scholarly journals Foliage Plants Cause Physiological and Psychological Relaxation as Evidenced by Measurements of Prefrontal Cortex Activity and Profile of Mood States

HortScience ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (10) ◽  
pp. 1308-1312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sin-Ae Park ◽  
Chorong Song ◽  
Ji-Young Choi ◽  
Ki-Cheol Son ◽  
Yoshifumi Miyazaki
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Mood State ◽  
Nir Spectroscopy ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Short Exposure ◽  
Foliage Plants ◽  
Relaxation Effects ◽  
Hb Concentration

The study’s objective was to investigate the effects of foliage plants on prefrontal cortex activity and subjective assessments of psychological relaxation. In a crossover experimental design, 24 male university students in their 20s observed a container with and without foliage plants for 3 minutes while oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentration in the prefrontal cortex was continuously measured with a portable near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy device. Afterward, subjective evaluations of emotions were obtained via two self-report questionnaires: a modified semantic differential (SD) method and the Profile of Mood State questionnaire (POMS). Oxy-Hb concentration in the right prefrontal cortex was significantly lower in subjects who viewed the foliage plants than in those who did not, indicating a physiologically relaxed state. The subjects also reported in the SD method significantly more positive emotions (e.g., comfortable, natural, and relaxed) associated with viewing the foliage plants. In the POMS, a significant positive effect on psychological relaxation when subjects viewed the foliage plants was shown. Thus, we conclude that foliage plants have both physiological and psychological relaxation effects in males even after only short exposure.

scholarly journals Induction of Relaxation by Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriko Sakurai ◽  
Ken Ohno ◽  
Satoshi Kasai ◽  
Kazuaki Nagasaka ◽  
Hideaki Onishi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Medial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Classical Music ◽  
Brain Activation ◽  
Auditory Stimulation ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
Relaxation Effects ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference

Background: Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is used by young people to induce relaxation and sleep and to reduce stress and anxiety; it comprises somatosensation caused by audiovisual stimuli (triggers) that lead to positive emotions. Auditory stimuli play the most important role among the triggers involved in ASMR and have been reported to be more triggering than visual stimuli. On the other hand, classical music is also known to have a relaxing effect. This is the first study to clarify the difference in brain activation associated with relaxation effects between ASMR and classical music by limiting ASMR to auditory stimulation alone.Methods: Thirty healthy subjects, all over 20 years of age, underwent fMRI while listening to ASMR and classical music. We compared the differences in brain activation associated with classical music and ASMR stimulation. After the experiment, the subjects were administered a questionnaire on somatosensation and moods. After the experiment, the participants were asked whether they experienced ASMR somatosensation or frisson. They were also asked to rate the intensity of two moods during stimulation: “comfortable mood,” and “tingling mood”.Result: The results of the questionnaire showed that none of the participants experienced any ASMR somatosensation or frisson. Further, there was no significant difference in the ratings given to comfort mood, but there was a significant difference in those given to tingling mood. In terms of brain function, classical music and ASMR showed significant activation in common areas, while ASMR showed activation in more areas, with the medial prefrontal cortex being the main area of activation during ASMR.Conclusion: Both classical music and the ASMR auditory stimulus produced a pleasant and relaxed state, and ASMR involved more complex brain functions than classical music, especially the activation of the medial prefrontal cortex. Although ASMR was limited to auditory stimulation, the effects were similar to those of listening to classical music, suggesting that ASMR stimulation can produce a pleasant state of relaxation even if it is limited to the auditory component, without the somatic sensation of tingling. ASMR stimulation is easy to use, and appropriate for wellness purposes and a wide range of people.

Changes in prefrontal cortex near infrared spectroscopy activity as a function of difficulty in a visual P300 paradigm

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 222-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Will Rizer ◽  
Jacob S Aday ◽  
Joshua M Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Task Difficulty ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Nir Spectroscopy ◽  
Event Related Potential ◽  
Attentional Resources ◽  
Oddball Task ◽  
The Right ◽  
Visual P300 ◽  
P300 Event Related Potential

The P300 event-related potential is an index of attentional resources related to target detection. Source localization and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research has indicated that, among other regions, the prefrontal cortex contributes to the generation of the P300. Similar to fMRI, near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy measures change in blood oxygen levels, but offers several advantages including portability, low expense, and superior temporal resolution. No studies to date have examined the extent to which prefrontal cortex NIR spectroscopy measures are active during the P300 paradigm. To address this knowledge gap, participants completed a two-difficulty visual oddball task in which NIR spectroscopy and P300 data were collected in a counterbalanced order. Confirmatory results indicate that the P300 event-related potential is attenuated as a function of task difficulty. Similarly, NIR spectroscopy measures of oxygenated hemoglobin in the right medial prefrontal cortex are attenuated as a function of task difficulty. The results suggest that prefrontal cortex NIR spectroscopy measures are sensitive to task difficulty in a visual P300 oddball task.

ANAGRAM PROBLEM-SOLVING AND LEARNING IN ANTERIOR PREFRONTAL CORTEX

2008 ◽  
Vol 01 (02) ◽  
pp. 157-175
Author(s):  
SHOKO NIOKA ◽  
JOSEPH I. TRACY ◽  
SHANE RAINES ◽  
SCOTT BUNCE ◽  
BRITTON CHANCE
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Parametric Design ◽  
Nir Spectroscopy ◽  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Difficulty Level ◽  
Lower Baseline ◽  
Anterior Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Performance Gains

We utilized Near-Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to closely investigate the activation change in anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) during verbal anagram problem-solving and learning. We used a parametric design of anagram-solving with three difficulty levels and evaluated anagram skill with two sets of subjects and protocols. The first protocol was a one-time evaluation of untrained subjects (n = 10) and the second protocol evaluated subjects over 6 weeks of training (n = 6). The untrained subjects in the first protocol demonstrated blood oxygenation corresponding to neuronal activation in the aPFC in response to medium and hard difficulty levels of the stimuli, while the easy anagram task deoxygenated the aPFC bilaterally, corresponding to deactivation. Higher performers have more aPFC activation than lower performers in the medium difficulty level anagram-solving task. Six weeks of training in the second protocol showed that training reduced oxygenation in aPFC. In particular, subjects with lower baseline skill in anagram production showed a larger reduction in oxygenation where true performance gains occurred (medium difficulty) and smaller reduction where the performance gains were limited (hard anagrams). Association of the aPFC activation with the difficulty of the complex task suggests that aPFC is a part of a circuit for execution of task performance. In addition, more use of aPFC by untrained high performers suggests that the role of the aPFC is to increase efficiency of a problem-solving task. Thus, the NIR spectroscopy showed that the aPFC is a key structure in the circuit implementing the development of anagram skill.

scholarly journals Differences in prefrontal blood oxygenation during an acute multitasking stressor in ecstasy polydrug users

2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 395-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Roberts ◽  
M. A. Wetherell ◽  
J. E. Fisk ◽  
C. Montgomery
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Task Load ◽  
Cerebral Vasoconstriction ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Drug Naïve

BackgroundCognitive deficits are well documented in ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; MDMA) users, with such deficits being taken as evidence of dysregulation of the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) system. More recently neuroimaging has been used to corroborate these deficits. The present study aimed to assess multitasking performance in ecstasy polydrug users, polydrug users and drug-naive individuals. It was predicted that ecstasy polydrug users would perform worse than non-users on the behavioural measure and this would be supported by differences in cortical blood oxygenation.MethodIn the study, 20 ecstasy-polydrug users, 17 polydrug users and 19 drug-naive individuals took part. On day 1, drug use history was taken and questionnaire measures were completed. On day 2, participants completed a 20-min multitasking stressor while brain blood oxygenation was measured using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).ResultsThere were no significant differences between the three groups on the subscales of the multitasking stressor. In addition, there were no significant differences on self-report measures of perceived workload (NASA Task Load Index). In terms of mood, ecstasy users were significantly less calm and less relaxed compared with drug-naive controls. There were also significant differences at three voxels on the fNIRS, indicating decreased blood oxygenation in ecstasy users compared with drug-naive controls at voxel 2 (left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), voxel 14 and voxel 16 (right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), and compared with polydrug controls at V14.ConclusionsThe results of the present study provide support for changes in brain activation during performance of demanding tasks in ecstasy polydrug users, which could be related to cerebral vasoconstriction.

Making social neuroscience less WEIRD: Using fNIRS to measure neural signatures of persuasive influence in a Middle East participant sample

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Burns ◽  
Lianne N. Barnes ◽  
Ian A. McCulloh ◽  
Munqith M. Dagher ◽  
Emily B. Falk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Social Neuroscience ◽  
Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Neuroscience Research ◽  
Neuropsychological Functions ◽  
Arabic Speaking

The large majority of social neuroscience research uses WEIRD populations – participants from Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic locations. This makes it difficult to claim whether neuropsychological functions are universal or culture specific. In this study, we demonstrate one approach to addressing the imbalance by using portable neuroscience equipment in a study of persuasion conducted in Jordan with an Arabic-speaking sample. Participants were shown persuasive videos on various health and safety topics while their brain activity was measured using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Self-reported persuasiveness ratings for each video were then recorded. Consistent with previous research conducted with American subjects, this work found that activity in the dorsomedial and ventromedial prefrontal cortex predicted how persuasive participants found the videos and how much they intended to engage in the messages’ endorsed behaviors. Further, activity in the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex was associated with persuasiveness ratings, but only in participants for whom the message was personally relevant. Implications for these results on the understanding of the brain basis of persuasion and on future directions for neuroimaging in diverse populations are discussed.

scholarly journals Tracking eye-gaze in smart home systems (SHS): first insights from eye-tracking and self-report measures

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Cassioli ◽  
Laura Angioletti ◽  
Michela Balconi
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Smart Home ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Tracking System ◽  
Eye Gaze ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Visual Exploration ◽  
Living Room ◽  
Psychological Traits

AbstractHuman–computer interaction (HCI) is particularly interesting because full-immersive technology may be approached differently by users, depending on the complexity of the interaction, users’ personality traits, and their motivational systems inclination. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between psychological factors and attention towards specific tech-interactions in a smart home system (SHS). The relation between personal psychological traits and eye-tracking metrics is investigated through self-report measures [locus of control (LoC), user experience (UX), behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral activation system (BAS)] and a wearable and wireless near-infrared illumination based eye-tracking system applied to an Italian sample (n = 19). Participants were asked to activate and interact with five different tech-interaction areas with different levels of complexity (entrance, kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom) in a smart home system (SHS), while their eye-gaze behavior was recorded. Data showed significant differences between a simpler interaction (entrance) and a more complex one (living room), in terms of number of fixation. Moreover, slower time to first fixation in a multifaceted interaction (bathroom), compared to simpler ones (kitchen and living room) was found. Additionally, in two interaction conditions (living room and bathroom), negative correlations were found between external LoC and fixation count, and between BAS reward responsiveness scores and fixation duration. Findings led to the identification of a two-way process, where both the complexity of the tech-interaction and subjects’ personality traits are important impacting factors on the user’s visual exploration behavior. This research contributes to understand the user responsiveness adding first insights that may help to create more human-centered technology.

scholarly journals Classification of Prefrontal Cortex Activity Based on Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Data upon Olfactory Stimulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 701
Author(s):  
Cheng-Hsuan Chen ◽  
Kuo-Kai Shyu ◽  
Cheng-Kai Lu ◽  
Chi-Wen Jao ◽  
Po-Lei Lee
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Kernel Functions ◽  
Olfactory Stimulation ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Hemodynamic Response Function ◽  
Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Data Set

The sense of smell is one of the most important organs in humans, and olfactory imaging can detect signals in the anterior orbital frontal lobe. This study assessed olfactory stimuli using support vector machines (SVMs) with signals from functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data obtained from the prefrontal cortex. These data included odor stimuli and air state, which triggered the hemodynamic response function (HRF), determined from variations in oxyhemoglobin (oxyHb) and deoxyhemoglobin (deoxyHb) levels; photoplethysmography (PPG) of two wavelengths (raw optical red and near-infrared data); and the ratios of data from two optical datasets. We adopted three SVM kernel functions (i.e., linear, quadratic, and cubic) to analyze signals and compare their performance with the HRF and PPG signals. The results revealed that oxyHb yielded the most efficient single-signal data with a quadratic kernel function, and a combination of HRF and PPG signals yielded the most efficient multi-signal data with the cubic function. Our results revealed superior SVM analysis of HRFs for classifying odor and air status using fNIRS data during olfaction in humans. Furthermore, the olfactory stimulation can be accurately classified by using quadratic and cubic kernel functions in SVM, even for an individual participant data set.

Multi-Site Cr3+ Occupation Related Broadband NIR Luminescence in Cr3+-doped Li3Mg2NbO6

CrystEngComm ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fen Xiao ◽  
Chengning Xie ◽  
Shikun Xie ◽  
Rongxi Yi ◽  
Huiling Yuan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Nir Spectroscopy ◽  
Luminescent Materials ◽  
Optical Source ◽  
Nir Emission ◽  
Nir Luminescence

Broadband near infrared (NIR) luminescent materials have attracted great attention recently for the advance smart optical source of NIR spectroscopy. In this work, a broadband NIR emission from 650 nm...

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