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Search indexed bioRxiv preprints in genomics, neuroscience, cell biology and bioinformatics. Read source abstracts and check manuscript versions; preprints are not peer reviewed.

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At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources

bioRxiv2019

Physiological adaptations of leaf litter microbial communities to long-term drought

Drought represents a significant stress to soil microorganisms and is known to reduce microbial activity and organic matter decomposition in Mediterranean ecosystems. However, we still lack a detailed understanding of the drought stress adaptations of microbial decomposers. We hypothesised that drought causes greater microbial allocation to stress tolerance relative to growth pathways. Here we present metatranscriptomic and metabolomic data on the physiological response of in situ microbial communities on plant leaf litter to long-term drought and pulse wetting in Californian grass and shrub ecosystems. Wetting litter after a long dry summer caused only subtle shifts in gene expression. On grass litter, communities from the decade-long ambient and reduced precipitation treatments had distinct functional profiles. The most discernable physiological adaptations to drought were production or uptake of compatible solutes to maintain cellular osmotic balance, and synthesis of capsular and extracellular polymeric substances as a mechanism to retain water. The results show a clear functional response to drought in grass litter communities with greater allocation to survival relative to growth that could affect decomposition under drought. In contrast, communities on chemically more diverse and complex shrub litter had smaller physiological differences in response to long-term drought but higher investment in resource acquisition traits across treatments, suggesting that the functional response to drought is constrained by substrate quality. Our findings suggest, for the first time in a field setting, a trade-off between microbial drought stress tolerance, resource acquisition and growth traits in leaf litter microbial communities.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Community structure ecosystem function relationships in the Congo Basin methane cycle depend on the physiological scale of function

Belowground ecosystem processes can be highly variable and difficult to predict using microbial community data. Here we argue that this stems from at least three issues: 1) complex covariance structure of samples (with environmental conditions or spatial proximity) can make distinguishing biotic drivers a challenge, 2) communities can control ecosystem processes through multiple mechanisms, making the identification of these controls a challenge and 3) ecosystem function assessments can be broad in physiological scale, encapsulating multiple processes with unique microbially mediated controls. We test these assertions using methane (CH4)-cycling processes in soil samples collected along a wetland-to-upland habitat gradient in the Congo Basin. We perform our measurements of function under controlled laboratory conditions and include environmental covariates in statistical analyses to aid in identifying biotic drivers. We divide measurements of microbial communities into four attributes (abundance, activity, composition, and diversity) that represent different forms of community control. Lastly, our process measurements differ in physiological scale, including broader processes (gross methanogenesis and methanotrophy) that involve more mediating groups, to finer processes (hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis and high-affinity CH4 oxidation) with fewer mediating groups. We observed that finer scale processes can be more readily predicted from microbial community structure than broader scale processes. In addition, the nature of those relationships differed, with broad processes limited by abundance while fine-scale processes were associated with diversity and composition. These findings demonstrate the importance of carefully defining the physiological scale of ecosystem function and performing community measurements that represent the range of possible controls on ecosystem processes.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2019

Decoupling the effects of nutrition, age and behavioral caste on honey bee physiology and immunity

Nutritional stress, and especially a dearth of pollen, is considered an important factor associated with honey bee colony losses. We used pollen-restricted colonies as a model to study the nutritional stress conditions experienced in colonies within intensively cultivated agricultural areas. This model was complemented by the establishment of an experimental design, which allowed us to uncouple the effect of nutrition, behavior and age in colonies of similar size and demography. We used this system to determine the effect of pollen restriction on workers behavioral development. Then, we analyzed the effect of nutritional stress, behavior and age on the expression of key physiological genes involved in the regulation of division of labor. Finally, we analyzed the effects of these variables on the expression of immune genes and the titers of honey bee viruses. Our results show that pollen restriction led to an increased number of precocious foragers and this behavioral transition was associated with important changes in the expression of nutritionally regulated physiological genes, immunity and viral titers. Vitellogenin (vg) and major royal jelly protein 1 (mrjp1) were the most predictive markers of nutrition and behavior. The expression of immune genes was primarily affected by behavior, with higher levels in foragers. Deformed wing virus (DWV) titers were significantly affected by behavior and nutritional status, with higher titer in foragers and increased levels associated with pollen ingestion. Correlation analyses support the predominant effect of behavior on immunity and susceptibility to viral infection, revealing that both immune genes and DWV exhibited strong negative correlations with genes associated with nursing, but positive correlations with genes associated with foraging. Our results provide valuable insights into the physiological mechanisms by which nutritional stress induce precocious foraging and increased susceptibility to viral infections.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Human colon-on-a-chip enables continuous in vitro analysis of colon mucus layer accumulation and physiology

Background & AimsThe mucus layer in the human colon protects against commensal bacteria and pathogens, and defects in its unique bilayered structure contribute to intestinal disorders, such as ulcerative colitis. However, our understanding of colon physiology is limited by the lack of in vitro models that replicate human colonic mucus layer structure and function. Here, we investigated if combining organ-on-a-chip and organoid technologies can be leveraged to develop a human-relevant in vitro model of colon mucus physiology. MethodsA human colon-on-a-chip (Colon Chip) microfluidic device lined by primary patient-derived colonic epithelial cells was used to recapitulate mucus bilayer formation, and to visualize mucus accumulation in living cultures non-invasively. ResultsThe Colon Chip supports spontaneous goblet cell differentiation and accumulation of a mucus bilayer with impenetrable and penetrable layers, and a thickness similar to that observed in human colon, while maintaining a subpopulation of proliferative epithelial cells. Live imaging of the mucus layer formation on-chip revealed that stimulation of the colonic epithelium with prostaglandin E2, which is elevated during inflammation, causes rapid mucus volume expansion via an NKCC1 ion channel-dependent increase in its hydration state, but no increase in de novo mucus secretion. ConclusionThis study is the first to demonstrate production of colonic mucus with a physiologically relevant bilayer structure in vitro, which can be analyzed in real-time non-invasively. The Colon Chip may offer a new preclinical tool to analyze the role of mucus in human intestinal homeostasis as well as diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and cancer.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Contribution of fungal microbiome to intestinal physiology, early-life immune development and mucosal inflammation in mice

Gut microbiomes make major contributions to the physiological and immunological development of the host, but the relative importance of their bacterial and fungal components, and how they interact, remain largely unknown. We applied carefully controlled experiments in gnotobiotic mice colonized with defined communities of bacteria, fungi, or both to differentiate the direct role of fungi on microbiome assembly, host development, and susceptibility to colitis and airway inflammation. Our results revealed that fungal colonization alone was insufficient to promote the intestinal anatomic and physiological changes seen in mice colonized by bacteria, and had limited impact on the fecal metabolome. However, fungal colonization promoted major shifts in bacterial microbiome ecology, and had an independent effect on the innate and adaptive immune development in young mice. Fungi further exacerbated some aspects of the inflammatory effects of the bacterial community during OVA-induced airway inflammation by promoting macrophage infiltration in the airway. Our results demonstrate a dominant ecological and physiological role of bacteria in gut microbiomes, but highlight fungi as an ecological factor shaping the assembly of the bacterial community and a direct capacity to impact immune system and modulate disease susceptibility. These findings demonstrate that studies focused on bacteria alone provide an incomplete portrayal on microbiome ecology and functionality, and prompt for the inclusion of fungi in human microbiome studies.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Assessment of anesthesia on physiological stability and bold signal reliability during visual or acoustic stimulation in the cat

BackgroundNeuroimaging methods including fMRI provide powerful tools to observe whole-brain functional networks. This is particularly powerful in animal models, allowing these networks to be probed using complementary methods. However, most animals must be anesthetized for neuroimaging, giving rise to complications resulting from anesthetic effects on the animals physiological and neurological functions. For example, an established protocol for feline neuroimaging involves co-administration of ketamine and isoflurane - the latter of which is known to suppress cortical function. New MethodHere, we compare this established protocol to alfaxalone, a single-agent anesthetic for functional neuroimaging. We first compare the two in a controlled environment to assess relative safety and to measure physiological stability over an extended time window. We then compare patterns of auditory and visually-evoked activity measured at 7T to assess mean signal strength and between-subjects signal variability. Results in Comparison with Existing MethodsWe show that alfaxalone results in more stable respiratory rates over the 120 minutes testing period, with evidence of smaller between measurements variability within this time window, when compared to ketamine plus isoflurane. Moreover, we demonstrate that both agents evoke similar mean BOLD signals across animals, but that alfaxalone elicits more consistent BOLD activity in response to sound stimuli across all ROIs observed. ConclusionsAlfaxalone is observed to be more physiologically stable, evoking a more consistent BOLD signal across animals than the co-administration of ketamine and isoflurane. Thus, an alfaxalone-based protocol may represent a better approach for neuroimaging in animal models requiring anesthesia.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

Quantitative analysis of the physiological contributions of glucose to the TCA cycle

ABSTRACTThe carbon source for catabolism in vivo is a fundamental question in metabolic physiology. Limited by data and rigorous mathematical analysis, controversy exists over the nutritional sources for carbon in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle under physiological settings. Using isotope-labeling data in vivo across several experimental conditions, we construct multiple models of central carbon metabolism and develop methods based on metabolic flux analysis (MFA) to solve for the preferences of glucose, lactate, and other nutrients used in the TCA cycle across many tissues. We show that in nearly all circumstances, glucose contributes more than lactate as a nutrient source for the TCA cycle. This conclusion is verified in different animal strains from different studies, different administrations of 13C glucose, and is extended to multiple tissue types. Thus, this quantitative analysis of organismal metabolism defines the relative contributions of nutrient fluxes in physiology, provides a resource for analysis of in vivo isotope tracing data, and concludes that glucose is the major nutrient used for catabolism in mammals.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.View Full Text

systems biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Compound hypoxia with heat or acidification stress induces synergistic and additive effects on coral physiology

As climate change accelerates, coastal marine ecosystems are increasingly exposed to co-occurring stressors whose combined effects are nonlinear and difficult to predict. Deoxygenation is a rapidly intensifying yet underrecognized threat to coral reefs that interacts with heat and acidification to alter coral physiology and stress resilience. However, the effects of hypoxia-related compound events on corals are largely unknown, underscoring the need for multi-stressor studies. Here, we conducted two extended-exposure experiments (12-17 days) across the coral species Porites furcata, Porites astreoides and Siderastrea siderea, to disentangle the individual and combined effects of low dissolved oxygen (hypoxia) with either heat or acidification. We measured eight phenotypic traits related to growth, metabolism, and symbiosis health to test whether hypoxia imposes energetic constraints or other physiological stress that amplify the effects of heat or acidification. Standardized effect size analysis across 24 stressor-trait combinations revealed 13 additive, 10 synergistic, and only one antagonistic response. Hypoxia consistently suppressed dark respiration by 37-49% across species and altered photophysiology in the two Porites species, whereas acidification alone had minimal effects, particularly in S. siderea. Heat stress caused the most pronounced declines across nearly all traits, and when combined with hypoxia, it produced the highest number of synergistic interactions. In contrast, the combination of hypoxia and acidification largely resulted in additive responses, suggesting that independent physiological mechanisms underlie these effects. All corals showed strong metabolic depression under hypoxia which is likely beneficial as a short-term adaptive response but may impose energetic constraints in the long-term. These findings highlight deoxygenation as critical yet often overlooked drivers of coral reef vulnerability. More multi-stressor experiments across a range of species are urgently needed to improve predictions of reef resilience under future ocean conditions, where compound stress events are expected to become more frequent and severe.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

Environment and physiology shape antiphage system expression

Bacteria and archaea encode on average ten antiphage systems. Quorum sensing, cellular, or transcription factors can regulate specific systems (CRISPR-Cas, CBASS). Yet, a systematic assessment of antiphage systems expression patterns is lacking. Here, we combine publicly available RNA-seq data from 14 different species with an original RNA-seq dataset of 15 Escherichia coli strains across six environmental conditions and two growth stages. Using this data, we explore the transcription patterns of 236 antiphage systems from 81 types. Defense system expression is variable along environmental, physiological, as well as spatial gradients, and can correlate with cellular physiology and mobile genetic element activity. We identify antiphage systems as cohesive but complex transcriptional units, find coordinated expression of defense islands possibly underpinned by local regulators, and demonstrate the functional relevance of differential expression in native systems. Together, these results suggest that environmental and physiological factors regulate prokaryotic immunity and may prime bacteria for infection.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2026

Physiological detection of flow states across varied gameplay workloads

Flow is a cognitive state associated with heightened and seemingly effortless behavioral performance. Pioneering research suggests flow is an optimal cognitive mode for demanding tasks but the physiological underpinnings and identification on acute timescales, particularly across task contexts, remains an active area of research. Studies have demonstrated flow experiences are ubiquitous, in that they can arise during nearly any type of activity, suggesting flow represents a fundamental mechanism of skill mastery under which sensory inputs are seamlessly coupled to the necessary motor outputs. Cognitively, flow states are accompanied by a sense of complete task immersion, feelings of control, automatic behavior, decreased self-referential thinking and anxiety, changes in the perception of time, and improved affect to the point that arduous tasks can become autotelic, or self-rewarding. As wearable sensor technology continues to advance, the identification and manipulation of cognitive states in real-time is increasingly becoming a reality, with the potential to revolutionize learning, treatment of neurological disorders, and optimize task performance in domains ranging from professional sports to industry. This study aims to capture flow states from physiological measures so that they might be identified through wearable sensors coupled to machine-learning pipelines. In this work, models are made to predict high behavioral performance across disparately varied task conditions using multimodal physiological data, and these behavioral bouts are loosely correlated to participant responses to traditional flow state survey questions.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Physiological Characterization under the Influence of Drought Stress and Salicylic Acid in Valeriana wallichii DC

Valeriana wallichii DC, a high-altitude medicinal plant, is highly sensitive to drought stress, which adversely impacts its physiological functions and root biomass. This study aimed to evaluate salicylic acids role in mitigating drought stress by assessing physiological and biochemical responses in V. wallichii. Plants were treated with foliar applications of SA at concentrations of 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.0 mM during vegetative and flowering stages. Physiological parameters such as photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency (WUE), intrinsic WUE (iWUE), carboxylation efficiency, and biochemical traits including chlorophyll and carotenoid content were measured, alongside fresh and dry root biomass.Drought stress significantly reduced photosynthetic performance (Pn) (3.95 mol CO2m{square}2s{square}1 at 25% FC), stomatal conductance, relative water content, and root yield. SA application notably improved these traits. At 25% FC, 1.0 mM SA enhanced WUE (28.78), iWUE (642.37 mol/mol), and fresh root weight (8.41 g). Under moderate drought (50% FC), 0.50 mM SA improved net photosynthesis (12.5 mol CO2 m{square}2s{square}1), dry root weight (2.31 g), and chlorophyll content. SA treatments also stabilized membrane integrity and maintained higher chlorophyll fluorescence efficiency (Fv/Fm).These findings demonstrate that foliar application of SA enhances drought tolerance in V. wallichii by improving photosynthetic efficiency, water relations, and root biomass. The study supports the strategic use of SA to improve the resilience and productivity of medicinal plants under drought stress conditions. Highlights of the studyO_LIDrought lowers growth and yield by reducing photosynthesis and water use. C_LIO_LISalicylic acid reduces drought effects and improves plant performance. C_LIO_LIAt severe drought, 1- 0.50 mM SA raised WUE, conductance, and root yield. C_LIO_LIUnder mild drought, 0.75- 0.50 mM SA improved gas exchange and yield. C_LIO_LISA doses 0.25-1 mM differ in effectiveness across drought stress stages. C_LI

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Optimizing light environment enables speed breeding in forage legumes: physiological limits and generation time reduction in Medicago sativa and Medicago truncatula

Climate change and increasing global demand for animal products are intensifying the need to accelerate genetic improvement of forage crops. Speed breeding (SB) has emerged as a powerful tool to shorten generation cycles; however, its application in perennial and autotetraploid forage legumes remains limited, particularly regarding reproductive performance and physiological constraints. Here, we optimized photoperiod, light intensity, and light quality to accelerate the life cycle of Medicago sativa (alfalfa) and its diploid relative Medicago truncatula under controlled conditions. We evaluated flowering, fruiting, seed harvest time, seed set, and germination across independent and combined SB treatments, and assessed photosynthetic performance to identify potential physiological trade-offs. Blue- red light supplementation, moderate-to-high irradiance (450 {micro}mol m-2 s-1), and extended photoperiods significantly accelerated reproductive development in both species, although optimal combinations differed between the diploid and autotetraploid backgrounds. A combined SB regime (20/4 h photoperiod at 450 {micro}mol m-2 s-1) reduced time to harvest by 17% in M. sativa and 28% in M. truncatula, while maintaining viable seed production. Chlorophyll fluorescence analysis revealed a higher photosynthetic plasticity in alfalfa compared with M. truncatula, indicating species-specific physiological limits to SB intensification. Our results establish practical SB conditions for alfalfa and an agronomically relevant M. truncatula genotype, providing an enabling platform to accelerate breeding cycles and trait evaluation in forage legumes.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Optimizing irrigation during heat events sustains grapevine physiology and fruit production

O_LIIncreasing frequency, intensity, and duration of heat waves (HWs) threaten agricultural production globally by constraining physiological function and fruit production. Supplemental irrigation mitigates heat stress in grapevine and other woody perennial crops, yet water scarcity necessitates optimized irrigation strategies during extreme heat. C_LIO_LIWe conducted a three-year field trial in a commercial Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard, applying differential irrigation only before and during naturally occurring HWs: baseline (50% ET), moderate (90-120% ET), and high (120-180% ET). We monitored water potentials, leaf gas exchange, canopy temperature, yield, and berry composition. C_LIO_LIBaseline irrigation consistently reduced net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and leaf cooling capacity during HWs. Moderate supplemental irrigation maintained gas exchange, transpiration, and leaf temperature, mitigating yield losses. Excessive irrigation beyond moderate levels provided no additional physiological benefit and decreased crop water use efficiency and berry quality. C_LIO_LIOur results demonstrate that targeted, event-based irrigation sustains grapevine physiological performance and fruit production under extreme heat, whereas both insufficient and excessive water negatively affect carbon assimilation, stomatal regulation, and crop productivity. These findings emphasize the importance of aligning water management with heat event timing to preserve vine function, optimize water use, and maintain yield and fruit quality in water-limited regions. C_LI

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Physiological dominance of the scion in shaping root architecture under suboptimal temperature

BackgroundNon-optimal temperatures have become a major constraint on plant development under rapidly changing climatic conditions. Both sub- and supra-optimal temperatures reduce physiological activity, alter plant morphology, lead to plant mortality, and ultimately decrease crop productivity. Temperature-tolerant plants employ physiological and morphological mechanisms to mitigate such stress. In this study, we aimed to identify the source of temperature tolerance in warm-climate adapted melon (Cucumis melo L.). ResultsSuboptimal temperature-tolerant accession (Ananas Yoqneam; AY) and susceptible accession (PI414723) were reciprocally grafted and grown under controlled temperature regimes of 16 {degrees}C, 25 {degrees}C, and 35 {degrees}C. Physiological and morphological traits were measured to characterize tolerance mechanisms and whole-plant responses. Temperature emerged as the dominant factor governing plant performance. Whereas non-grafted parental lines maintained consistent differences across all temperature regimes, reciprocal graft combinations diverged mainly under suboptimal (16 {degrees}C) conditions. Under these temperatures, scion identity strongly determined whole-plant performance through biochemical limitations. ConclusionThese results highlight the importance of scion-derived traits in abiotic stress tolerance and their downstream influence on root function.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Shared network between social exclusion and physiological needs

We investigated the neural substrates underlying the brain network shared by social exclusion and physiological needs, both viewed as instances of deprivation. Using activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analyses, we examined brain activation patterns from studies where participants perceived food/water while hungry/thirsty and social interactions while experiencing exclusion. This analysis revealed overlapping activation in the mid-posterior insula, caudate head and ventral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), as regions consistently engaged when perceiving relevant stimuli across both physiological and social deprivation. Furthermore, we found high spatial correlation between this shared network and the distribution of dopamine receptors, and we identified a significant positive correlation with the 5HT4 among serotonin receptors. Our findings suggest that perceiving deprivation-related stimuli activates brain regions and neurotransmitters involved in aversive affect and goal-directed behavior. These results highlight a neural bridge linking basic physiological drives with complex social needs, offering new insights into the neurobiological architecture of human affective states--while representing just one part of a much larger puzzle.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Turning green in microgravity: facial color changes as best physiological indicator of space sickness

ABSTRACTMotion sickness (MS) is commonly hypothesized to arise from sensory conflicts between incongruent sources of sensory information. Different types of sensory conflicts can induce MS, yet it remains unclear whether distinct contexts produce different physiological responses. Moreover, there is a lack of reliable objective predictors of MS, particularly for space motion sickness (SMS), which appears unrelated to motion sickness susceptibility on Earth. This study examined multiple physiological measures as potential objective markers of MS, including heart rate, blood pressure, salivary cortisol, skin conductance, skin surface temperature, and facial skin colorimetry. Subjective motion sickness severity and symptomatology were assessed using standardized questionnaires (SSQ, MSAQ, MSSQ). All measures were collected before and immediately after exposure to two sensory conflict paradigms: virtual reality (visuo-vestibular conflict) and parabolic flight (otolitho-canal conflict). Post-exposure, both paradigms were associated with increased cortisol, skin conductance, and skin greeness. Notably, increased skin greenness was associated with greater MS severity in parabolic flight and strongly correlated with subjective nausea ratings in both paradigms. Skin temperature and systolic blood were affected differently by VR and parabolic flight. No robust new physiological predictors of MS were identified. Overall, our findings suggest that facial skin color -particularly skin greenness- may serve as a simple, non-invasive, and reliable objective indicator of MS severity.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Sleep initiation difficulties involve weaker neural and physiological sleep transitions, particularly in children with neurodevelopmental conditions

The transition from wake to stable sleep is characterized by multiple neural, physiological, and behavioral changes. How these changes may differ in individuals with difficulties falling asleep such as children with neurodevelopmental conditions is poorly understood. Here, we studied sleep initiation in >2000 nights recorded from 186 children who participated in the Simons Sleep Project (SSP). Data included simultaneous, synchronized recordings of actigraphy, electroencephalography (EEG), photoplethysmography (PPG), and skin temperature. We extracted multiple neural, physiological, and behavioral measures that are known to increase/decrease during the sleep initiation period including EEG delta (1-4Hz) power, movement counts, heart rate (HR), and skin temperature. Transitions from 20 minutes before sleep onset to 40 minutes after sleep onset were modeled with a sigmoid function enabling the quantification of transition timing, speed, and magnitude per measure. Individuals with longer sleep onset latencies (SOL) exhibited smaller increases in EEG delta power and skin temperature as well as smaller decreases in HR and activity counts. These findings indicate that difficulties falling asleep are associated with multiple forms of cortical, physiological, and behavioral hyperarousal that can be measured at home with wearable devices. Importantly, transition magnitudes were key to explaining differences in SOL across participants (26% explained variance) in contrast to transition speed or timing within the sleep initiation period (<13% explained variance). Longer SOL and weaker transitions were particularly prominent in children diagnosed with autism and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Interpersonal physiological synchrony: estimation and clinical application to cardiac dynamics of parent-infant dyads

Synchrony is a key mechanism that builds up the foundations of human interactions. Quantifying the level of physiological synchronization that occurs during dyadic exchanges is essential to fully comprehend social phenomena. We present a new index to characterize the coupling of complex physiological dynamics: the optimized Multichannel Complexity Index (opMCI). We validated this approach using synthetic time series of two coupled Henon Maps, with four different coupling levels in unidirectional and bidirectional manners. We demonstrated that the opMCI method allows to effectively discern between all coupling levels. Then, we applied the opMCI metric on heart rate variability data collected from 37 parent-infant dyads, during shared reading and playing activities, in the framework of the Shared Emotional Reading (SHER) project, with the aim of assessing the effects of early intervention in preterm babies. Two groups presented preterm infants: an intervention group, who participated in a two-month shared reading program, and a control group, who practiced shared play activities. A full-term group provided additional control data. The opMCI values were significantly higher for the intervention dyads with respect to the other groups during the shared reading task, showing that an early reading intervention program could increase parent-infant synchrony in preterm babies. Graphical Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=112 SRC="FIGDIR/small/712915v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (29K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@22f13forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@c623eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@10605b5org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@60d594_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG HighlightsO_LIInterpersonal physiological synchrony is a fundamental mechanism for the evolutionary path C_LIO_LIAn ad-hoc methodological framework to assess nonlinear cardiac coupling is lacking C_LIO_LIThe opMCI has been shown to be a reliable tool for assessing the degree of synchrony C_LIO_LIEarly shared book reading may increase parent-infant synchrony in a clinical setting C_LI

bioengineering↗