Embodied Cognition in Translational Neuroscience: Movement, Neurochemistry, and Brain Health

Embodied cognition proposes that cognitive processes emerge from dynamic interactions between the brain, body, and environment. Over the past decade, converging evidence from neuroscience, psychology, rehabilitation medicine, and movement sciences has demonstrated that bodily movement, sensorimotor engagement, and artistic expression can significantly influence cognitive and emotional processes. At the same time, advances in neurochemistry, neuroimaging, and digital technologies have begun to reveal the biological mechanisms underlying these embodied effects on brain function.Translational neuroscience aims to bridge fundamental discoveries about brain–body interactions with clinical and community interventions that improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Emerging approaches—including movement-based cognitive assessments, neuroarts interventions, sports neuroscience, and AI-enabled digital health technologies—offer promising pathways to improve brain health across the lifespan. Building upon interdisciplinary discussions presented at the 2026 International Symposium on Embodied Cognition (ISEC) at Yale University, this Research Topic aims to advance translational research integrating embodied cognition, neurochemistry mechanisms, and clinical innovation for brain health and neurorehabilitation.Despite growing recognition of the role of bodily processes in cognition, many neuroscience discoveries remain insufficiently translated into clinical practice and real-world health interventions. One major challenge is developing reliable movement-based biomarkers and scalable interventions that integrate behavioral, neurochemical, and technological dimensions of brain function.This Research Topic aims to advance translational neuroscience by integrating research on embodied cognition with clinical applications for neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. We seek contributions that investigate both movement-based assessments—including digital motor biomarkers and cognitive-motor testing—and movement-based interventions designed to enhance cognitive resilience, emotional regulation, and neurological recovery.In addition, the collection aims to highlight emerging mechanistic insights, including neurochemical pathways, neuromodulatory systems, and brain network dynamics that underlie embodied cognitive processes. Studies integrating AI-driven analytics, wearable sensors, digital neurotechnology, and neuroimaging are particularly encouraged. By linking mechanistic discoveries with clinical and community applications, this Research Topic aims to accelerate the translation of embodied neuroscience into practical strategies for improving cognitive vitality, mental health, and neurological rehabilitation across diverse populations.Submissions may explore how bodily movement, neurochemical processes, artistic expression, digital technologies, and social interaction influence neural systems and cognitive outcomes. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:• Movement-based assessments and digital motor biomarkers for neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders• Movement-based interventions for neurorehabilitation and cognitive enhancement• Neurochemical mechanisms underlying embodied cognitive processes• Psychedelics and embodied neural mechanisms of cognition and emotion• Sports neuroscience and motor-cognitive performance training• Neuroarts, music, dance, and creative therapies in brain health• Mind–body interventions for aging, dementia prevention, and Alzheimer’s disease• AI and digital technologies for embodied neuroscience research• Wearable sensors and computational models of brain–body interaction• Community-based and culturally grounded embodied interventionsStudies integrating clinical populations, mechanistic neuroscience, and real-world translational applications are particularly encouraged.Each manuscript should be submitted to one of the participating journals and be in scope with it. Unless conflicts of interests arise, the manuscript will be handled by one of the editors of the collection. Should the manuscript be accepted, it will be featured in both the Research Topic page and the journal it was accepted in. Topic editors: Kun Liu, Rummana Aslam, Morris David Bell, Christopher Pittenger, Gao-Xia Wei, Yanfeng Zhang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79337/embodied-cognition-in-translational-neuroscience-movement-neurochemistry-and-brain-health