Push the System: Stimulation, Pharmacology, and Closed-Loop Tests of Cognitive Mechanisms

Cognitive processes such as attention, perception, memory, executive function, and social cognition emerge from dynamic interactions between distributed neural systems. While correlational methods like neuroimaging and electrophysiology have mapped these networks extensively, they cannot establish whether a given neural signature is necessary or sufficient for a cognitive function. Causal interventions—including non-invasive brain stimulation (TMS, tDCS, tACS), pharmacological manipulation, and closed-loop neurofeedback systems—offer a powerful complement, allowing researchers to directly perturb neural systems and observe the behavioral consequences. Advances in real-time signal processing and adaptive stimulation now make it possible to test cognitive theories with unprecedented precision and mechanistic specificity.Despite growing enthusiasm for causal neuroscience methods, findings across stimulation and pharmacology studies are often inconsistent, with effect sizes varying widely across labs, protocols, and populations. This Research Topic aims to address this gap by bringing together studies that rigorously test cognitive mechanisms using interventional approaches, with particular emphasis on closed-loop and adaptive designs that respond to real-time neural or behavioral states. Our goal is to advance a more mechanistic, reproducible understanding of how targeted interventions shape cognition, and to highlight methodological innovations that improve precision and translational potential across basic and clinical settings.Relevant themes include:• Non-invasive brain stimulation (TMS, tDCS, tACS) effects on attention, perception, memory, executive function, and social cognition• Pharmacological manipulation of neurotransmitter systems and cognitive performance• Closed-loop and adaptive stimulation protocols guided by real-time neural or behavioral markers• Individual variability in response to stimulation or pharmacological interventions• Methodological and computational advances in real-time neural state detection• Translational applications for cognitive enhancement or rehabilitation Topic editors: Giuseppe Giglia, Tuan Nguyen, Umberto Quartetti, Nicasio Rini Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84133/push-the-system-stimulation-pharmacology-and-closed-loop-tests-of-cognitive-mechanisms