Correlation between asymmetry of spontaneous oscillation of hemodynamic changes in the prefrontal cortex and anxiety levels: a near-infrared spectroscopy study

Wakana Ishikawa; Masakaze Sato; Yukikatsu Fukuda; Takashi Matsumoto; Naohiro Matsumoto; Kaoru Sakatani M.D.

doi:10.1117/1.JBO.19.2.027005

18 February 2014 Correlation between asymmetry of spontaneous oscillation of hemodynamic changes in the prefrontal cortex and anxiety levels: a near-infrared spectroscopy study

Wakana Ishikawa, Masakaze Sato, Yukikatsu Fukuda, Takashi Matsumoto, Naohiro Matsumoto, Kaoru Sakatani M.D.

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Journal of Biomedical Optics, Vol. 19, Issue 2, 027005 (February 2014). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JBO.19.2.027005

Abstract

According to the valence asymmetry hypothesis, the left/right asymmetry of prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity is correlated with specific emotional responses to mental stress and personality traits. Here, we evaluated the relation between emotional state and asymmetry in PFC activity at rest by using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). We measured spontaneous oscillation of oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentrations in the bilateral PFC at rest in normal adults employing two-channel NIRS. In order to analyze left/right asymmetry of PFC activity at rest, we calculated the laterality index at rest (LIR) (see text). We investigated the correlation between the LIR and anxiety levels evaluated by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) test. We found that the right PFC was more active at rest than the left PFC, corresponding to a higher anxiety level measured by the STAI; that is, subjects with right-dominant activity at rest showed higher STAI scores, while those with left-dominant oxy-Hb changes at rest showed lower STAI scores. Aging had no significant effect on the relation. The present results obtained by NIRS are consistent with the valence asymmetry hypothesis. We emphasize NIRS may be a useful tool for objective assessment of anxiety levels.

CC BY: © The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI.

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Wakana Ishikawa, Masakaze Sato, Yukikatsu Fukuda, Takashi Matsumoto, Naohiro Matsumoto, and Kaoru Sakatani M.D. "Correlation between asymmetry of spontaneous oscillation of hemodynamic changes in the prefrontal cortex and anxiety levels: a near-infrared spectroscopy study," Journal of Biomedical Optics 19(2), 027005 (18 February 2014). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JBO.19.2.027005

Published: 18 February 2014

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