Exploring the Role of Excitation- Inhibition Balance in Real-World Behavioral Dynamics

The power spectral density (PSD) exponent value, indicative of the brain's excitation and inhibition (E/I) balance, has been associated with cognitive fluctuations over time and show disruptions in neurological disorders. Yet, how this balance influences real-world behavioral dynamics remains less explored. In this study, we examined the relationship between E/I and real-world behavioral dynamics. We captured spontaneous real-world behavioral dynamics from 68 participants using inter- touch intervals (ITI) on the smartphones during a 45–90-minute EEG session. Following EEG recordings, we computed the power spectral density (PSD) over the data and applied the FOOOF method to extract the E/I balance. We then analyzed the relationship between this E/I balance and the real-world behavioral dynamics, as indicated by ITI’s. We show that real-world behavioral dynamics and E/I are related but show a considerable amount of inter-individual variability. On average, behaviors occurring between...Show moreThe power spectral density (PSD) exponent value, indicative of the brain's excitation and inhibition (E/I) balance, has been associated with cognitive fluctuations over time and show disruptions in neurological disorders. Yet, how this balance influences real-world behavioral dynamics remains less explored. In this study, we examined the relationship between E/I and real-world behavioral dynamics. We captured spontaneous real-world behavioral dynamics from 68 participants using inter- touch intervals (ITI) on the smartphones during a 45–90-minute EEG session. Following EEG recordings, we computed the power spectral density (PSD) over the data and applied the FOOOF method to extract the E/I balance. We then analyzed the relationship between this E/I balance and the real-world behavioral dynamics, as indicated by ITI’s. We show that real-world behavioral dynamics and E/I are related but show a considerable amount of inter-individual variability. On average, behaviors occurring between 0.03 and 1 second were accompanied by an increase in excitation, while behaviors (between 1 and 3 seconds) showed an increase in inhibition. Moreover, we identified three distinct participant types, each demonstrating unique patterns of interaction between E/I balance and real-world behavioral dynamics. In conclusion, our study emphasizes the value of the JID as a tool capable of capturing the relationship between real-world behavior and E/I on a detailed scale. This level of detail provides a unique perspective that increases our understanding of how cognition plays a role in complex real-world behavioral dynamics.Show less

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Exploring the Role of Excitation- Inhibition Balance in Real-World Behavioral Dynamics