Neural Oscillation Mechanisms of Repetitive Subconcussive Impacts: A Network Study of Microstate-specific Cross-Frequency Coupling

Neural Oscillation Mechanisms of Repetitive Subconcussive Impacts: A Network Study of Microstate-specific Cross-Frequency Coupling | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Neural Oscillation Mechanisms of Repetitive Subconcussive Impacts: A Network Study of Microstate-specific Cross-Frequency Coupling He Yida, Li Huanhuan, Li Xiang, Fu Zhenghao, Chen Lida, Gao Lijie, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7138160/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 30 Sep, 2025 Read the published version in The Journal of Headache and Pain → Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Repetitive subconcussive impacts are linked to headache pathophysiology, yet the role of electroencephalography (EEG) microstates and cross-frequency coupling in repetitive subconcussive (SC) neural alterations remains unclear. This study investigated microstate-specific cross-frequency coupling network (MCFCN) abnormalities in SC-exposed individuals to uncover mechanisms underlying headache vulnerability. Methods Resting-state EEG was recorded from 16 experienced parachuters (SC group) and 16 demographically matched healthy controls (HC group). Microstate analysis (four canonical classes: A-D) and cross-frequency coupling (CFC) interactions (n: m) phase synchronization index, PSI) were computed to construct the MCFCNs. The MCFCNs were evaluated using machine learning (LightGBM classifier) to discriminate between the two groups, with key features identified by SHAP values and corrected for multiple comparisons. Results SC-exposed individuals exhibited MCFCN disruptions in large-scale networks..Notably, reduced delta/theta to alpha/beta coupling was observed in microstates A, C, and D, except for an increase in delta-band coupling from the default mode network (DMN) to the frontoparietal network (FPN) in microstate A. These alterations involved emotional-motor integration, attentional control, and self-referential processing. LightGBM models achieved significant group discrimination, wih SHAP analysis highlighting theta-DMN, beta-SMN, and delta-LIM as critical nodes. Conclusions SC exposure induces MCFCNs abnormalities resembling central pain syndromes, even in the absence of overt symptoms.These findings suggest that interactions within MCFCNs may serve as potential early biomarkers for headache vulnerability and chronicity, warranting further exploration in longitudinal studies and targeted neurointerventions. Repetitive subconcussive impacts EEG Microstates Cross-frequency coupling Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 30 Sep, 2025 Read the published version in The Journal of Headache and Pain → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 27 Jul, 2025 Reviews received at journal 27 Jul, 2025 Reviews received at journal 19 Jul, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Jul, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 17 Jul, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 17 Jul, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 17 Jul, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 17 Jul, 2025 First submitted to journal 16 Jul, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7138160","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":487845542,"identity":"066669dd-65eb-4c1d-960e-71aa6d8bb0cd","order_by":0,"name":"He Yida","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"South\n\t\tCentral Minzu University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"He","middleName":"","lastName":"Yida","suffix":""},{"id":487845543,"identity":"bcdc325f-e86f-4623-99ce-5057e77b08ea","order_by":1,"name":"Li Huanhuan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"General Hospital \n\t\tof Central Theater 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This study investigated microstate-specific cross-frequency coupling network (MCFCN) abnormalities in SC-exposed individuals to uncover mechanisms underlying headache vulnerability.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResting-state EEG was recorded from 16 experienced parachuters (SC group) and 16 demographically matched healthy controls (HC group). Microstate analysis (four canonical classes: A-D) and cross-frequency coupling (CFC) interactions (n: m) phase synchronization index, PSI) were computed to construct the MCFCNs. 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LightGBM models achieved significant group discrimination, wih SHAP analysis highlighting theta-DMN, beta-SMN, and delta-LIM as critical nodes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSC exposure induces MCFCNs abnormalities resembling central pain syndromes, even in the absence of overt symptoms.These findings suggest that interactions within MCFCNs may serve as potential early biomarkers for headache vulnerability and chronicity, warranting further exploration in longitudinal studies and targeted neurointerventions.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Neural Oscillation Mechanisms of Repetitive Subconcussive Impacts: A Network Study of Microstate-specific Cross-Frequency Coupling","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-07-21 16:04:43","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7138160/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-07-27T13:45:00+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-07-27T10:14:04+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-07-19T08:52:14+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"40721087345369688309674198302192911187","date":"2025-07-19T08:12:57+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"105467766634914840043986633367199474960","date":"2025-07-17T07:48:55+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-07-17T07:15:05+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-07-17T07:02:30+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-07-17T07:00:56+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"The Journal of Headache and Pain","date":"2025-07-16T09:08:23+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"the-journal-of-headache-and-pain","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"tjhp","sideBox":"Learn more about [The Journal of Headache and Pain](https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"10194","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10194/3","title":"The Journal of Headache and Pain","twitterHandle":"@BioMedCentral","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"12045576-8e78-44de-8e11-6d6837abd852","owner":[],"postedDate":"July 21st, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-10-06T16:08:48+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-7138160","link":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-025-02135-8","journal":{"identity":"the-journal-of-headache-and-pain","isVorOnly":false,"title":"The Journal of Headache and Pain"},"publishedOn":"2025-09-30 15:56:59","publishedOnDateReadable":"September 30th, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-07-21 16:04:43","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1186/s10194-025-02135-8","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-025-02135-8","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7138160","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7138160","identity":"rs-7138160","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}