Neural connectivity patterns underlying yes and no responses across sensory modalities

This study explores the neural encoding of binary intentions (“Yes” vs. “No”) using EEG coherence in visual and auditory modalities, focusing on frequency-specific connectivity patterns. EEG data were recorded from 23 participants, with coherence analyzed across five frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma) during a 1,000 ms intention-formation window. Statistical analyses included repeated-measures ANOVA and post-hoc paired t-tests, with FDR correction applied. The analysis revealed significant differences in connectivity for “Yes” and “No” responses. Delta and theta coherence showed stronger connectivity in frontoparietal and frontotemporal networks for “Yes” responses across both modalities. Modality-specific effects were observed in the alpha and beta bands, with the visual modality showing increased alpha coherence for “Yes” responses, while the auditory modality showed the opposite. Gamma coherence was less prominent. These findings suggest that binary intentions are represented through distributed, frequency-specific networks, with delta and theta bands providing robust markers for intention encoding, and alpha/beta modulations reflecting modality-specific processing. This study provides insights into the frequency- and modality-dependent neural mechanisms of intention formation, emphasizing the role of low-frequency coherence in intention decoding and the need for modality-specific models in brain-computer interfaces.