase- frequency-specific: anti-phase or 10 stimulation, did not yield comparable results. Furthermore, mediation analysis disclosed that interpersonal movement synchrony acted as partial mediator effect on performance, i.e. possibly facilitating learning. Our results provide causal demonstration inter-brain synchronization is sufficient condition improve real-time transfer pairs individuals.