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An electroencephalographic examination of the autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR)
Abstract
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a perceptual phenomenon characterized by pleasurable tingling sensations in the head and neck, as well as pleasurable feelings of relaxation, that reliably arise while attending to a specific triggering stimulus (e.g., whispering or tapping sounds). Currently, little is known about the neutral substrates underlying these experiences. In this study, 14 participants who experience ASMR, along with 14 control participants, were presented with four video stimuli and four auditory stimuli. Half of these stimuli were designed to elicit ASMR and half were non-ASMR control stimuli. Brain activity was measured using a 32-channel EEG system. The results indicated that ASMR stimuli—particularly auditory stimuli—elicited increased alpha wave activity in participants with self-reported ASMR, but not in matched control participants. Similar increases were also observed in frequency bands associated with movement (gamma waves and sensorimotor rhythm). These results are consistent with the reported phenomenology of ASMR, which involves both attentional and sensorimotor characteristics.
... Neuroimaging studies have shown that people who experience ASMR display differences in brain activity in regions associated with sensation, emotion, and attention, compared with control participants (Smith et al., , 2019a(Smith et al., , 2019b. Finally, physiological approaches have shown that people who experience ASMR display higher levels of relaxation indices during ASMR video exposure, evidenced by increased alpha amplitudes over the scalp and a lower heart rate (Fredborg et al., 2021;Poerio et al., 2018). ...
... In the case of ASMR, very specific audiovisual stimuli, mainly associated with gentle whispers and personal attention from someone with an affectionate or caring disposition, trigger a tingle sensation, a state of relaxation, and an affectively pleasant feeling (Barratt & Davis, 2015;Fredborg et al., 2021;Poerio et al., 2018;Roberts et al., 2019). This kind of interaction has also been associated with grooming behavior in primates (Lochte et al., 2018;Marshall, 2018;Poerio et al., 2018). ...
... Given that we argue that ASMR experience is a representation of body state triggered by audiovisual social-affective stimuli, this interoceptive body representation of internal state is embodied as a relaxed and affectively positive state, and therefore, tingles might be a secondary body response that does not necessarily occur in all people and/or all the time. For instance, ASMR studies assessing tingling sensation commonly show low rates of tingle reporting or ASMR participants who do not feel tingles during experimental sessions (Fredborg et al., 2021;Lochte et al., 2018). ...
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) describes the experience of a pleasant body sensation accompanied by a feeling of well-being and relaxation in response to specific audiovisual stimuli, such as whispers and personal attention. Previous work suggests a relationship between this experience with the processing of affective and body states; however, no research has explored differences in interoception between people experiencing ASMR and those who do not. We hypothesized that the ASMR experience is based on interoception processing. To test this, we assessed group differences across different dimensions of interoception: Interoceptive sensibility (IS), measured using the multidimensional assessment of interoceptive awareness (MAIA); Interoceptive accuracy score (IAS), measured by calculating performance in a heartbeat counting task (HCT), and the electrophysiological index of interoception, the heartbeat evoked potential (HEP), which was calculated during the HCT and an ASMR tingle reporting task (ASMR-TRT). Our results showed that IS and IAS, dimensions requiring conscious awareness, showed no differences between groups. However, HEP amplitude was larger in the ASMR group in both tasks. We concluded that the ASMR experience is based on an unconscious interoceptive mechanism, reflected by HEP, where exteroceptive social-affective stimuli are integrated to represent a body state of positive affective feelings and relaxation, as has been described for affective touch. The relevance of this finding relies on that interoceptive function, body regulation, and emotional/affective experiences are fundamental for well-being, and the relationship between ASMR and interoception opens the way to future research exploring the causal relationship between them and their potential clinical applications.
... EEGs allow researchers to measure neural activity during specific cognitive functions, and track fluctuations at a greater speed (<1 s) than fMRI (Fredborg et al., 2021;Swart et al., 2022). Alpha power (8 -13 Hz) is associated with the suppression of distractor stimuli (Foxe & Snyder, 2011;Jensen et al., 2002;Kelly et al., 2006), which, according to the alpha inhibition timing hypothesis, facilitates relaxed states by inhibiting disruptive stimuli or brain regions (Klimesch et al., 2007). ...
... Increased alpha is also associated with maintaining meditative states (Aftanas & Golocheikine, 2001) and relaxation (Niedermeyer, 1999). Alpha oscillations have been observed to increase in parietal, frontal, and temporal regions whilst viewing ASMR content (Fig. 4;Fredborg et al., 2021;Swart et al., 2022), providing support to the concept that ASMR is akin to a flow state. The inhibitory processes typical of increased alpha may also facilitate internally directed attention (Cooper et al., 2006;Magosso et al., 2019;Matsuoka et al., 2021), or the selection of relevant social cues, which may play a role in the perception of co-presence and sense of intimacy with the performers in ASMR videos (Symons et al., 2016; see Section 8 of this review). ...
... Rather, they observed increases in beta oscillations (12 -25 Hz) which they attributed to improved focused attention and immersion, as per previous research (Travis & Shear, 2010). Similarly, in addition to their findings on alpha activity Fredborg et al., (2021) also observed increased sensorimotor rhythm activity (12 -15 Hz) specifically when participants experienced tingling sensations, which may also suggest increased focus attention. Gamma power (>30 Hz) was also observed to increase during moments of tingling. ...
A narrative review of autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) was carried out. Definitional factors relevant to ASMR were canvassed. Related, but distinctly unique, sensorial phenomena, including frisson, synaesthesia, and misophonia were considered. Finally, the status of literature with respect to clinical outcomes, individual differences, and current research applications was evaluated. ASMR is a nascent phenomenon that has rapidly progressed in scope and depth of study throughout the past decade; a notable shift from brief-form studies to an increase in formalised trials is noted. Yet, critical questions remain unaddressed, including expectancy and placebo effects, that future research should interrogate.
... However electroencephalogram alone is not sufficient to determine ASMR with a high precision. Several studies over the years have presented convincing results that prove that ASMR increases the alpha waves activity [6]- [8]. Seifzadeh et al. [8] and Fredborgab et al. [6] with the help of EEG presented results that confirms that same active behaviour of the gamma waves can be observed when a person is experiencing ASMR. ...
... Several studies over the years have presented convincing results that prove that ASMR increases the alpha waves activity [6]- [8]. Seifzadeh et al. [8] and Fredborgab et al. [6] with the help of EEG presented results that confirms that same active behaviour of the gamma waves can be observed when a person is experiencing ASMR. There are even some common conclusions that the analysis of the experimental data indicates an experiencing the sensorimotor sensations by the test subjects and the presence of a cognitive process (attention) as well as a relaxation. ...
... In a study conducted by Fredborg et al. [6], the researchers concluded based on experiments that a person experiencing ASMR show better scores of a mindfulness as well as curiosity. Smith et al. [9], in their study found out that there exist a positive correlation with dorsal attention network was found, suggesting that ASMR may involve atypical attentional processing. ...
... [14] In another study using the electroencephalography (EEG) technique, increased alpha activity was detected in the frontal and parietal regions of individuals with ASMR sensitivity compared to the control group. [15] Based on the fact that changes in alpha wave activity are generally associated with meditative processes; [16] the increased alpha wave activity detected by Fredborg et al. suggests that the ASMR experience creates a flow-like state, as in some forms of meditation. [15] Other studies to test the physiological relevance of ASMR found statistically significant increases in pupil diameter with lower heart rate and increased skin conductance level measurements in participants. ...
... [15] Based on the fact that changes in alpha wave activity are generally associated with meditative processes; [16] the increased alpha wave activity detected by Fredborg et al. suggests that the ASMR experience creates a flow-like state, as in some forms of meditation. [15] Other studies to test the physiological relevance of ASMR found statistically significant increases in pupil diameter with lower heart rate and increased skin conductance level measurements in participants. [11,17] The results of studies performed in the field show that ASMR is a contradictory experience with a different physiological profile, a mixed emotional structure, and a social component. ...
... In a study using an eye-tracking technique, the detection of statistically significant increases in pupil diameter while watching an ASMR video showed the stimulating aspect of ASMR; in another ASMR study using the EEG technique, the detection of increased alpha waves in the frontal and parietal regions reveals that ASMR is associated with mediative processes. [15] This suggests that the stimulating as well as calming and physiological outcomes [17] of ASMR may be atypical. ...
Aim: The framework of this research is to examine the effects of autonomous sensory meridian responses (ASMRs) sensory/impulse circularity, psychological infrastructure, and the effects of brand advertisements using this technique on consumer behaviors and physiological outcomes such as product attitude, purchase intention, advertisement taste, and perceived visual advertisement esthetics. Materials and Methods: Mixed research method was used in the study, which consisted of consumers with high depressive mood and anxiety level (experimental group) and consumers with low depressive mood and anxiety level (control group). Electrodermal activity measurement and facial reading (facial coding) analysis are two specific neuromarketing research techniques utilized in this research. In addition, consumer attitude scales and psychological scales were employed. Results: According to the results obtained from the findings of the study, the physiological and attitudinal effects of ASMR advertisements do not show significant differences between the experimental and control groups. This is due to the fact that ASMR varies from person to person and has an atypical physiological pattern. Conclusion: The fact that ASMR is an ambiguous and contradictory experience with different physiological profiles due to factors such as causality, connectivity and relativity is consistent with the findings of this research.
... With respect to ASMR and brain activity, this association has mostly been studied by fMRI recordings. Notably, one recent study examined ASMR by means of EEG recordings (Fredborg et al. 2021). Relative to the control group the ASMR experience elicited by video-and auditory stimuli was reflected by increased alpha activity in frontal and parietal brain regions. ...
... We hypothesized that ASMR improves mood and attention. To cover most of the above mentioned findings in the ASMR (Fredborg et al. 2021) and meditation studies of an increase of theta, alpha, sensorimotor rhythm and gamma in frontal and/or parietal brain regions, we hypothesized that ASMR changes the brain activity by inducing an increase in theta, alpha and/or beta power in the frontal and parietal regions. We did not examine gamma power as changes in this frequency band were less pronounced and mainly seen within the ASMR participants group. ...
... This result is partly similar to the finding of increased sensorimotor rhythm (12.5-15 Hz) occurring for audio trials when comparing ASMR to control participants (Fredborg et al. 2021). However, the notion of improved focused attention seems opposite to the absence of a relationship between ASMR and performance on the Flanker task. ...
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a warm tingling sensation which is often accompanied by feelings of calmness and relaxation. The present study examined the effects of an ASMR video on mood, attention, heart rate (HR), electrodermal activity (EDA), electroencephalography (EEG) and the interaction with personality factors in 38 young adults (33 females and 5 males). Based on the ASMR-checklist responses of having tingles during watching the ASMR video 15 participants out of 38 were classified as ASMR-experiencers. Mood, attention and personality characteristics were measured by the Profile of Mood States, the Flanker task and HEXACO. EEG, HR and EDA were recorded during the ASMR and control videos. Depressive feelings decreased after watching the ASMR video in individuals experiencing tingles relative to those not experiencing tingles. Furthermore, in all participants, irrespective of experiencing tingles, a decrease of HR during watching the ASMR video was found. In ASMR-experiencers scoring low on Conscientiousness EDA tended to increase and HR tended-relatively to the group not experiencing tingles—to decrease during watching the ASMR video. EEG recordings indicated that watching the ASMR video was associated with decreased alpha power in ASMR-sensitive participants and decreased theta as well as increased beta power in the whole group of participants. The observed ASMR-induced decrease of alpha and theta power and increase of beta power and (only in low conscientious participants) EDA may reflect that, apart from relaxation, ASMR is related to arousal and focused attention.
... Furthermore, Wang et al. [11] investigated the influence of ASMR on the performance of executive functions in both ASMR and control individuals, finding that some executive functions of ASMR individuals slowed down after the ASMR video (specifically set shifting and inhibitory control). Finally, recent studies compared brain activity studied through the use of EEG: Fredborg et al. [12] examined brain waves related to ASMR through the use of electroencephalography (EEG). They found that ASMR auditory stimuli increased alpha wave activity (alpha power-in addition to theta-has been associated with meditative states [13]) in participants with selfreported ASMR. ...
... Neurophysiological parameters are also involved in the ASMR phenomenon: for example, Poerio et al. [2] claimed that ASMR videos produced sensations of both calmness and excitement, measured by different neurophysiological tools; Lochte et al. [10] claimed that ASMR increased activity in brain regions typically related to reward activation, emotional arousal, and social engagement, suggesting that ASMR may be similar to social grooming; Fredborg et al. [12] reported an increased alpha, gamma, and sensorimotor rhythm activity, which may indicate changes in attentional control; in addition, Smith et al. [8,9] sustained that ASMR participants showed significantly reduced functional connectivity in the DMN brain regions. An important contribution to our study is given by Valtakari et al. [20]: they examined the tingles' experiences and found them to be accompanied by a growing pupil diameter (4.03 mm), considering this as a physiological characteristic trait of ASMR-experiencers. ...
... Another point of view we considered to examine the ASMR phenomenon was the brain activity. A lot of research has been reported; for example, Fredborg et al. [12] and Lee et al. [13] found an increased Alpha wave activity, associated with a certain form of meditative state, and Smith et al. [8,9] observed a greater brain connectivity in the areas involved with the Default Mode Network (DMN). The DMN [42] is a brain network that comprises the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex, temporal lateral and temporal-parietal regions, and posterior medial cortex [43,44]: these brain areas are activated by states of resting, spontaneous mental activity, spontaneous thinking, self-referenced thoughts, daydreaming imagination, plans, and expectations. ...
The Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a tingling sensation across the scalp that occur in response to specific triggering audio and visual stimuli, connected with the Default Mode Network. Our study (N = 76) aimed to test the neurophysiology of ASMR by examining pupil diameter and brain activity. Assuming the idiosyncratic nature of ASMR, we expected results detecting opposite physiological outcomes considering pupil diameter and brain activation. We used a battery of self-reports to investigate psychological dimensions; for the physiological measures, we used two instruments: PupilCore and NeuroSky MindWave Mobile 2. The results showed an augmented pupillary diameter during the ASMR video, regardless of the perception of tingles. On the other hand, the arousal level during the ASMR video was lower than the other conditions. The difference between the two neurophysiological measures appeared as peculiar and can be considered as the promoting phenomenon for ASMR psychological outcomes.
... With over 52 million users across over 2500 different applications [19], individuals report using these applications in order to reduce anxiety and promote sleep [20]. An increasingly used form of stimulus likened to mindfulness [21]) is that of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR). First coined in 2010, ASMR is used to refer to atypical perceptual phenomena when exposed to certain interpersonal, auditory, and visual stimuli [22]. ...
... Activation appeared to be less significant when individuals did not experience tingling, suggesting ASMR may be felt on a continuum of sensation intensity [36]. A recent EEG study examining ASMR found increased alpha activity in the parietal and frontal regions of the brain when ASMR-sensitive individuals viewed ASMR-inducing content [21]. These areas of neural activity indicate ASMR may promote feelings of calm through parasympathetic activity [37]. ...
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is purposely elicited by some individuals to promote health and mental wellbeing. The aim of the current study was to explore how ASMR is used and its perceived benefits in a student population. We employed semi-structured qualitative interviews, with eight female students who self-reported as ASMR-sensitive users. Inductive thematic analysis, underpinned by a phenomenological framework, was applied to the data. Two themes, each with three subthemes, were identified; these highlighted the journey from first discovering ASMR to present experience and the use of ASMR to promote health and mental wellbeing both directly and indirectly. For some, ASMR was used daily, whilst for others it was used in a relapsing-remitting fashion: usage increased when struggling with mental wellbeing and was most often used as a tool to induce sleep or distraction when feeling anxious. Participants also reported ASMR-eliciting content as intriguing, and that the phenomenon was regarded as taboo. ASMR appears to play an important role in promoting health and mental wellbeing; frequency of use, preferred triggers, and purpose of use varied, highlighting its flexible and subjective nature. It provides a potential cost-effective tool in populations such as students where mental health needs are burgeoning.
... Previous studies also implemented non-ASMR videos, however without specially focusing on their evaluation. Cash et al. [20], Poerio et al. [2], Liu and Zhou [21], Smith et al. [12] as well as Fredborg et al. [22] used non-ASMR videos that were quite similar to the ASMR videos, e.g., they showed a person, often also facing the viewer. Swart et al. [23] asked the participants to submit ASMR videos that they knew for the control condition and edited them in a way that scrambled the original video. ...
... Cash et al. [20] found that while ASMR enthusiasts differ with regard to their ASMR-experience in each condition (ASMR clip vs. foil clip vs. music clip), especially naïve observers (mostly) do not. Fredborg et al. [22] did not describe a pre-evaluation of whether the ASMR stimuli they used actually trigger more ASMR experience than non-ASMR stimuli, but instead directly compared the electroencephalography (EEG) measures between the ASMR stimuli and non-ASMR stimuli groups. Similarly, Paszkiel et al. [24] and Wang et al. [25] did not assess the degree of ASMR experience for the ASMR stimuli and the non-ASMR stimuli separately. ...
Objective
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), the experience of a pleasant tingling on the neck and scalp, is known to be triggered by a characteristic type of videos (ASMR videos). The present study examines whether this experience is indeed specific to these ASMR videos, or whether it can also be triggered by other types of videos, e.g. walking tour videos. A further goal was to investigate differences between ASMR-responders and ASMR-non-responders regarding their ASMR sensation and to compare ASMR and walking tour videos with regard to the elicitation of positive affect and state relaxation.
Method
Two online assessments were carried out in two different predominantly student samples, one involving ASMR videos (n = 205) and the other one walking tour videos (n = 96). In both groups, ASMR experience, positive affect and state relaxation were assessed.
Results
Compared to the walking tour video group, the ASMR-responders in the ASMR video group reported a pronounced ASMR sensation, higher state relaxation and higher positive affect scores. For ASMR-non-responders, lower scores in ASMR sensation, state relaxation and positive affect were revealed compared to the walking tour group. Without differentiating ASMR responder types, the ASMR group showed higher ASMR scores and lower positive affect scores compared to the walking tour group.
Conclusions
Watching ASMR videos induced significantly more characteristic ASMR sensations compared to walking tour videos. Since ASMR videos typically include a simulated interaction of the video protagonist with the viewer and walking tour videos do not, the simulated interaction with the viewer might be one important factor for triggering ASMR. As the ASMR observer type (responder or non-responder) is crucial for benefitting from ASMR videos, future scientific evaluation of ASMR needs to consider this differention when evaluating effects of ASMR on mental heath associated domains.
... Much existing research has employed unidimensional operationalisations by equating ASMR with intensity of tingles felt (Cash et al., 2018;Eid et al., 2022;Fredborg et al., 2017;Fredborg et al., 2018;Janik McErlean et al., 2022;Keizer et al., 2020;Poerio et al., 2018;Smith et al., 2017;Valtakari et al, 2019;Wang et al., 2020). However, although tingles are an important physiological component of ASMR (Fredborg et al., 2021), tingles are common to a number of altered consciousness experiences (e.g., synaesthesia) and so are not specific to ASMR (Harrison & Loui, 2014;Roberts et al., 2019;Somer et al., 2021;Tihanyi et al., 2018). ...
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is an alternative state of consciousness char-acterised by changes in affect, feelings of relaxation, and tingling sensations on the body. Online videos designed to stimulate ASMR in viewers have become increasingly popular. Although there is evidence that ASMR may improve sleep, emotion regulation, and relaxation, the current understanding of ASMR propensity remains limited. This study examined whether a mentally flexible cognitive style may underlie the ability to experience ASMR. Undergraduate students (N = 376) completed an online survey involving a series of self-report questionnaires and two performance-based creative ability tasks. Findings did not provide support for an overall mentally flexible mindset, however, transliminality, emotional contagion susceptibility, positive schizo-typal traits, and roleplaying ability all significantly positively predicted ASMR propensity. These findings suggest that ASMR propensity represents several possible underlying cognitive styles relating to enhanced imagination and perceptual ability, and cannot be simply characterised by mental flexibility.
... The study based on electroencephalography (EEG) indicates that the auditory ASMR trigger can elicit the increasement of alpha (mu) and gamma wave activity during the self-reported ASMR. This proves that ASMR includes both attentional and sensorimotor characteristics [25], and then to increase the brain activities related to sensation, movement, and attention [26]. To conclude, ASMR is a real psychophysiological phenomenon and may be associated with some psychological constructs and however, the mechanism of ASMR is still obscure. ...
Autonomous sensory meridian response is believed as a perceptual phenomenon to specific sensory stimuli. To explore the underlying mechanism and emotional effect, the EEG under video and audio triggers of autonomous sensory meridian response was analyzed. The differential entropy and power spectral density by Burg method on δ, θ, α, β, γ and high γ frequencies were employed as quantitative features. The results indicate that the modulation of autonomous sensory meridian response on brain activities is broadband. Video trigger owns better performance of autonomous sensory meridian response than other triggers. Moreover, the results also reveal that autonomous sensory meridian response has a close relationship with neuroticism and its three sub-dimensions, anxiety, self-consciousness and vulnerability, with the scores of self-rating depression scale, but without emotions, happiness, sadness, or fear. This suggests that the responders of autonomous sensory meridian response may have the tendencies of neuroticism and depressive disorder.
... Although these task-based neuroimaging studies have helped identify the brain areas involved in the ASMR response itself, less is known about why some individuals experience ASMR "tingles" while others do not. Resting-state functional MRI studies have demonstrated that individuals with ASMR have a greater "blending" of resting-state networks than people who do not experience ASMR (Fredborg et al., 2021). ...
Background and purpose
The autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a multimodal perceptual phenomenon in which specific sensory triggers evoke tingling sensations on the scalp, neck, and shoulders; these sensations are accompanied by a positive and calming affective state. Previous functional neuroimaging research has shown that ASMR experiences involve medial prefrontal and sensorimotor brain areas. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether there are structural differences in the cortex of individuals who experience ASMR.
Methods
Seventeen individuals with ASMR and 17 matched control participants completed an MPRAGE structural MRI scan. These data were analyzed to determine if group differences were present for measures of cortical thickness, cortical complexity, sulcal depth, and gyrification.
Results
ASMR was associated with reduced cortical thickness in a number of regions including the left precuneus, precentral gyrus, and insula, and the right orbitofrontal cortex, superior frontal cortex, and paracentral lobule. Reduced thickness was observed bilaterally in the supramarginal gyrus. Individuals with ASMR also showed less cortical complexity in the pars opercularis and pars triangularis.
Conclusions
The differences in cortical thickness and complexity were in brain areas whose functions relate to the ASMR experience. These differences include neural regions related to phonological processing, sensorimotor functions, and attention.
... Recent work in the Media Studies field includes Maddox (2021aMaddox ( , 2021b, Klausen (2021), Zappavigna (2020Zappavigna ( , 2021, Holmowaia & Danzis (2020), Starr et al. (2020), Łapińska (2020), Waldron (2017) and Gallagher (2016). Examples of Psychology research on the subject can be seen in Swart et al. (2021), Morales et al. (2021), Roberts et al. (2018Roberts et al. ( , 2020Roberts et al. ( , 2021, Janik & Osborne-Ford (2020), Cash et al. (2018), as well as Fredborg et al. (2017Fredborg et al. ( , 2021. On the Neurosciences front, some notable works include Ohta & Inagaki (2021) ...
Although the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) phenomenon has grown notably in Mexico in recent years, local YouTube channels lack effective and continued use of digital marketing strategies and tactics as reflected in their sponsored videos, in contrast to the most popular YouTube ASMR channels, which are essentially English-speaking. After completing a detailed review on YouTube, this article compares both groups and argues that, with a few changes, Mexican ASMR creators can benefit from marketing strategies used by the more popular creators from other countries. By doing this, Mexican creators could ride the nascent wave of attention economy that posits that cognition is a commodity that can be monetized. The analysis of both groups of channels found that Mexican ASMR creators display, more often than not, lower production quality, little knowledge of basic marketing concepts, as well as lower posting frequency than English-speaking videos when compared to their more popular international counterparts. These findings are discussed under the marketing concepts of reach, relevance, and resonance as well as the attention economy construct.
... In another study, ASMR participants showed increased sensorimotor rhythm activity (12.5-15 Hz) when compared to the control participants, which was shown as an increase in beta waves in our study 28 . Beta waves are well known to reflect cortical hyper arousal on quantified EEGs 29 . ...
This study aimed to compare the effects of Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) and binaural beat (BB) on stress reduction, and to determine whether ASMR and BB can induce changes in quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG). A double-blind randomized trial was conducted. Subjects with stress were recruited considering their perceived stress scale (PSS), Beck depression inventory-II (BDI-II), insomnia severity index (ISI), and state-trait anxiety inventory-state anxiety (STAI-S) scores. Subjects listened to ASMR or BB with music (8 Hz for daytime, 5 Hz for nighttime) for 15 min in daytime and 30 min before going to sleep for 3 weeks. QEEG was measured before and after the intervention. Seventy-six participants (57 female, mean age = 46.12 ± 12.01) finished the trial. After the intervention, PSS, BDI-II, ISI, STAI-S, and PSQI scores improved significantly in both groups. BDI-II and ISI mean scores were normalized in both groups after the intervention. Changes of absolute beta and high beta power in the ASMR group were larger than those in the BB group (p = 0.026, p = 0.040, respectively). Both ASMR and BB are equally effective in reducing stress levels. Unlike BB, ASMR can lead to an increase in beta and high beta waves associated with cortical arousal.
... It is reported that this sensation causes relaxation and content [33], leading someone to reduce human mental stress and its related disorders [32,[34][35][36]. Moreover, the ASMR changes functional connectivity along with feeling a tingling sensation [37,38], eliciting frontal-lobe alpha wave activity which is related to the attentional and sensorimotor phenomenology [39], activating in regions associated with both reward and emotional arousal [40]. The effect of ASMR on brain activity has been gradually uncovered; however, the effect of ASMR on human brain activity under the induction of mental stress, which is mostly caused by an induction of mental workload while performing mental tasks, remains a mystery. ...
In a social environment, various types of stress can be overwhelming. Humans frequently encounter these stressful situations in social life. Stress is divided into physical stress and mental stress; the latter is induced by heavy mental workloads and has become a huge social problem, leading to mental disorders and possibly suicide in the worst scenario. Investigations into monitoring mental stress and reducing stressful conditions are, therefore, important for its prevention. In the present study, we focused on autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) sound, which is known to improve the human mental condition through its comforting and relaxing effects. We investigated the effect of ASMR on the mental workload induced by mental tasks by the evaluation of EEG activation patterns in normal subjects. Our results showed a significant decrease in alpha-band activity and a significant increase in gamma (high beta)-band activity under the induction of mental workload by mental tasks compared to the resting condition. When applying ASMR sound, alpha- and gamma-band activity under the induction of mental workload by mental tasks was restored to the level of the resting condition. In conclusion, these results indicate that ASMR sound reduces the mental stress induced by mental workload.
... ASMR is a sensory phenomenon that has reached millions of international followers (termed ASMRers in the following) positively reacting to specific triggers on social media platforms. So far, this phenomenon has mainly been viewed in the context of media, psychological or social studies (e.g., Barratt et al., 2017;Del Campo & Kehle, 2016;Zappavigna, 2020) or neuroscience (e.g., Fredborg et al., 2021;McGeoch & Rouw, 2020;Smith et al., 2020). An example of its recognition in marketing practice is a 25-minute video clip, uploaded to YouTube by IKEA USA (2017), presenting spectators with ways to relax in an IKEA dorm room using ASMR triggers. ...
SMR has attracted considerable attention in social media and advertising practices, but it lacks empirical investigation within marketing science. This study suggests applying ASMR in the design of interactions in relationships between organizations and customers in order to shorten spatial distance evoked by digitization. This experimental study comprises the first empirical investigation of ASMR in the context of relationship marketing with a focus on perceived customer intimacy. The findings demonstrate that the level of perceived customer intimacy depends on individuals’ extraversion and agreeableness, and ASMR may entail the ability to positively influence this intimacy, but is influenced by further variables.
... To date, three functional neuroimaging studies have attempted to characterize the neural activity that occurs during the ASMR experience. An electroencephalography (EEG) study reported an increase in frontal midline alpha activity during the experience of ASMR tingles; this response is similar to that observed during some meditative states (Fredborg et al., 2021). An increase in gamma frequency activity was also observed over sensorimotor regions, a result that is consistent with the experience of somatosensory tingles. ...
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a perceptual and emotional phenomenon in which specific sensory stimuli elicit a feeling of calm as well as tingling sensations on the scalp, neck, and shoulders. In the current study, we use fMRI to examine whether the motoric and sensory regions of the spinal cord segments associated with these body parts show increased activity during ASMR experiences. Nine individuals with ASMR completed six spinal functional magnetic resonance imaging runs while passively viewing videos. Three of the videos were shown (through pre-testing) to elicit ASMR tingles and three videos did not (i.e., control videos). The results demonstrated that ASMR-related stimuli elicited activity in dorsal (sensory) regions of spinal cord segments C1, C5, and C6; activity was observed in ventral (motoric) regions of segments C2-C8. Similar activity was not detected in response to control videos.
... Participants completed a difficult mental task while either listening to an ASMR audio of choice or in silence. The authors found that, when completing the mentally demanding task was accompanied with an ASMR audio, the alpha and beta frequency band levels increased to levels commensurate of resting states (also see [45]). Greater alpha and beta power values are also observed during mindfulness mediation [46][47][48], thus the study by Ohta and Inagaki [44] provides a seminal indicator of the functional significance of ASMR, as a means to aid relaxation and mental stress, even during demanding cognitive processing. ...
The Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is an intensely pleasant tingling sensation originating in the scalp and neck and is elicited by a range of online video-induced triggers. Many individuals now regularly watch ASMR videos to relax, and alleviate symptoms of stress and insomnia, all which are indicative of elevated levels of anxiety. Emerging literature suggests that ASMR-capable individuals are characterised by high trait neuroticism, which is associated with a tendency to experience negative emotional states such as anxiety. To date however no literature has empirically linked these personality constructs and watching ASMR videos on the effect of reducing anxiety. In the current study, 36 ASMR-experiencers and 28 non-experiencers watched an ASMR video, and completed assessments of neuroticism, trait anxiety, and pre- / post-video state anxiety. MANCOVA with Group as the independent measures factor showed that ASMR-experiencers had significantly greater scores for neuroticism, trait anxiety, and video engagement than non-experiencers. Pre-video state anxiety was also significantly greater in the ASMR-experiencers and was significantly attenuated on exposure to the ASMR video, whereas non-experiencers reported no difference in state anxiety pre- and post-video. Thus, watching ASMR alleviated state anxiety but only in those who experienced ASMR. Subsequent mediation analyses identified the importance of pre-existing group differences in neuroticism, trait and (pre-video) state anxiety in accounting for the group difference in the reduction of state anxiety. The mediation analysis further lends support for watching ASMR videos as an intervention for the reduction of acute state anxiety. Future areas for research are discussed.
... Our finding supports the notion that ASMR is closely associated with emotional behavior rather than merely a sensory response. As we mentioned before, a growing body of studies has explored how ASMR elicits emotional arousal, which can be observed at different levels, such as psychological/behavioral (Barratt & Davis, 2015), hemodynamical (Lochte et al., 2018), and electrophysiological (Fredborg et al., 2021;Poerio et al., 2018). We now show that this phenomenon is also associated with strategies that allow us to control (regulate and manage) emotions when facing emotionally arousing situations. ...
Background
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) describes the experience of a pleasant tingling sensation along the back of the head, accompanied with a feeling of well-being and relaxation, in response to specific audio-visual stimuli, such as whispers, soft sounds, and personal attention. Previous works have assessed individual variations in personality traits associated with ASMR, but no research to date has explored differences in emotion regulation associated with ASMR. This omission occurred even when ASMR, a sensory-emotional experience, has been proposed to be located in a sound sensitivity spectrum as the opposite end of misophonia, a phenomenon associated with difficulties regulating emotions. The present work aimed to assess group differences between ASMR self-reporters and non-ASMR controls associated with emotion regulation strategies.
Methods
We used the validated Spanish version of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire to assess individual differences in the use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression.
Results
Our results showed that participants who experience ASMR had higher scores in the cognitive reappraisal subscale of the emotion regulation questionnaire than the non-ASMR group.
Conclusions
Individuals who experience ASMR reported higher use of cognitive reevaluation of emotionally arousing situations, suggesting more effectiveness in regulating emotions. Our finding further elucidates individual differences related to this experience, supporting that ASMR is a real psychophysiological phenomenon associated with other psychological constructs and has remarkable consequences in affective/emotional dimensions and general well-being.
From the beginnings of radio drama to digital podcasting, horror has been a prevalent genre, exploiting the parameters and potential of audio form to the uttermost. Within this, the adaptation of literature—from Gothic classics to populist fiction—has been central. One conspicuous absence in early radio is H. P. Lovecraft with only one notable adaptation in the 1930-50’s ‘golden age’. Nevertheless, in multiple series of the era the ‘Lovecraftian’ is detectable, revealing latent adaptive strategies of appropriation, assimilation and allusion. In reading Lovecraft, we see that his plots, themes and cosmos are ideally suited to audio adaptation. In our own time, the transmedia pre-eminence of Lovecraft is evident in audio culture as much as anywhere else and we see the Lovecraftian influence across a wide range of audio, from the generic to the experimental, from standalone plays to serials, from biographical dramas to avant-gardist music composition.
This study aimed to compare the effects of Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) and binaural beat (BB) on stress reduction, and to determine whether ASMR and BB can induce changes in quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG). A double-blind randomized trial was conducted. Subjects with stress were recruited considering their perceived stress scale (PSS), Beck depression inventory-II (BDI-II), insomnia severity index (ISI), and state-trait anxiety inventory-state anxiety (STAI-S) scores. Subjects listened to ASMR or BB with music (8Hz for daytime, 5Hz for nighttime) for 15 minutes in daytime and 30 minutes before going to sleep for 3 weeks. QEEG was measured before and after the intervention. Seventy-six participants (57 female, mean age = 46.12 ± 12.01) finished the trial. After the intervention, PSS, BDI-II, ISI, STAI-S, and PSQI scores improved significantly in both groups. BDI-II and ISI mean scores were normalized in both groups after the intervention. Changes of absolute beta and high beta power in the ASMR group were larger than those in the BB group ( p = 0.026 , p = 0.040, respectively). Both ASMR and BB are equally effective in reducing stress levels. Unlike BB, ASMR can lead to an increase in beta and high beta waves associated with cortical arousal.
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a phenomenon characterised by a static-like tingling sensation spreading from the scalp and neck to the periphery in response to a variety of audio, visual, and tactile triggers resulting in a highly relaxed state and boosted positive affect. The limited literature on this phenomenon points to a potential of ASMR to alleviate pain. Emerging evidence also suggests that ASMR may be linked to increased sensory sensitivity more broadly. This study aimed to objectively address these claims by administering an algometer (measure of pain tolerance), and a visual analog scale (VAS) (measure of subjective pain sensitivity) to ASMR experiencers and controls at baseline, following an ASMR video, and a control video. Findings indicate that ASMR experiencers have a higher pain sensitivity than controls; however, there was no difference between the two groups in terms of pain tolerance. In addition, any potential analgesic properties associated with experiencing ASMR may reflect protective properties of ASMR buffering against the increased pain sensitivity among ASMR experiencers relative to controls.
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) describes an atypical multisensory experience of calming, tingling sensations in response to a specific subset of social audiovisual triggers. To date, the electrophysiological (EEG) correlates of ASMR remain largely unexplored. Here we sought to provide source-level signatures of oscillatory changes induced by this phenomenon and investigate potential decay effects—oscillatory changes in the absence of self-reported ASMR. We recorded brain activity using EEG as participants watched ASMR-inducing videos and self-reported changes in their state: no change (Baseline); enhanced relaxation (Relaxed); and ASMR sensations (ASMR). Statistical tests in the sensor-space were used to inform contrasts in the source-space, executed with beamformer reconstruction. ASMR modulated oscillatory power by decreasing high gamma (52-80 Hz) relative to Relaxed and by increasing alpha (8-13 Hz) and decreasing delta (1–4 Hz) relative to Baseline. At the source level, ASMR increased power in the low-mid frequency ranges (8-18 Hz) and decreased power in high frequency (21-80 Hz). ASMR decay effects reduced gamma (30-80 Hz) and in the source-space reduced high-beta/gamma power (21-80 Hz). The temporal profile of ASMR modulations in high-frequency power later shifts to lower frequencies (1-8 Hz), except for an enhanced alpha, which persists for up to 45 minutes post self-reported ASMR. Crucially, these results provide the first evidence that the cortical sources of ASMR tingling sensations may arise from decreases in higher frequency oscillations and that ASMR may induce a sustained relaxation state.
Background
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a pleasant physiological tingling sensation induced by certain visual and auditory triggers. ASMR has been shown to reduce stress and increase positive mood, but its effects have not yet been studied in populations with clinically severe symptoms. The present study aimed to investigate whether the experience of ASMR improved mood and reduced arousal in people with and without insomnia and depression symptoms.
Methods
1,037 participants (18-66 years) completed online questionnaires assessing insomnia and depression symptom severity followed by questionnaires on current mood and arousal levels before and after watching an ASMR video. The independent variables were the participant's group (insomnia, depression, insomnia and depression combined or control) and whether they experienced ASMR during the video. The dependent variables were the change in mood and arousal levels after watching the video.
Results
As predicted, all participants showed significantly increased relaxation and improved mood after watching the video with the largest effects for participants who experienced ASMR and for participants in the combined and depression groups. No difference was found between the insomnia and control groups.
Limitations
It is not known how many participants were familiar with ASMR videos prior to taking part in the study (nor whether this is important). Also, the categorization of participants into the ASMR group was based on self-report and thus, not verified.
Conclusions
Results suggest that ASMR videos have the potential to be used to improve mood and reduce arousal with implications for alleviating symptoms of insomnia and depression.
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) refers to a euphoric and relaxing tingling sensation in the back of the scalp, the neck, and throughout the body that some people experience in response to certain auditory/visual stimulations. The tingling sensation may be caused by the high activation of the brain areas responsible for sensation and muscle movement. High activation in brain areas associated with emotion and reward, as well as a decrease in heart rate and respiration rate may be important causes of euphoria and relaxation. Compared with ordinary individuals, ASMR-sensitive individuals have higher neuroticism, empathic traits, sensory suggestibility, and trait mindfulness. This may indicate that ASMR-sensitive individuals have higher sensory sensitivity, lower emotional stability, and pay more attention to the internal and external feelings of their bodies, which make ASMR-sensitive individuals more sensitive and responsive to the sensory and emotional information in some auditory/visual stimulations. Currently, ASMR has been used in clinical treatments for depression, stress, insomnia, and chronic pain as well as some commercial advertisements. However, ASMR can interfere with an individual’s executive function, thus in situations requiring high cognitive control, exposure to ASMR stimuli should be avoided.
The Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a unique phenomenon to provoke a sense of relaxation that has been proposed for a few years. This phenomenon suggests acoustic-visual stimuli for cultivating a peaceful environment for the mind as well as a tingling sensation. Some studies suggest that this phenomenon is comparable with mindfulness; surprisingly, published articles in this regard are growing increasingly to examine how it happens scientifically. Some studies have been done on neuroimaging techniques, including functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), biological methods such as heart rate and skin conductance, and questionnaires to assess the impact of ASMR videos. In this paper, we intend to determine the effect of ASMR videos on EEG signals. The FFT absolute power analysis (Pre versus Post ASMR) revealed a declined delta band power generally. On the other hand, there are no significant changes in theta band power. The central region demonstrated a rise in alpha band power as well as a slight decrease in the occipital region. Moreover, such an increase was evident in post-ASMR in the beta1 (Sensorimotor wave (12-15 Hz)) band frequency, generally, especially in the frontal region. Besides, Gamma 1 has been increased in the central region, and Gamma 2 has also be increased in frontoparietal regions in both hemispheres. These results indicate the cognitive process as well as sensorimotor, tingling sensations features of ASMR.
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a special perceptual phenomenon in which some people can experience a tingling, static-like sensation in response to some certain auditory/visual stimulations. This study compared the performance of executive function (working memory, set shifting, and inhibitory control) between ASMR participants and control participants after three auditory treatment conditions, i.e., ASMR-triggering audio (Triggering), normal-speaking audio (Normal), and with no auditory treatment (Baseline). The results showed that the ASMR individuals did not differ in executive function with the control participants in either Normal or Baseline condition. However, the set shifting and inhibitory control of ASMR individuals slowed down after ASMR-triggering auditory treatment. In this study, ASMR individuals with ASMR-triggering auditory treatment reported that they all experienced three ASMR episodes before completing executive function tasks. These findings indicated that there was no intrinsic difference in executive function between ASMR and control individuals. But ASMR individuals' executive function would be interfered when the ASMR was triggered.
Background
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a cross-sensory phenomenon characterised by a static-like sensation which typically originates on the scalp and spreads throughout the body leading to a state of deep relaxation. It can be triggered by visual and auditory stimuli in real life, incidentally by various media and via intentionally created ASMR videos. Previously ASMR has been linked to a specific personality profile and this study aimed to further elucidate individual differences associated with this phenomenon.
Methods
To this effect ASMR-Experiencers and age and gender matched controls were compared on measures of flow, absorption and mindfulness.
Results
This revealed that ASMR was associated with elevated absorption but no group differences were found with respect to the other constructs, suggesting that the ability to get deeply immersed with the current experience accompanied by loss of reflective awareness may be an important factor contributing to the experience of ASMR.
Background:
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a sensory-emotional experience in which specific stimuli (ASMR "triggers") elicit tingling sensations on the scalp, neck, and shoulders; these sensations are accompanied by a positive affective state. In the current research, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used in order to delineate the neural substrates of these responses.
Methods:
A total of 17 individuals with ASMR and 17 age- and sex-matched control participants underwent fMRI scanning while watching six 4-minute videos. Three of the videos were designed to elicit ASMR tingling and three videos were not.
Results:
The results demonstrated that ASMR videos have a distinct effect on the neural activity of individuals with ASMR. The contrast of ASMR participants' responses to ASMR videos showed greater activity in the cingulate gyrus as well as in cortical regions related to audition, movement, and vision. This activity was not observed in control participants. The contrast of ASMR and control participants' responses to ASMR-eliciting videos detected greater activity in right cingulate gyrus, right paracentral lobule, and bilateral thalamus in ASMR participants; control participants showed greater activity in the lingula and culmen of the cerebellum.
Conclusions:
Together, these results highlight the fact that ASMR videos elicit activity in brain areas related to sensation, emotion, and attention in individuals with ASMR, but not in matched control participants.
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a perceptual phenomenon in which specific auditory and/or visual stimuli consistently elicit tingling sensations on the neck, scalp, and shoulders, as well as a positive and relaxed emotional state. The "ASMR triggers" that initiate these responses generally consist of soft sounds (e.g., whispering), repetitive noises (e.g., tapping sounds), or videos of people performing socially intimate acts (e.g., watching someone brush her hair). Despite being a relatively common phenomenon, little is known about the neural substrates of ASMR. In the current research, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine whether ASMR was associated with atypical patterns of functional connectivity. Seventeen individuals with ASMR and 17 matched control participants underwent an anatomical MRI scan and a resting-state fMRI scan. An independent components analysis was used to identify the default mode, salience, central executive, sensorimotor, and visual networks. An analysis of variance with group (ASMR vs. control) as a between-subjects variable was performed to contrast the functional connectivity of each of these networks. The results demonstrated that ASMR was associated with reduced functional connectivity in the salience and visual networks, and with atypical patterns of connectivity in the default mode, central executive, and sensorimotor networks.
Introduction: The "autonomous sensory meridian response" (ASMR) is a neologism used to describe an internal sensation of deep relaxation and pleasant head tingling which is often stimulated by gentle sounds, light touch, and personal attention.
Methods: An fMRI-based methodology was employed to examine the brain activation of subjects prescreened for ASMR-receptivity (n=10) as they watched ASMR videos and identified specific moments of relaxation and tingling.
Results: Subjects who experienced ASMR showed significant activation in regions associated with both reward (NAcc) and emotional arousal (dACC and Insula/IFG). Brain activation during ASMR showed similarities to patterns previously observed in musical frisson as well as affiliative behaviors.
Conclusion: This is the first study to measure the activation of various brain regions during ASMR and these results may help to reveal the mechanistic underpinnings of this sensation.
Altered states of consciousness refer to qualitative shifts in an individual’s overall pattern of mental functioning. This article presents the 3-part development and validation of a multidimensional self-report measure of autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR). ASMR is an intensely pleasurable, head-orientated tingling sensation that typically occurs in response to specific, audiovisual triggers, producing feelings of comfort, relaxation and euphoria. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, conducting a content analysis on 303 accounts of ASMR, to derive a comprehensive self-report measure. Exploratory (n = 453; n = 448) and confirmatory analyses (n = 448) were utilized to determine the underlying factor structure of the ASMR measure and replicability of findings across assessment applications. Convergent and divergent validity were assessed through comparisons with other, established alterations of consciousness, including frisson, absorption, alexithymia, flow, misophonia and anxiety. The resultant ASMR-15 demonstrated sufficient internal consistency (α = .78) and validity as a measure of ASMR propensity, and may be useful to researchers interested in further exploring and disentangling ASMR from other alterations of consciousness.
Background
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a perceptual phenomenon in which specific audiovisual stimuli frequently elicit tingling sensations on the scalp and neck. These stimuli (“ASMR triggers”) are typically social in nature (e.g., watching someone brush their hair, hearing whispering,) and often elicit a calm and positive emotional state that may last up to several minutes. ASMR experiences phenomenologically overlap with mindfulness; however, no research has directly examined how mindfulness might relate to ASMR.
Methods
In the current study, 284 individuals with ASMR completed the Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS), the Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS), and a questionnaire examining ASMR experiences. Age- and sex-matched control participants were asked to view two ASMR-eliciting videos to ensure that they did not experience tingling sensations associated with ASMR; they then completed the TMS and MAAS questionnaires.
Results
When compared with matched controls, individuals with ASMR generated significantly higher scores on the MAAS, a global measure of mindfulness, as well as significantly higher scores on the Curiosity subscale of the TMS.
Conclusions
These results suggest that the sensory-emotional experiences associated with ASMR may be partially explained by a distinct subset of characteristics associated with mindfulness.
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) describes the experience of tingling sensations in the crown of the head, in response to a range of audio-visual triggers such as whispering, tapping, and hand movements. Public interest in ASMR has risen dramatically and ASMR experiencers watch ASMR videos to promote relaxation and sleep. Unlike ostensibly similar emotional experiences such as “aesthetic chills” from music and awe-inspiring scenarios, the psychological basis of ASMR has not yet been established. We present two studies (one large-scale online experiment; one laboratory study) that test the emotional and physiological correlates of the ASMR response. Both studies showed that watching ASMR videos increased pleasant affect only in people who experienced ASMR. Study 2 showed that ASMR was associated with reduced heart rate and increased skin conductance levels. Findings indicate that ASMR is a reliable and physiologically-rooted experience that may have therapeutic benefits for mental and physical health.
The autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is an atypical sensory phenomenon involving electrostatic-like tingling sensations in response to certain sensory, primarily audio-visual, stimuli. The current study used an online questionnaire, completed by 130 people who self-reported experiencing ASMR. We aimed to extend preliminary investigations into the experience, and establish key multisensory factors contributing to the successful induction of ASMR through online media. Aspects such as timing and trigger load, atmosphere, and characteristics of ASMR content, ideal spatial distance from various types of stimuli, visual characteristics, context and use of ASMR triggers, and audio preferences are explored. Lower-pitched, complex sounds were found to be especially effective triggers, as were slow-paced, detail-focused videos. Conversely, background music inhibited the sensation for many respondents. These results will help in designing media for ASMR induction.
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a perceptual condition in which the presentation of particular audio-visual stimuli triggers intense, pleasurable tingling sensations in the head and neck regions, which may spread to the periphery of the body. These triggering stimuli are often socially intimate in nature, and usually involve repetition of movements and/or sounds (e.g., hearing whispering, watching someone brush her hair). Reports of ASMR experiences first appeared in online communities in 2010; since this time, these communities have expanded, with some groups consisting of over 100,000 members. However, despite the apparent prevalence of ASMR, there is currently no research on the personality characteristics that co-occur with this condition. In the current study, 290 individuals with ASMR and 290 matched controls completed the Big Five Personality Inventory (BFI; John et al., 1991); participants with ASMR also completed a questionnaire related to their ASMR phenomenology. Individuals with ASMR demonstrated significantly higher scores on Openness-to-Experience and Neuroticism, and significantly lower levels of Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Agreeableness compared to matched controls. Further, ratings of subjective ASMR intensity in response to 14 common ASMR stimuli were positively correlated with the Openness-to-Experience and Neuroticism dimensions of the BFI. These results provide preliminary evidence that ASMR is associated with specific personality traits and suggest avenues for further investigation.
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a perceptual condition in which specific visual and auditory stimuli consistently trigger tingling sensations on the scalp and neck, sometimes spreading to the back and limbs. These triggering stimuli are often social, almost intimate, in nature (e.g., hearing whispering, or watching someone brush her hair), and often elicit a calm and positive emotional state. Surprisingly, despite its prevalence in the general population, no published study has examined the neural underpinnings of ASMR. In the current study, the default mode network (DMN) of 11 individuals with ASMR was contrasted to that of 11 matched controls. The results indicated that the DMN of individuals with ASMR showed significantly less functional connectivity than that of controls. The DMN of individuals with ASMR also demonstrated increased connectivity between regions in the occipital, frontal, and temporal cortices, suggesting that ASMR was associated with a blending of multiple resting-state networks. This atypical functional connectivity likely influences the unique sensory-emotional experiences associated with ASMR.
Sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) activity has been related to automaticity during skilled action execution. However, few studies have bridged the causal link between SMR activity and sports performance. This study investigated the effect of SMR neurofeedback training (SMR NFT) on golf putting performance. We hypothesized that pre-elite golfers would exhibit enhanced putting performance after SMR NFT. Sixteen pre-elite golfers were recruited and randomly assigned into either an SMR or a control group. Participants were asked to perform putting while electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded, both before and after intervention. Our results showed that the SMR group performed more accurately when putting and exhibited greater SMR power than the control group after 8 intervention sessions. This study concludes that SMR NFT is effective for increasing SMR during action preparation and for enhancing golf putting performance. Moreover, greater SMR activity might be an EEG signature of improved attention processing, which induces superior putting performance.
Mindfulness meditation has been purported to be a beneficial practice for wellbeing. It would therefore be expected that the neurophysiology of mindfulness would reflect this impact on wellbeing. However, investigations of the effect of mindfulness have generated mixed reports of increases, decreases, as well as no differences in EEG oscillations in comparison with a resting state and a variety of tasks. We have performed systematic review of EEG studies of mindfulness meditation in order to determine any common effects and to identify factors which may impact on the effects. Databases were reviewed from 1966 to August 2015. Eligibility criteria included empirical quantitative analyses of mindfulness meditation practice and EEG measurements acquired in relation to practice. A total of 56 papers met the eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review, consisting of a total 1,715 subjects: 1,358 healthy individuals and 357 individuals with psychiatric diagnoses. Studies were principally examined for power outcomes in each bandwidth, in particular the power differentials between mindfulness and the control state, as well as outcomes relating to hemispheric asymmetry and event-related potentials. The systematic review revealed that mindfulness was most commonly associated with enhanced alpha and theta power as compared to an eyes closed resting state, although such outcomes were not uniformly reported. No consistent patterns were observed with respect to beta, delta and gamma bandwidths. In summary, mindfulness is associated with increased alpha and theta power in both healthy individuals and in patient groups. This co-presence of elevated alpha and theta may signify a state of relaxed alertness which is conducive to mental health.
The technology to collect brain imaging and physiological measures has become portable and ubiquitous, opening the possibility of large-scale analysis of real-world human imaging. By its nature, such data is large and complex, making automated processing essential. This paper shows how lack of attention to the very early stages of an EEG preprocessing pipeline can reduce the signal-to-noise ratio and introduce unwanted artifacts into the data, particularly for computations done in single precision. We demonstrate that ordinary average referencing improves the signal-to-noise ratio, but that noisy channels can contaminate the results. We also show that identification of noisy channels depends on the reference and examine the complex interaction of filtering, noisy channel identification, and referencing. We introduce a multi-stage robust referencing scheme to deal with the noisy channel-reference interaction. We propose a standardized early-stage EEG processing pipeline (PREP) and discuss the application of the pipeline to more than 600 EEG datasets. The pipeline includes an automatically generated report for each dataset processed. Users can download the PREP pipeline as a freely available MATLAB library from http://eegstudy.org/prepcode.
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a previously unstudied sensory phenomenon, in which individuals experience a tingling, static-like sensation across the scalp, back of the neck and at times further areas in response to specific triggering audio and visual stimuli. This sensation is widely reported to be accompanied by feelings of relaxation and well-being. The current study identifies several common triggers used to achieve ASMR, including whispering, personal attention, crisp sounds and slow movements. Data obtained also illustrates temporary improvements in symptoms of depression and chronic pain in those who engage in ASMR. A high prevalence of synaesthesia (5.9%) within the sample suggests a possible link between ASMR and synaesthesia, similar to that of misophonia. Links between number of effective triggers and heightened flow state suggest that flow may be necessary to achieve sensations associated with ASMR.
Electroencephalographic data are easily contaminated by signals of non-neural origin. Independent component analysis (ICA) can help correct EEG data for such artifacts. Artifact independent components (ICs) can be identified by experts via visual inspection. But artifact features are sometimes ambiguous or difficult to notice, and even experts may disagree about how to categorise a particular component. It is therefore important to inform users on artifact properties, and give them the opportunity to intervene.
Here we first describe artifacts captured by ICA. We review current methods to automatically select artifactual components for rejection, and introduce the SASICA software, implementing several novel selection algorithms as well as two previously described automated methods (ADJUST, Mognon et al., 2011; and FASTER, Nolan et al., 2010).
We evaluate these algorithms by comparing selections suggested by SASICA and other methods to manual rejections by experts. The results show that these methods can inform observers to improve rejections. However, no automated method can accurately isolate artifacts without supervision. The comprehensive and interactive plots produced by SASICA therefore constitute a helpful guide for human users for making final decisions.
Rejecting ICs before EEG data analysis unavoidably requires some level of supervision. SASICA offers observers detailed information to guide selection of artifact ICs. Because it uses quantitative parameters and thresholds, it improves objectivity and reproducibility in reporting pre-processing procedures. SASICA is also a didactic tool that allows users to quickly understand what signal features captured by ICs make them likely to reflect artifacts.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Several studies investigated the neural and functional mechanisms underlying action observation in contexts with objects. However, actions seen in everyday life are often embedded in emotional contexts. The neural systems integrating emotion cues in action observation are still poorly understood. Previous findings suggest that the processing of both action and emotion information recruits motor control areas within the cerebello-thalamo-cortical pathways. It is therefore hard to determine whether social emotional contexts influence action processing via a direct modulation of motor representations coding for the observed action or via the affective state and implicit motor preparedness elicited in observers in response to emotional contexts. Here we designed a novel fMRI task to identify neural networks engaged by the affective appraisal of a grasping action seen in two different emotional contexts, while keeping the action kinematics constant. Results confirmed that observing the same acts of grasping but in different emotional contexts modulated activity in supplementary motor area, ventrolateral thalamus, anterior cerebellum. Moreover, changes in functional connectivity between left supplementary motor area and parahippocampus in different emotional contexts suggested a direct neural pathway through which emotional contexts may drive the neural motor system. Taken together, these findings shed new light on the malleability of motor system as a function of emotional contexts.
The common approach to the multiplicity problem calls for controlling the familywise error rate (FWER). This approach, though, has faults, and we point out a few. A different approach to problems of multiple significance testing is presented. It calls for controlling the expected proportion of falsely rejected hypotheses – the false discovery rate. This error rate is equivalent to the FWER when all hypotheses are true but is smaller otherwise. Therefore, in problems where the control of the false discovery rate rather than that of the FWER is desired, there is potential for a gain in power. A simple sequential Bonferroni-type procedure is proved to control the false discovery rate for independent test statistics, and a simulation study shows that the gain in power is substantial. The use of the new procedure and the appropriateness of the criterion are illustrated with examples.
A baseline or control state is fundamental to the understanding of most complex systems. Defining a baseline state in the human brain, arguably our most complex system, poses a particular challenge. Many suspect that left unconstrained, its activity will vary unpredictably. Despite this prediction we identify a baseline state of the normal adult human brain in terms of the brain oxygen extraction fraction or OEF. The OEF is defined as the ratio of oxygen used by the brain to oxygen delivered by flowing blood and is remarkably uniform in the awake but resting state (e.g., lying quietly with eyes closed). Local deviations in the OEF represent the physiological basis of signals of changes in neuronal activity obtained with functional MRI during a wide variety of human behaviors. We used quantitative metabolic and circulatory measurements from positron-emission tomography to obtain the OEF regionally throughout the brain. Areas of activation were conspicuous by their absence. All significant deviations from the mean hemisphere OEF were increases, signifying deactivations, and resided almost exclusively in the visual system. Defining the baseline state of an area in this manner attaches meaning to a group of areas that consistently exhibit decreases from this baseline, during a wide variety of goal-directed behaviors monitored with positron-emission tomography and functional MRI. These decreases suggest the existence of an organized, baseline default mode of brain function that is suspended during specific goal-directed behaviors.
We have developed a toolbox and graphic user interface, EEGLAB, running under the crossplatform MATLAB environment (The Mathworks, Inc.) for processing collections of single-trial and/or averaged EEG data of any number of channels. Available functions include EEG data, channel and event information importing, data visualization (scrolling, scalp map and dipole model plotting, plus multi-trial ERP-image plots), preprocessing (including artifact rejection, filtering, epoch selection, and averaging), independent component analysis (ICA) and time/frequency decompositions including channel and component cross-coherence supported by bootstrap statistical methods based on data resampling. EEGLAB functions are organized into three layers. Top-layer functions allow users to interact with the data through the graphic interface without needing to use MATLAB syntax. Menu options allow users to tune the behavior of EEGLAB to available memory. Middle-layer functions allow users to customize data processing using command history and interactive 'pop' functions. Experienced MATLAB users can use EEGLAB data structures and stand-alone signal processing functions to write custom and/or batch analysis scripts. Extensive function help and tutorial information are included. A 'plug-in' facility allows easy incorporation of new EEG modules into the main menu. EEGLAB is freely available (http://www.sccn.ucsd.edu/eeglab/) under the GNU public license for noncommercial use and open source development, together with sample data, user tutorial and extensive documentation.
Neuroelectric and imaging studies of meditation are reviewed. Electroencephalographic measures indicate an overall slowing subsequent to meditation, with theta and alpha activation related to proficiency of practice. Sensory evoked potential assessment of concentrative meditation yields amplitude and latency changes for some components and practices. Cognitive event-related potential evaluation of meditation implies that practice changes attentional allocation. Neuroimaging studies indicate increased regional cerebral blood flow measures during meditation. Taken together, meditation appears to reflect changes in anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal areas. Neurophysiological meditative state and trait effects are variable but are beginning to demonstrate consistent outcomes for research and clinical applications. Psychological and clinical effects of meditation are summarized, integrated, and discussed with respect to neuroimaging data.
Recent brain imaging studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have implicated insula and anterior cingulate cortices in the response to another's pain. However, virtually nothing is known about the impact of the voluntary generation of compassion on this network. To investigate these questions we assessed brain activity using fMRI while novice and expert meditation practitioners generated a loving-kindness-compassion meditation state. To probe effective reactivity, we presented emotional and neutral sounds during the meditation and comparison periods. Our main hypothesis was that the contern for others cultivated during this form of medition enhances affective processing, in particularin response to sounds of distress, and that this response to emotional sounds is modulated by the degree of medication training. The presentattion of the emotional sonds was assoiciated with increased pupil diameter and activation of limbic regions (insula and cingulate cortices) during meditation (versus rest). During meditation, activation in insula was greater during presentation of negative sounds than positive or neutral sounds in expert than it was in novice meditators. The strength of activation in insula was also associated with self-reported intersity of the meditation for both groups. These results support the role of the limbic circuitry in emotion sharing. The comparison between meditation vs rest states between experts and novices also showed increased activation in amygdala, right temporo-paretal junction (TPJ), and right posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) in response to all sounds, suggesting, greater detection of the emotional sounds, and enhanced mentation in response to emotional human vocalizations for experts than novices during meditation. Together these data indicate that the mental expertise to cultivate positive emotion alters the activation of circuitries previously linked to empathy and theory of mind in response to emotional stimuli.
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a sensory-emotional phenomenon in which specific sensory stimuli ("ASMR triggers") reliably elicit feelings of relaxation and tingling sensations on the head, neck, and shoulders. However, there are individual differences in which stimuli elicit ASMR and in the intensity of these responses. In the current research, we used resting-state fMRI to examine the functional connectivity associated with these differences. Fifteen individuals with self-reported ASMR completed the ASMR Checklist, which measures sensitivity to different ASMR triggers, and a resting-state fMRI scan. Checklist scores were entered as covariates to determine whether the functional connectivity of eight resting-state networks differed as a function of participants' sensitivity to five categories of triggers. The results indicated unique patterns of functional connectivity associated with sensitivity to each ASMR trigger category. Sensitivity to two trigger categories was positively correlated with the dorsal attention network, suggesting that ASMR may involve atypical attentional processing.
The brain's default mode network consists of discrete, bilateral and symmetrical cortical areas, in the medial and lateral parietal, medial prefrontal, and medial and lateral temporal cortices of the human, nonhuman primate, cat, and rodent brains. Its discovery was an unexpected consequence of brain-imaging studies first performed with positron emission tomography in which various novel, attention-demanding, and nonself-referential tasks were compared with quiet repose either with eyes closed or with simple visual fixation. The default mode network consistently decreases its activity when compared with activity during these relaxed nontask states. The discovery of the default mode network reignited a longstanding interest in the significance of the brain's ongoing or intrinsic activity. Presently, studies of the brain's intrinsic activity, popularly referred to as resting-state studies, have come to play a major role in studies of the human brain in health and disease. The brain's default mode network plays a central role in this work. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Neuroscience Volume 38 is July 08, 2015. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/catalog/pubdates.aspx for revised estimates.
[URL: http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/effsize/effsize.pdf ]
A thorough understanding of the EEG signal and its measurement is necessary to produce high quality data and to draw accurate conclusions from those data. However, publications that discuss relevant topics are written for divergent audiences with specific levels of expertise: explanations are either at an abstract level that leaves readers with a fuzzy understanding of the electrophysiology involved, or are at a technical level that requires mastery of the relevant physics to understand. A clear, comprehensive review of the origin and measurement of EEG that bridges these high and low levels of explanation fills a critical gap in the literature and is necessary for promoting better research practices and peer review. The present paper addresses the neurophysiological source of EEG, propagation of the EEG signal, technical aspects of EEG measurement, and implications for interpretation of EEG data.
This text is the second edition of this book. It expands the widely acclaimed 1981 book, filling more gaps between EEG and the physical sciences. EEG opens a "window on the mind" by finding new connections between psychology and physiology. Topics include synaptic sources, electrode placement, choice of reference, volume conduction, power and coherence, projection of scalp potentials to dura surface, dynamic signatures of conscious experience, and neural networks immersed in global fields of synaptic action.
An MRI time course of 512 echo-planar images (EPI) in resting human brain obtained every 250 ms reveals fluctuations in signal intensity in each pixel that have a physiologic origin. Regions of the sensorimotor cortex that were activated secondary to hand movement were identified using functional MRI methodology (FMRI). Time courses of low frequency (<0.1 Hz) fluctuations in resting brain were observed to have a high degree of temporal correlation (P < 10−3) within these regions and also with time courses in several other regions that can be associated with motor function. It is concluded that correlation of low frequency fluctuations, which may arise from fluctuations in blood oxygenation or flow, is a manifestation of functional connectivity of the brain.
Gamma oscillations in human primary motor cortex (M1) have been described in human electrocorticographic and noninvasive magnetoencephalographic (MEG)/electroencephalographic recordings, yet their functional significance within the sensorimotor system remains unknown. In a set of four MEG experiments described here a number of properties of these oscillations are elucidated. First, gamma oscillations were reliably localized by MEG in M1 and reached peak amplitude 137 ms after electromyographic onset and were not affected by whether movements were cued or self-paced. Gamma oscillations were found to be stronger for larger movements but were absent during the sustained part of isometric movements, with no finger movement or muscle shortening. During repetitive movement sequences gamma oscillations were greater for the first movement of a sequence. Finally, gamma oscillations were absent during passive shortening of the finger compared with active contractions sharing similar kinematic properties demonstrating that M1 oscillations are not simply related to somatosensory feedback. This combined pattern of results is consistent with gamma oscillations playing a role in a relatively late stage of motor control, encoding information related to limb movement rather than to muscle contraction.
Abstract A successful method for removing artifacts from electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings is Independent Component Analysis (ICA), but its implementation remains largely user-dependent. Here, we propose a completely automatic algorithm (ADJUST) that identifies artifacted independent components by combining stereotyped artifact-specific spatial and temporal features. Features were optimized to capture blinks, eye movements, and generic discontinuities on a feature selection dataset. Validation on a totally different EEG dataset shows that (1) ADJUST's classification of independent components largely matches a manual one by experts (agreement on 95.2% of the data variance), and (2) Removal of the artifacted components detected by ADJUST leads to neat reconstruction of visual and auditory event-related potentials from heavily artifacted data. These results demonstrate that ADJUST provides a fast, efficient, and automatic way to use ICA for artifact removal.
The anterior insular cortex (AIC) is implicated in a wide range of conditions and behaviours, from bowel distension and orgasm, to cigarette craving and maternal love, to decision making and sudden insight. Its function in the re-representation of interoception offers one possible basis for its involvement in all subjective feelings. New findings suggest a fundamental role for the AIC (and the von Economo neurons it contains) in awareness, and thus it needs to be considered as a potential neural correlate of consciousness.
This study presents a clinical treatment regime for pathological interhemispheric dysfunction with respect to a population of learning disabled boys. The results obtained replicate and extend earlier findings with respect to operantly conditioned increases in amplitude of sensorimotor transactions and its positive effect on learning disability. Specifically, the biofeedback, and subsequent conditioning, of increased 14 Hz neural discharge patterns (sensorimotor rhythm-SMR) over the central Rolandic cortex, appeared to increase bilateral sensorimotor transactions resulting in substantive reduction/remediation in the learning disabilities of the recipients of such EEG biofeedback training.
The existence of the mu rhythm and its general anatomical and physiological relationships are well known. There are few data, however, regarding the details of its anatomical and physiological specificity. We implanted fronto-temporal subdural electrode grids in 9 patients with intractable epilepsy to facilitate their surgical management. A 7-11 Hz cortical mu rhythm was observed in 5-16 electrodes located over the sensorimotor cortex as mapped by electrical stimulation. The mu rhythm was blocked by contralateral face and arm movements, passive movements of contralateral arm, and by ipsilateral arm movements. There was correspondence between the body area movement of which blocked the mu at a given site and the body region that was affected by stimulation at the same site. Power spectral analysis showed an overall decrease in power in all frequency bands. This was less prominent in the 14-100 Hz band resulting in a relative increase in high frequency power in association with movement. We conclude that both the presence and blocking of mu rhythm are specific to the somatic representation of the cortex from which it is recorded. Its functional significance may be similar to other sensory rhythms like the occipital alpha rhythm.
Electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings from 19 scalp recording sites were used to differentiate among two posited unique forms of mediation, concentration and mindfulness, and a normal relaxation control condition. Analyzes of all traditional frequency bandwidth data (i.e., delta 1-3 Hz; theta, 4-7 Hz; alpha, 8-12 Hz; beta 1, 13-25 Hz; beta 2, 26-32 Hz) showed strong mean amplitude frequency differences between the two meditation conditions and relaxation over numerous cortical sites. Furthermore, significant differences were obtained between concentration and mindfulness states at all bandwidths. Taken together, our results suggest that concentration and mindfulness "meditations" may be unique forms of consciousness and are not merely degrees of a state of relaxation.
EEG spectral power and coherence estimates in the individually defined delta, theta, alpha-1, alpha-2, and alpha-3 bands were used to identify and characterize brain regions involved in meditative states, in which focused internalized attention gives rise to emotionally positive "blissful" experience. Blissful state was accompanied by increased anterior frontal and midline theta synchronization as well as enhanced theta long-distant connectivity between prefrontal and posterior association cortex with distinct "center of gravity" in the left prefrontal region (AF3 site). Subjective scores of emotional experience significantly correlated with theta, whereas scores of internalized attention with both theta and alpha lower synchronization. Our results propose selective associations of theta and alpha oscillating networks activity with states of internalized attention and positive emotional experience.
The stronger anatomo-functional connections of the supplementary motor area (SMA), as compared with premotor area (PM), with regions of the limbic system, suggest that SMA could play a role in the control of movements triggered by visual stimuli with emotional content. We addressed this issue by analysing the modifications of the excitability of the primary motor area (M1) in a group of seven healthy subjects, studied with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), after conditioning TMS of SMA, during emotional and non-emotional visually cued movements. Conditioning TMS of the PM or of contralateral primary motor cortex (cM1) were tested as control conditions. Single-pulse TMS over the left M1 was randomly intermingled with paired TMS, in which a conditioning stimulation of the left SMA, left PM or right M1 preceded test stimulation over the left M1. The subjects carried out movements in response to computerised visual cues (neutral pictures and pictures with negative emotional content). The amplitudes of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) recorded from the right first dorsal interosseous muscle after paired TMS were measured and compared with those obtained after single-pulse TMS of the left M1 under the various experimental conditions. Conditioning TMS of the SMA in the paired-pulse paradigm selectively enhanced MEP amplitudes in the visual-emotional triggered movement condition, compared with single-pulse TMS of M1 alone or with paired TMS during presentation of neutral visual cues. On the other hand, conditioning TMS of the PM or cM1 did not differentially influence MEP amplitudes under visual-emotional triggered movement conditions. This pattern of effects was related to the intensity of the conditioning TMS over the SMA, being most evident with intensities ranging from 110% to 80% of motor threshold. These results suggest that the SMA in humans could interface the limbic and the motor systems in the transformation of emotional experiences into motor actions.
Mindfulness is an attribute of consciousness long believed to promote well-being. This research provides a theoretical and empirical examination of the role of mindfulness in psychological well-being. The development and psychometric properties of the dispositional Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) are described. Correlational, quasi-experimental, and laboratory studies then show that the MAAS measures a unique quality of consciousness that is related to a variety of well-being constructs, that differentiates mindfulness practitioners from others, and that is associated with enhanced self-awareness. An experience-sampling study shows that both dispositional and state mindfulness predict self-regulated behavior and positive emotional states. Finally, a clinical intervention study with cancer patients demonstrates that increases in mindfulness over time relate to declines in mood disturbance and stress.
This review article introduces the reader to the very basics of electroencephalography (EEG). It tries to explain in simple terms the physiologic principles of EEG generation and organization at the cellular, cortical and subcortical levels. It also introduces the basic EEG terminology (see the key words).
In this study, the authors both developed and validated a self-report mindfulness measure, the Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS). In Study 1, participants were individuals with and without meditation experience. Results showed good internal consistency and two factors, Curiosity and Decentering. Most of the expected relationships with other constructs were as expected. The TMS scores increased with increasing mindfulness meditation experience. In Study 2, criterion and incremental validity of the TMS were investigated on a group of individuals participating in 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction programs. Results showed that TMS scores increased following treatment, and Decentering scores predicted improvements in clinical outcome. Thus, the TMS is a promising measure of the mindfulness state with good psychometric properties and predictive of treatment outcome.
There has been increasing interest in the functional role of high-frequency (>30 Hz) cortical oscillations accompanying various sensorimotor and cognitive tasks in humans. Similar "high gamma" activity has been observed in the motor cortex, although the role of this activity in motor control is unknown. Using whole-head MEG recordings combined with advanced source localization methods, we identified high-frequency (65 to 80 Hz) gamma oscillations in the primary motor cortex during self-paced movements of the upper and lower limbs. Brief bursts of gamma activity were localized to the contralateral precentral gyrus (MI) during self-paced index finger abductions, elbow flexions and foot dorsiflexions. In comparison to lower frequency (10-30 Hz) sensorimotor rhythms that are bilaterally suppressed prior to and during movement (Jurkiewicz et al., 2006), high gamma activity increased only during movement, reaching maximal increase 100 to 250 ms following EMG onset, and was lateralized to contralateral MI, similar to findings from intracranial EEG studies. Peak frequency of gamma activity was significantly lower during foot dorsiflexion (67.4+/-5.2 Hz) than during finger abduction (75.3+/-4.4 Hz) and elbow flexion (73.9+/-3.7 Hz) although markedly similar for left and right movements of the same body part within subjects, suggesting activation of a common underlying network for gamma oscillations in the left and right motor cortex. These findings demonstrate that voluntary movements elicit high-frequency gamma oscillations in the primary motor cortex that are effector specific, and possibly reflect the activation of cortico-subcortical networks involved in the feedback control of discrete movements.
ERP Visualization: Creating topographical scalp maps: part 1
- M Craddock
Craddock, M. (2017, February 25). ERP Visualization: Creating topographical scalp maps: part 1. Retrieved April 4, 2020, from Matt Craddock website: https://www.
mattcraddock.com/blog/2017/02/25/erp-visualization-creating-topographical-scalp-maps-part-1/.