Biology subjects

Mathias, B.

Publications and source records attributed to Mathias, B..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Development and Validation of the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Reporting Assessment Tool(TMS-RAT)

HighlightsO_LIWe introduce the TMS-RAT, a reporting (assessment) tool for TMS studies C_LIO_LIDeveloped within a community-informed, iterative process rating 333 TMS studies C_LIO_LIEmpirically evaluated for usability, inter-rater, and test-retest reliability C_LIO_LIA validated subset enables reliable retrospective assessment of reporting C_LIO_LIThe modular structure enables use across a wide range of TMS study designs C_LI BackgroundA standardised tool for comprehensive reporting can improve transparency, support consistent documentation, and enable comparison across transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies. The most used reporting checklist lacks clear definitions of full reporting and was not initially evaluated for usability or inter-rater reliability. A scoping review of studies using this checklist shows that its items are reported only 50% of the time, suggesting that method descriptions are often incomplete. MethodsWe developed the TMS Reporting Assessment Tool (TMS-RAT), a comprehensive reporting framework that provides clear definitions and examples for its items, covering a wide range of TMS protocols. We tested the usability and reliability of the TMS-RAT by rating all studies published between 1991 and 2025 using afferent conditioning (n = 333), a protocol encompassing many reporting categories identified during tool development. Seventeen independent raters contributed across three development phases, a validation phase, and a retest phase, with naive raters introduced in each phase. Iterative refinements of the tool were informed by inter-rater reliability, qualitative rater feedback, and consultation with external TMS experts. ResultsWe present two versions of the tool: the 72-item TMS-RAT v1.0, designed to guide comprehensive reporting, and the TMS-RAT v1.1, a subset of 50 items with the highest inter-rater (overall AC1 = 0.78, range = [0.60-0.99]) and test-retest reliability (overall AC1 = 0.82, range = [0.65-1.0]), intended for retrospective evaluation of reporting in systematic reviews, meta-analyses. ConclusionThe TMS-RAT is a comprehensive, reliable tool that seeks to improve transparency and reproducibility in TMS research.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Benefits of Music Training for Learning to Read: Evidence from Cortical Tracking of Speech in Children

Musical training has long been argued to boost early phonological and reading abilities. Cortical tracking of speech (CTS) has been proposed as a mechanism for this music-to-literacy transfer. In this study, we examined how musical training shapes CTS in young readers and whether it facilitates literacy benefits. In a sample of 57 children aged 5-9, musical training was linked to enhanced reading and phonological awareness (PA). EEG during story listening revealed that higher left-hemispheric and lower right-hemispheric CTS were also associated with higher reading scores. However, children with higher musicality exhibited stronger reading skills at lower levels of left-hemispheric CTS, suggesting more adult-like speech analysis. Critically, PA mediated the relationship between musicality and reading: greater musicality was associated with stronger PA, which in turn predicted higher reading performance, independent of demographic and cognitive factors. These findings indicate that musical training supports literacy by enhancing PA and shaping left-lateralized speech processing.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Active integrins regulate white adipose tissue insulin sensitivity and brown fat thermogenesis

Reorganization of the extracellular matrix is a prerequisite for healthy adipose tissue expansion, whereas fibrosis is a key feature of adipose dysfunction and inflammation. However, very little is known about the direct effects of impaired cell-matrix interaction in adipocyte function and insulin sensitivity. Using adipose selective deletion of {beta}1 integrin (Itgb1adipo-cre) and Kindlin-2 (Kind2adipo-cre), we demonstrate here that active {beta}1 and {beta}3 integrins directly interact with the insulin receptor to regulate white adipocyte insulin action and systemic metabolism. Consequently, loss of adipose integrin activity, similar to loss of adipose insulin receptors, results in lipodystrophy and systemic insulin resistance. Conversely, we find that brown adipose tissue of Kind2adipo-cre and Itgb1adipo-cre mice is chronically hyperactivated, and has increased substrate delivery, reduced endothelial basement membrane thickness, and increased endothelial vesicular transport. Thus, we establish integrin-extracellular matrix interactions as key regulators of white and brown adipose tissue function and whole body metabolism.

physiology↗