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Covariations of EEG asymmetries and emotional states indicate that activity at frontopolar locations is particularly affected by state factors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2002

ILONA PAPOUSEK  and
GÜNTER SCHULTER
ILONA PAPOUSEK
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
GÜNTER SCHULTER
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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Abstract

To test the hypothesis that activation asymmetries of the most anterior parts of the prefrontal cortex may be related to state-dependent regulation of emotion, spontaneous changes of cortical activation asymmetries from one session to a second one were related to spontaneous mood changes in two large samples (ns = 56 and 128). The interval between sessions was 2 to 4 weeks. Results show that mood changes specifically covary with changes of EEG asymmetry at the frontopolar electrode positions, but not with changes at other locations (dorsolateral frontal, temporal, and parietal). Anxiety, tension, and depression were found to decrease when frontopolar activation asymmetry shifted to the right. Taking the new findings into account may contribute to the refinement and extension of theories on EEG laterality and emotion.

Keywords

ElectroencephalogramHemispheric asymmetryFrontal lobeEmotional statesAnxietyDepression
Type
Research Article
Information
Psychophysiology , Volume 39 , Issue 3 , May 2002 , pp. 350 - 360
Copyright
© 2002 Society for Psychophysiological Research

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