Vedic Science International Multidisciplinary Peer-reviewed Journal 

The articles below are the official digital versions of peer-reviewed papers from the print edition of the Vedic Science Journal.

Article  Information

Journal: Vedic Science
Volume: 28 | Issue: 2 | Year: 2026
Pages: 42–57
DOI:  https://doi.org/10.66718/vsj.v28.i2.04    
Received: 20 April. 2026
Accepted: 25 May, 2026
Published: 30 June, 2026

The Embodied Mind: A Review of Sensorimotor Friction in Cognitive Synthesis and Neuroplasticity

Dr. K.V. Sarma, Independent Researcher, Hyderabad, India                                                                                                                                                            Prathyusha Karra, Marketing, DeepForrest AI, Hyderabad, India                                                                                                                                                Dr. Lakshmi Satya Poornima Upadhyayula, Dental Surgeon, Clove Dental, Hyderabad, India

Abstract

Modern educational, linguistic, and professional practices heavily prioritize transactional efficiency, frequently substituting traditional analogue or vocal modalities with low-friction digital interfaces. However, emerging research across cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology demonstrates that systemic physical friction—defined as deliberate, complex visual-spatial-motor engagement—is a fundamental requirement for optimal neural connectivity, memory encoding, and structural cortical plasticity. This study bridges classical Pāṇinian phonetic mechanics with modern functional neuroscience. By evaluating graphomotor drawing and structured vocal phonation (A-U-M matrix), we present an empirical model of 'sensorimotor friction' as a necessary driver for cross-cortical oscillatory binding and autonomic nervous system regulation. This review synthesizes recent neurophysiological evidence evaluating two distinct manifestations of sensorimotor embodiment: graphomotor hand production (cursive/longhand writing) and vocal structural phonation (Vedic scriptural chanting). By evaluating high-density electroencephalography (EEG) and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data alongside classical cognitive frameworks, we demonstrate how both practices reject passive cognitive "coasting," driving whole-brain synchronization and neural adaptation. Furthermore, we anchor these findings within ancient epistemological frameworks, showing that contemporary neuroimaging increasingly validates the embodied methodologies preserved in historical psycho-acoustic and linguistic traditions as scalable solutions for cognitive preservation in an age of digital saturation.

Keywords

Embodied Cognition, Sensorimotor Friction, Neuroplasticity, High-Density EEG, Structural MRI, Spatiotemporal Coherence, Alpha and Theta Oscillations, Default Mode Network (DMN), Cortical Inhibition, Graphomotor Production, Desirable Difficulties, Vedic Chanting, Mantra Phonation, Auditory-Motor Entrainment, Gray Matter Density, Devanagari Orthography, Paninian Phonetics, Articulatory Mechanics, Cognitive Satiation, Neuro-Linguistics.

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How to cite this article

Sarma, K.V., Arya, Karra, P., Upadhyayula, L.S.P   (2026). The Embodied Mind: A Review of Sensorimotor Friction in Cognitive Synthesis and NeuroplasticityVedic Science, 2026 (2), 42–57. ISSN: 0975-0312. DOI: https://doi.org/10.66718/vsj.v28.i2.04