Identification of the Hemodynamic Correlates of Basic Emotional States with a Mobile Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy System

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) system, for quantification of the similarities and differences in the spatial localization of cerebral hemodynamic activation, induced by visual presentation of neutral, negative and positive valence emotional stimuli. Method: Thirteen healthy subjects viewed neutral, pleasant and unpleasant pictures from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) database in a block design experiment while the prefrontal cortical hemodynamic changes induced by emotional stimuli were continuously recorded with a 20 channel fNIRS system that covered the forehead region. Results: Negative valence pictures induced higher hemodynamic activity in right lateralized regions involving dorsolateral and orbitofrontal cortex, when compared to neutral and positive valence stimuli (pFDR<0.05). Each stimulus condition induced a distinct cortical activation pattern that could be identified with fNIRS. Conclusion: Our findings support the notion that different basic emotions have distinct localization and separable hemodynamic correlates in the prefrontal cortex region, which can be detected with a mobile fNIRS system. The distinct cortical hemodynamic activity patterns associated with each emotional state show the potential of fNIRS technology for decoding and differentiating basic emotions objectively and real time for future clinical and daily life applications.