Journal article
Real-time fMRI-triggered experience-sampling: a proof-of-concept study
Imaging neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.), v 4, IMAG.a.1268
20 May 2026
PMID: 42272744
Abstract
Much of a typical individual’s mental life is characterized by spontaneous thoughts that occur independently of external stimuli. In prior studies, ongoing mental experiences and their neural correlates have been captured using thought probes presented at random intervals during functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). However, this approach results in temporally imprecise estimates of brain activity relative to the arising of mental experience. In this preregistered, proof-of-concept study, we aimed to improve temporal precision using a novel method termed real-time fMRI-triggered experience-sampling (rt-fMRI-ES). We analyzed blood-oxygenation-level-dependent signals in real time during a wakeful resting state (n=60) to trigger thought probes from spontaneous activations within two regions: the dorsal anterior insular cortex (daIC; a key region within salience network) and posteromedial cortex (PMC; a key region within default mode network). We tested two preregistered hypotheses: (H1) Ratings of arousal time-locked to daIC-activation trials are higher than ratings time-locked to non-daIC-activation trials; (H2) Ratings of external-attention time-locked to PMC-activation trials are lower than ratings time-locked to non-PMC-activation trials. After applying preregistered exclusion criteria, 42 participants (1243 trials) and 49 participants (1429 trials) were included in H1 and H2 analyses, respectively. We did not find evidence in support of H1, but we did find evidence in support of H2, as external-attention ratings were significantly lower for trials triggered by PMC activation compared to other trial types. Taken together, we successfully developed and validated the rt-fMRI-ES method, offering a novel technique to efficiently capture spontaneous thoughts based on ongoing neural activity. Preregistered Stage 1 Recommendation: https://osf.io/sd4hu (Date of in-principle acceptance: 07/24/2024; under temporary private embargo)
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Details
- Title
- Real-time fMRI-triggered experience-sampling: a proof-of-concept study
- Creators
- Tiara Bounyarith - Drexel UniversityDavid Braun - Drexel UniversityAaron Kucyi (Corresponding Author) - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Imaging neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.), v 4, IMAG.a.1268
- Publisher
- MIT Press
- Number of pages
- 22
- Grant note
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program National Institute of Mental Health: R21MH129630
This work was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health under award number R21MH129630 to Aaron Kucyi and a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation awarded to Tiara Bounyarith. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health or the National Science Foundation.
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology)
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001787645500001
- Other Identifier
- 991022185976204721