Masaru Tanaka
Zhenhong He
Shangfeng Han4
Simone Battaglia- 1Danube Neuroscience Research Laboratory, HUN-REN-SZTE Neuroscience Research Group, Hungarian Research Network, University of Szeged (HUN-REN-SZTE), Szeged, Hungary
- 2School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- 3Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- 4Department of Psychology and Center for Brain and Cognitive Sciences, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
- 5Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari, ” Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- 6Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
Editorial on the Research Topic
Noninvasive brain stimulation: a promising approach to study and improve emotion regulation
1 Introduction
Emotion regulation (ER) profoundly shapes our mental health and overall wellbeing, influencing daily decisions and social interactions (Kraiss et al., 2020; Cludius et al., 2020; Sloan et al., 2017; Chervonsky and Hunt, 2019; Hu et al., 2014; Berking and Wupperman, 2012). Effective ER strategies consistently correlate with better psychological and physical health outcomes, heightened life satisfaction, and improved resilience in the face of everyday stressors (Kraiss et al., 2020; Tamir et al., 2024; Raugh et al., 2025; Espenes et al., 2024; Schäfer et al., 2017; Troy et al., 2018). Conversely, insufficient or maladaptive ER can exacerbate mental health issues, impacting emotional balance and daily functioning, particularly in vulnerable populations like individuals with psychiatric disorders (Kraiss et al., 2020; Schäfer et al., 2017; Cludius et al., 2020; Tsujimoto et al., 2024; Lincoln et al., 2022; Polizzi and Lynn, 2021). Recent advances in noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS), such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), offer powerful tools to modulate neural activity, particularly within the prefrontal cortex (PFC) (Regenold et al., 2022; Chan et al., 2021; Xiao et al., 2024; Pettorruso et al., 2021; Liu and Yuan, 2021; Brevet-Aeby et al., 2016; Sagliano et al., 2019). These techniques influence resting-state connectivity, neurotransmitter systems, and stress-related pathways, including cortisol regulation via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which plays a critical role in disorders such as PTSD (Battaglia et al., 2025a; Tortora et al., 2023; Schuurmans et al., 2021; Jensen et al., 2024; Almeida et al., 2021; Lawrence and Scofield, 2024). Complementing circuit-based neuromodulation, plant-derived phytochemicals have emerged as multimodal agents capable of simultaneously targeting neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction in major depressive disorder (Figueiredo Godoy et al., 2025; Cordeiro et al., 2022; Picheta et al., 2024; Kabra et al., 2022; Mokhtari, 2022). Additionally, CRISPR/Cas9 evidence indicates that loss of kynurenine aminotransferase activity markedly disrupts cerebral mitochondrial respiration and ATP production, underscoring dysregulated tryptophan–kynurenine metabolism as a key bioenergetic contributor to emotion-related disorders (Juhász et al., 2025; Javelle et al., 2021; Marx et al., 2021; Tanaka et al., 2022; Mor et al., 2021; Skorobogatov et al., 2021; Szabó et al., 2025). Structure-guided tuning of this endogenous metabolite hints at next-generation neurotherapeutics (Tanaka et al., 2025). By influencing resting-state connectivity, neurotransmitter function, and deeper brain circuits, NIBS techniques are increasingly recognized for their therapeutic potential across psychiatric disorders, including depression, impulsivity, PTSD, insomnia, schizophrenia, and even developmental conditions like dyslexia (Zhou et al., 2024; Krystal et al., 2020; Wei et al., 2020; Konicar et al., 2022; Dunlop et al., 2017; Sathappan et al., 2019).
Current research gaps involve uncertainties regarding optimal and individualized brain stimulation targets for effectively modulating emotion regulation (Zhang et al., 2022; Shen and Zhou, 2024; Smits et al., 2020; Jahangard et al., 2019; Ironside et al., 2016; Salehinejad et al., 2017). Precise anatomical and functional connectivity between superficial cortical sites—especially within the prefrontal cortex—and deeper emotional brain circuits remains insufficiently defined (Sun et al., 2023; Berboth and Morawetz, 2021; Ben Shalom and Skandalakis, 2025; Skandalakis et al., 2023; Huang et al., 2020; Khastkhodaei et al., 2021). Additionally, there is limited understanding of how variations in brain connectivity profiles influence individual responses to stimulation including the interplay between central and autonomic nervous system markers such as cardiac deceleration during cognitive control processes (Di Gregorio et al., 2024; Ozdemir et al., 2021; A Papasavvas et al., 2022; Wang et al., 2021; Giannakakis et al., 2020; Marzetti et al., 2024). Moreover, standardized methods integrating imaging-based modeling, automated optimization techniques, and systematic group-level analyses to refine target selection and stimulation parameters are lacking, hindering personalized treatments and limiting our ability to predict therapeutic outcomes across different mental health conditions (Malekmohammadi et al., 2022; Treu et al., 2020; Tervo et al., 2020; Chen et al., 2021). This editorial synthesizes how the four contributions in this Research Topic advance non-invasive brain-stimulation science by mapping cortical–subcortical connectivity, testing innovative stimulation modalities, and demonstrating behavioral benefits, thereby narrowing gaps in target selection, mechanistic understanding, and individualized intervention strategies for emotion-regulation enhancement while outlining future research priorities and translational opportunities.
2 Articles
Using a within-subjects crossover design, Wang et al. compared a single 30-min bout of Tai Chi, isocaloric cycling, and quiet rest in 36 young adults while tracking emotional-memory performance and prefrontal hemodynamics with fNIRS. Tai Chi selectively boosted recall accuracy for positive images and produced a robust rise in oxy-hemoglobin within the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex—a hub for cognitive reappraisal—whereas cycling yielded only modest gains and rest produced none. Critically, increases in left-DLPFC oxygenation strongly predicted memory accuracy, evidencing an exercise-specific pathway linking mind-body practice to enhanced emotion regulation circuitry. The findings position acute Tai Chi as a fast-acting, non-pharmacological modulator of prefrontal control over affective processing, illustrating how exercise modality shapes ER-related brain–behavior dynamics. These data encourage integrating mindful movement sessions into rehabilitation and mental-health programs targeting affect control.
Hou et al. deliver a convincing demonstration that precisely targeting a deeper cortical node—the left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)—can restore social emotion-regulation (ER) functions. In FMR1-knock-out and valproic-acid mouse models of autism, socially triggered ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), normally reliant on ER circuitry, fail to recruit ACC excitatory neurons. Optogenetic silencing of the same neurons suppresses USVs in wild-type animals, confirming necessity. Conversely, optogenetic activation or seven-day, millimeter-focused 10 Hz repetitive TMS—a novel three-coil “micro-TMS” capable of confining magnetic fields to ~0.5 mm3—reactivates left-ACC responsiveness, boosting call rates, syllable repertoire, and affective reciprocity in both mutant lines. Right-hemisphere or off-target stimulation leaves behavior unchanged, underscoring lateralized specificity. Importantly, gains persist for at least 1-week post-stimulation, hinting at durable circuit re-entrainment. The study positions the left ACC as a causal, therapeutically tractable hub linking cognition, affect, and social communication, charting a roadmap for human NIBS protocols targeting deeper cortical–subcortical ER networks.
Tomita et al. pioneer transcranial static magnetic field stimulation (tSMS) as a compact, low-cost tool for dampening maladaptive emotion-regulation processes in social anxiety. Using a triple-magnet device capable of suppressing cortical excitability up to 8 cm deep, they targeted the right frontopolar area—a hub where pathological self-focused attention (SFA) originates. In twenty-three high-SAD students, a single 20-min tSMS session reduced resting-state oxy-hemoglobin in right frontopolar channels, attenuated SFA toward bodily sensations, and increased adaptive field and detached-mindfulness perspectives during a subsequent impromptu speech. Benefits scaled with trait anxiety, suggesting precision engagement of overactive circuitry. Sham stimulation produced no comparable change. Critically, the protocol required no electrical current or acoustic coil discharge, minimizing discomfort and simplifying translation. By demonstrating that static magnetic fields can recalibrate attentional stance and relieve anxiety-linked ER distortions, the study opens a fresh avenue for future clinical deployment worldwide.
Moro et al. provide decisive evidence that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is a causal node for impulsive inter-temporal choice. Forty-two healthy adults received a 20-min, 2 mA bilateral tDCS session with either anodal-left/cathodal-right or the reversed montage while completing a monetary delay-discounting task and an n-back working-memory test. Both polarities significantly increased area-under-the-curve values and lowered discounting rates, revealing steeper valuation of delayed rewards—effectively curbing impulsive decisions. Critically, stimulation left baseline trait impulsivity, Go/No-Go behavioral inhibition, and working-memory accuracy unchanged, ruling out non-specific executive confounds. Computational electric-field modeling confirmed maximal current density within medial–lateral OFC, isolating the target. The study clarifies that modulating OFC excitability alone recalibrates cost-benefit calculations without altering other cognitive domains, positioning OFC-focused tDCS as a promising intervention for impulsivity-driven disorders such as addiction and binge eating.
3 Conclusion and future directions
Taken together, the contributions assembled here narrow critical gaps in emotion-regulation science by elucidating neural circuits, establishing precision NIBS targets, and spotlighting pathways toward clinically translatable therapeutics. Specifically, the evidence shows that mindful exercise sharpens prefrontal ER networks, millimeter-targeted ACC stimulation revives social communication, portable static magnets mitigate social anxiety, and, orbitofrontal tDCS reins in impulsive choice. Future directions should prioritize personalized NIBS protocols informed by individual neural connectivity profiles, integration of NIBS with complementary neurotechnologies such as neurofeedback and advanced imaging, and systematic translation into clinical settings (Tanaka, 2024; Soleimani et al., 2023; Karimi et al., 2025; Guerrero Moreno et al., 2021; Raymond et al., 2022; Carè et al., 2024). These steps will accelerate effective, tailored interventions, substantially advancing mental health care—especially as we deepen our understanding of brain–body communication and confront the paradox of a brain studying itself, a pursuit that intertwines consciousness, self-regulation, and the boundaries of introspective neuroscience (Di Gregorio and Battaglia, 2024; Battaglia et al., 2025b; Tanaka, 2025; Signorelli et al., 2022; Northoff et al., 2020; Peters, 2025).
Author contributions
MT: Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft. ZH: Writing – review & editing. SH: Writing – review & editing. SB: Writing – review & editing.
Funding
The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network to MT and by #NEXTGENERATIONEU (NGEU) funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR), National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), project MNESYS (PE0000006) - A Multiscale integrated approach to the study of the nervous system in health and disease (DN. 1553 11.10.2022) and Bial Foundation, Portugal (235/22) to SB.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
References
A Papasavvas, C., Taylor, P. N, and Wang, Y. (2022). Long-term changes in functional connectivity improve prediction of responses to intracranial stimulation of the human brain. J. Neural Eng. 19:5568. doi: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac5568
Almeida, F. B., Pinna, G., and Barros, H. M. T. (2021). The role of HPA axis and allopregnanolone on the neurobiology of major depressive disorders and PTSD. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 22:5495. doi: 10.3390/ijms22115495
Battaglia, S., Di Fazio, C., Borgomaneri, S., and Avenanti, A. (2025a). Cortisol imbalance and fear learning in PTSD: therapeutic approaches to control abnormal fear responses. Curr. Neuropharmacol. 23, 835–846. doi: 10.2174/1570159X23666250123142526
Battaglia, S., Servajean, P., and Friston, K. J. (2025b). The paradox of the self-studying brain. Phys. Life Rev. 52, 197–204. doi: 10.1016/j.plrev.2024.12.009
Ben Shalom, D., and Skandalakis, G. P. (2025). Four streams within the prefrontal cortex: integrating structural and functional connectivity. Neuroscientist 31, 8–13. doi: 10.1177/10738584241245304
Berboth, S., and Morawetz, C. (2021). Amygdala-prefrontal connectivity during emotion regulation: a meta-analysis of psychophysiological interactions. Neuropsychologia 153:107767. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107767
Berking, M., and Wupperman, P. (2012). Emotion regulation and mental health: recent findings, current challenges, and future directions. Curr. Opin. Psychiatry. 25, 128–134. doi: 10.1097/YCO.0b013e3283503669
Brevet-Aeby, C., Brunelin, J., Iceta, S., Padovan, C., and Poulet, E. (2016). Prefrontal cortex and impulsivity: Interest of noninvasive brain stimulation. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 71, 112–134. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.028
Carè, M., Chiappalone, M., and Cota, V. R. (2024). Personalized strategies of neurostimulation: from static biomarkers to dynamic closed-loop assessment of neural function. Front. Neurosci. 18:1363128. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1363128
Chan, M. M. Y., Yau, S. S. Y., and Han, Y. M. Y. (2021). The neurobiology of prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in promoting brain plasticity: A systematic review and meta-analyses of human and rodent studies. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 125, 392–416. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.035
Chen, Y., Cha, Y. H., Gleghorn, D., Doudican, B. C., Shou, G., Ding, L., et al. (2021). Brain network effects by continuous theta burst stimulation in mal de débarquement syndrome: simultaneous EEG and fMRI study. J. Neural Eng. 18:314. doi: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac314b
Chervonsky, E., and Hunt, C. (2019). Emotion regulation, mental health, and social wellbeing in a young adolescent sample: a concurrent and longitudinal investigation. Emotion 19, 270–282. doi: 10.1037/emo0000432
Cludius, B., Mennin, D., and Ehring, T. (2020). Emotion regulation as a transdiagnostic process. Emotion 20, 37–42. doi: 10.1037/emo0000646
Cordeiro, M., Martins, V., Silva, A. P. D., Rocha, H. A. O., Rachetti, V. P. S., Scortecci, K. C., et al. (2022). Phenolic acids as antidepressant agents. Nutrients 14:4309. doi: 10.3390/nu14204309
Di Gregorio, F., and Battaglia, S. (2024). The intricate brain–body interaction in psychiatric and neurological diseases. Adv. Clin. Exper. Med. 33, 321–326. doi: 10.17219/acem/185689
Di Gregorio, F., Steinhauser, M., Maier, M. E., Thayer, J. F., and Battaglia, S. (2024). Error-related cardiac deceleration: Functional interplay between error-related brain activity and autonomic nervous system in performance monitoring. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 157:105542. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105542
Dunlop, K., Hanlon, C. A., and Downar, J. (2017). Noninvasive brain stimulation treatments for addiction and major depression. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 1394, 31–54. doi: 10.1111/nyas.12985
Espenes, K., Tørmoen, A. J., Rognstad, K., Nilsen, K. H., Waaler, P. M., Wentzel-Larsen, T., et al. (2024). Effect of psychosocial interventions on children and youth emotion regulation: a meta-analysis. Adm. Policy Ment. Health. 2024, 1–15. doi: 10.1007/s10488-024-01373-3
Figueiredo Godoy, A. C., Frota, F. F., Araújo, L. P., Valenti, V. E., Pereira, E. S. B. M., Detregiachi, C. R. P., et al. (2025). Neuroinflammation and natural antidepressants: balancing fire with flora. Biomedicines 13:1129. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines13051129
Giannakakis, E., Hutchings, F., Papasavvas, C. A., Han, C. E., Weber, B., Zhang, C., et al. (2020). Computational modelling of the long-term effects of brain stimulation on the local and global structural connectivity of epileptic patients. PLoS ONE 15:e0221380. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221380
Guerrero Moreno, J., Biazoli, C. E., Baptista, A. F., and Trambaiolli, L. R. (2021). Closed-loop neurostimulation for affective symptoms and disorders: an overview. Biol. Psychol. 161:108081. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108081
Hu, T., Zhang, D., Wang, J., Mistry, R., Ran, G., Wang, X., et al. (2014). Relation between emotion regulation and mental health: a meta-analysis review. Psychol. Rep. 114, 341–362. doi: 10.2466/03.20.PR0.114k22w4
Huang, W. C., Zucca, A., Levy, J., and Page, D. T. (2020). Social behavior is modulated by valence-encoding mPFC-amygdala sub-circuitry. Cell Rep. 32:107899. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107899
Ironside, M., O'Shea, J., Cowen, P. J., and Harmer, C. J. (2016). Frontal cortex stimulation reduces vigilance to threat: implications for the treatment of depression and anxiety. Biol. Psychiatry. 79, 823–830. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.06.012
Jahangard, L., Tayebi, M., Haghighi, M., Ahmadpanah, M., Holsboer-Trachsler, E., Sadeghi Bahmani, D., et al. (2019). Does rTMS on brain areas of mirror neurons lead to higher improvements on symptom severity and empathy compared to the rTMS standard procedure? Results from a double-blind interventional study in individuals with major depressive disorders. J. Affect. Disord. 257, 527–535. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.07.019
Javelle, F., Bloch, W., Knoop, A., Guillemin, G. J., and Zimmer, P. (2021). Toward a neuroprotective shift: eight weeks of high intensity interval training reduces the neurotoxic kynurenine activity concurrently to impulsivity in emotionally impulsive humans - A randomized controlled trial. Brain Behav. Immun. 96, 7–17. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.04.020
Jensen, D. E., Ebmeier, K. P., Suri, S., Rushworth, M. F., and Klein-Flügge, M. C. (2024). Nuclei-specific hypothalamus networks predict a dimensional marker of stress in humans. Nat. Commun. 15:2426. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46275-y
Juhász, L., Spisák, K., Szolnoki, B. Z., Nászai, A., Szabó, Á., Rutai, A., et al. (2025). The power struggle: kynurenine pathway enzyme knockouts and brain mitochondrial respiration. J. Neurochem. 169:e70075. doi: 10.1111/jnc.70075
Kabra, A., Garg, R., Brimson, J., Živkovi,ć, J., Almawash, S., Ayaz, M., et al. (2022). Mechanistic insights into the role of plant polyphenols and their nano-formulations in the management of depression. Front. Pharmacol. 13:1046599. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1046599
Karimi, F., Steiner, M., Newton, T., Lloyd, B. A., Cassara, A. M., de Fontenay, P., et al. (2025). Precision non-invasive brain stimulation: anin silicopipeline for personalized control of brain dynamics. J. Neural Eng. 22:026061. doi: 10.1088/1741-2552/adb88f
Khastkhodaei, Z., Muthuraman, M., Yang, J. W., Groppa, S., and Luhmann, H. J. (2021). Functional and directed connectivity of the cortico-limbic network in mice in vivo. Brain Struct. Funct. 226, 685–700. doi: 10.1007/s00429-020-02202-7
Konicar, L., Prillinger, K., Klöbl, M., Lanzenberger, R., Antal, A., Plener, P. L., et al. (2022). Brain stimulation for emotion regulation in adolescents with psychiatric disorders: study protocol for a clinical-transdiagnostical, randomized, triple-blinded and sham-controlled neurotherapeutic trial. Front. Psychiatry. 13:840836. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.840836
Kraiss, J. T., Ten Klooster, P. M., Moskowitz, J. T., and Bohlmeijer, E. T. (2020). The relationship between emotion regulation and well-being in patients with mental disorders: a meta-analysis. Compr. Psychiatry. 102:152189. doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2020.152189
Krystal, A. D., Pizzagalli, D. A., Smoski, M., Mathew, S. J., Nurnberger, J., Lisanby, S. H., et al. (2020). A randomized proof-of-mechanism trial applying the 'fast-fail' approach to evaluating κ-opioid antagonism as a treatment for anhedonia. Nat. Med. 26, 760–768. doi: 10.1038/s41591-020-0806-7
Lawrence, S., and Scofield, R. H. (2024). Post traumatic stress disorder associated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation and physical illness. Brain, Behav. Immun.-Health 2024:100849. doi: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100849
Lincoln, T. M., Schulze, L., and Renneberg, B. (2022). The role of emotion regulation in the characterization, development and treatment of psychopathology. Nat. Rev. Psychol. 1, 272–286. doi: 10.1038/s44159-022-00040-4
Liu, Q., and Yuan, T. (2021). Noninvasive brain stimulation of addiction: one target for all? Psychoradiology 1, 172–184. doi: 10.1093/psyrad/kkab016
Malekmohammadi, M., Mustakos, R., Sheth, S., Pouratian, N., McIntyre, C. C., Bijanki, K. R., et al. (2022). Automated optimization of deep brain stimulation parameters for modulating neuroimaging-based targets. J. Neural Eng. 19:ac7e6c. doi: 10.1101/2022.05.23.22275220
Marx, W., Mcguinness, A. J., Rocks, T., Ruusunen, A., Cleminson, J., Walker, A. J., et al. (2021). The kynurenine pathway in major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia: a meta-analysis of 101 studies. Mol Psychiatry 26, 4158–4178. doi: 10.1038/s41380-020-00951-9
Marzetti, L., Basti, A., Guidotti, R., Baldassarre, A., Metsomaa, J., Zrenner, C., et al. (2024). Exploring motor network connectivity in state-dependent transcranial magnetic stimulation: a proof-of-concept study. Biomedicines 12:955. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12050955
Mokhtari, T. (2022). Targeting autophagy and neuroinflammation pathways with plant-derived natural compounds as potential antidepressant agents. Phytother. Res. 36, 3470–3489. doi: 10.1002/ptr.7551
Mor, A., Tankiewicz-Kwedlo, A., Krupa, A., and Pawlak, D. (2021). Role of kynurenine pathway in oxidative stress during neurodegenerative disorders. Cells 10:1603. doi: 10.3390/cells10071603
Northoff, G., Wainio-Theberge, S., and Evers, K. (2020). Is temporo-spatial dynamics the “common currency” of brain and mind? In Quest of “Spatiotemporal Neuroscience.” Phys Life Rev. 33, 34–54. doi: 10.1016/j.plrev.2019.05.002
Ozdemir, R. A., Tadayon, E., Boucher, P., Sun, H., Momi, D., Ganglberger, W., et al. (2021). Cortical responses to noninvasive perturbations enable individual brain fingerprinting. Brain Stimul. 14, 391–403. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.02.005
Peters, M. A. K. (2025). Introspective psychophysics for the study of subjective experience. Cereb. Cortex. 35, 49–57. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhae455
Pettorruso, M., Miuli, A., Di Natale, C., Montemitro, C., Zoratto, F., De Risio, L., et al. (2021). Non-invasive brain stimulation targets and approaches to modulate gambling-related decisions: a systematic review. Addict. Behav. 112:106657. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106657
Picheta, N., Piekarz, J., Daniłowska, K., Mazur, K., Piecewicz-Szczesna, H., Smoleń, A., et al. (2024). Phytochemicals in the treatment of patients with depression: a systemic review. Front. Psychiatry. 15:1509109. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1509109
Polizzi, C. P., and Lynn, S. J. (2021). Regulating emotionality to manage adversity: A systematic review of the relation between emotion regulation and psychological resilience. Cognit. Ther. Res. 2021, 1–21. doi: 10.1007/s10608-020-10186-1
Raugh, I. M., Berglund, A. M., and Strauss, G. P. (2025). Implementation of mindfulness-based emotion regulation strategies: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Affect Sci. 6, 171–200. doi: 10.1007/s42761-024-00281-x
Raymond, N., Reinhart, R. M. G., Keshavan, M., and Lizano, P. (2022). An integrated neuroimaging approach to inform transcranial electrical stimulation targeting in visual hallucinations. Harv. Rev. Psychiatry. 30, 181–190. doi: 10.1097/HRP.0000000000000336
Regenold, W. T., Deng, Z. D., and Lisanby, S. H. (2022). Noninvasive neuromodulation of the prefrontal cortex in mental health disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 47, 361–372. doi: 10.1038/s41386-021-01094-3
Sagliano, L., Atripaldi, D., De Vita, D., D'Olimpio, F., and Trojano, L. (2019). Non-invasive brain stimulation in generalized anxiety disorder: a systematic review. Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry. 93, 31–38. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.03.002
Salehinejad, M. A., Ghanavai, E., Rostami, R., and Nejati, V. (2017). Cognitive control dysfunction in emotion dysregulation and psychopathology of major depression (MD): Evidence from transcranial brain stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). J. Affect. Disord. 210, 241–248. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.12.036
Sathappan, A. V., Luber, B. M., and Lisanby, S. H. (2019). The Dynamic Duo: combining noninvasive brain stimulation with cognitive interventions. Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry. 89, 347–360. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.10.006
Schäfer, J., Naumann, E., Holmes, E. A., Tuschen-Caffier, B., and Samson, A. C. (2017). Emotion regulation strategies in depressive and anxiety symptoms in youth: a meta-analytic review. J. Youth Adolesc. 46, 261–276. doi: 10.1007/s10964-016-0585-0
Schuurmans, A. A., Nijhof, K. S., Cima, M., Scholte, R., Popma, A., Otten, R., et al. (2021). Alterations of autonomic nervous system and HPA axis basal activity and reactivity to acute stress: a comparison of traumatized adolescents and healthy controls. Stress 24, 876–887. doi: 10.1080/10253890.2021.1900108
Shen, F., and Zhou, H. (2024). Effects of non-invasive brain stimulation on emotion regulation in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review. Front. Psychiatry. 15:1483753. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1483753
Signorelli, C. M., Boils, J. D., Tagliazucchi, E., Jarraya, B., and Deco, G. (2022). From brain-body function to conscious interactions. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 141:104833. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104833
Skandalakis, G. P., Barrios-Martinez, J., Kazim, S. F., Rumalla, K., Courville, E. N., Mahto, N., et al. (2023). The anatomy of the four streams of the prefrontal cortex. Preliminary evidence from a population based high definition tractography study. Front. Neuroanat. 17:1214629. doi: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1214629
Skorobogatov, K., De Picker, L., Verkerk, R., Coppens, V., Leboyer, M., Müller, N., et al. (2021). Brain versus blood: a systematic review on the concordance between peripheral and central kynurenine pathway measures in psychiatric disorders. Front. Immunol. 12:716980. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.716980
Sloan, E., Hall, K., Moulding, R., Bryce, S., Mildred, H., Staiger, P. K., et al. (2017). Emotion regulation as a transdiagnostic treatment construct across anxiety, depression, substance, eating and borderline personality disorders: a systematic review. Clin. Psychol. Rev. 57, 141–163. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2017.09.002
Smits, F. M., Schutter, D., van Honk, J., and Geuze, E. (2020). Does non-invasive brain stimulation modulate emotional stress reactivity? Soc. Cogn. Affect. Neurosci. 15, 23–51. doi: 10.1093/scan/nsaa011
Soleimani, G., Nitsche, M. A., Bergmann, T. O., Towhidkhah, F., Violante, I. R., Lorenz, R., et al. (2023). Closing the loop between brain and electrical stimulation: towards precision neuromodulation treatments. Transl. Psychiatry. 13:279. doi: 10.1038/s41398-023-02565-5
Sun, S., Yu, H., Yu, R., and Wang, S. (2023). Functional connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex underlies processing of emotion ambiguity. Transl. Psychiatry. 13:334. doi: 10.1038/s41398-023-02625-w
Szabó, Á., Galla, Z., Spekker, E., Szucs, M., Martos, D., Takeda, K., et al. (2025). Oxidative and excitatory neurotoxic stresses in CRISPR/Cas9-induced kynurenine aminotransferase knockout mice: a novel model for despair-based depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Front. Biosci. Landmark 30:25706. doi: 10.31083/FBL25706
Tamir, M., Ito, A., Miyamoto, Y., Chentsova-Dutton, Y., Choi, J. H., Cieciuch, J., et al. (2024). Emotion regulation strategies and psychological health across cultures. Am. Psychol. 79, 748–764. doi: 10.1037/amp0001237
Tanaka, M. (2024). Beyond the boundaries: Transitioning from categorical to dimensional paradigms in mental health diagnostics. Adv. Clin. Exper. Med. 33, 1295–1301. doi: 10.17219/acem/197425
Tanaka, M. (2025). From serendipity to precision: integrating AI, multi-omics, and human-specific models for personalized neuropsychiatric care. Biomedicines 13:167. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines13010167
Tanaka, M., Szabó, Á., Spekker, E., Polyák, H., Tóth, F., Vécsei, L., et al. (2022). Mitochondrial impairment: a common motif in neuropsychiatric presentation? The link to the tryptophan-kynurenine metabolic system. Cells 11:2607. doi: 10.3390/cells11162607
Tanaka, M., Szatmári, I., and Vécsei, L. (2025). Quinoline quest: kynurenic acid strategies for next-generation therapeutics via rational drug design. Pharmaceuticals 18:607. doi: 10.3390/ph18050607
Tervo, A. E., Metsomaa, J., Nieminen, J. O., Sarvas, J., and Ilmoniemi, R. J. (2020). Automated search of stimulation targets with closed-loop transcranial magnetic stimulation. Neuroimage 220:117082. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117082
Tortora, F., Hadipour, A. L., Battaglia, S., Falzone, A., Avenanti, A., Vicario, C. M., et al. (2023). The role of serotonin in fear learning and memory: a systematic review of human studies. Brain Sci. 13:1197. doi: 10.3390/brainsci13081197
Treu, S., Strange, B., Oxenford, S., Neumann, W. J., Kühn, A., Li, N., et al. (2020). Deep brain stimulation: imaging on a group level. Neuroimage 219:117018. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117018
Troy, A. S., Shallcross, A. J., Brunner, A., Friedman, R., and Jones, M. C. (2018). Cognitive reappraisal and acceptance: effects on emotion, physiology, and perceived cognitive costs. Emotion 18, 58–74. doi: 10.1037/emo0000371
Tsujimoto, M., Saito, T., Matsuzaki, Y., and Kawashima, R. (2024). Role of positive and negative emotion regulation in well-being and health: the interplay between positive and negative emotion regulation abilities is linked to mental and physical health. J. Happiness Stud. 25:25. doi: 10.1007/s10902-024-00714-1
Wang, Q., Akram, H., Muthuraman, M., Gonzalez-Escamilla, G., Sheth, S. A., Oxenford, S., et al. (2021). Normative vs. patient-specific brain connectivity in deep brain stimulation. Neuroimage 224:117307. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117307
Wei, Y. G., Duan, J., Womer, F. Y., Zhu, Y., Yin, Z., Cui, L., et al. (2020). Applying dimensional psychopathology: transdiagnostic associations among regional homogeneity, leptin and depressive symptoms. Transl. Psychiatry. 10:248. doi: 10.1038/s41398-020-00932-0
Xiao, Y., Dong, S., Pan, C., Guo, H., Tang, L., Zhang, X., et al. (2024). Effectiveness of non-invasive brain stimulation on depressive symptoms targeting prefrontal cortex in functional magnetic resonance imaging studies: a combined systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoradiology 4:kkae025. doi: 10.1093/psyrad/kkae025
Zhang, Q., Li, X., Liu, X., Liu, S., Zhang, M., Liu, Y., et al. (2022). The effect of non-invasive brain stimulation on the downregulation of negative emotions: a meta-analysis. Brain Sci. 12:786. doi: 10.3390/brainsci12060786
Keywords: emotion regulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, prefrontal cortex, kynurenine, precision medicine, neuromodulation, mental disorders
Citation: Tanaka M, He Z, Han S and Battaglia S (2025) Editorial: Noninvasive brain stimulation: a promising approach to study and improve emotion regulation. Front. Behav. Neurosci. 19:1633936. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2025.1633936
Received: 23 May 2025; Accepted: 03 June 2025;
Published: 23 June 2025.
Edited and reviewed by: Richard G. Hunter, University of Massachusetts Boston, United States
Copyright © 2025 Tanaka, He, Han and Battaglia. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Masaru Tanaka, dGFuYWthLm1hc2FydS4xQG1lZC51LXN6ZWdlZC5odQ==; Simone Battaglia, c2ltb25lLmJhdHRhZ2xpYUB1bmliby5pdA==