online-repetitive-transcranial-magnetic-stimulation-dorsomedial

Online Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Dorsomedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Cognition Decision Making, and Cognitive Dissonance

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a powerful method for revealing causal links between specific brain regions and cognitive functions. While ...

National Research University Higher School of Economics

This study explored the effect of the perceived social content of affective pictures on the subjective evaluation of affective valence and arousal. For this purpose, we established three categories of social content (pictures without people, with one person and with two or more people). A sample of 161 subjects rated 200 pictures varying in affective valence (unpleasant, neutral, and pleasant), arousal and social content. Results of two-factor analysis of variance, F(4, 157) = 71.7, p < .001, ηp2 = .31, showed that perceived social content influenced the ratings of affective valence, specially for unpleasant pictures, with the greatest social content (two or more people) leading subjects to rate unpleasant pictures with the lowest ratings (all pairwise comparisons' p < .001). Regarding arousal, F(4, 157) = 64.0, p < .001, ηp2 = .29), the higher the social content, the higher the arousal ratings, but only for pleasant (all pairwise comparisons' p < .007) and unpleasant (all pairwise comparisons' p < .001) pictures. Overall, this study demonstrated an effect of the perceived social content on the subjective evaluation of affective valence and arousal of emotional stimuli.

Does Social Content Influence the Subjective Evaluation of Affective Pictures?

Cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression are well-studied strategies of emotion regulation (ER). However, the results on their physiological basis are controversial. While in some studies, ER was accompanied by the inhibition of the nervous system, others suggested that ER even might increase arousal and engagement. We calculated the inter-subject correlation (ISC) and indices of engagement, valence and arousal of EEG during suppression, reappraisal, or natural watching of neutral and negative videos. First, both suppression and reappraisal provoked a higher ISC in comparison with watching negative or neutral videos. We consider this as a marker of engagement to the task and feedback processing required for ER. Second, the engagement index was lower during ER compared to watching negative videos in central electrodes, whereas both strategies provoked a higher engagement in frontal electrodes. Third, the arousal index of EEG was higher during all negative conditions; therefore, regulation required a certain level of arousal. In summary, different EEG measures seem to be sensitive to different aspects of ER.

The role of engagement and arousal in emotion regulation: an EEG study.

Emotional states in the short term and affective impairments, such as anxiety and depression in the long run, can have a significant impact on postural control. Individuals with these conditions often struggle with maintaining balance during emotionally charged situations, which can increase their risk of falls and injuries. Biofeedback has been proposed as a potential intervention to improve postural control during emotional induction.

Postural control in emotional states: An effect of biofeedback.

Effective health promotion may benefit from understanding how persuasion emerges. While earlier research has identified brain regions implicated in persuasion, these studies often relied on event-related analyses and frequently simplified persuasive communications. The present study investigates the neural basis of valuation change induced by a persuasive healthy eating call, employing naturalistic stimuli. Fifty healthy participants performed two blocks of a bidding task, in which they had to bid on sugar-containing, sugar-free, and nonedible products during functional MRI. In between the two blocks, they listened to a persuasive healthy eating call that influenced their bidding behavior. Intriguingly, participants who resisted persuasion exhibited increased synchronization of brain activity during listening in several regions, including default mode network structures. Additionally, intersubject functional connectivity among these brain regions was found to be weaker in persuaded individuals. These results emphasize the individualized nature of processing persuasive messages, challenging conventional interpretations of synchronized neural activity. Our findings support the emerging practice of tailoring persuasive messages in health promotion campaigns.

Deciphering the neural responses to a naturalistic persuasive message.

Emotions play a crucial role in shaping consumer experiences and decisions. Neurophysiological tools offer objective markers of emotional reactions in multisensory environments, where positive valence promotes approach behavior and negative valence fosters avoidance.

Article	Year
Does Social Content Influence the Subjective Evaluation of Affective Pictures? The Spanish journal of psychology\| PubMed ID: 32460951	2020
The role of engagement and arousal in emotion regulation: an EEG study. Experimental brain research\| PubMed ID: 37994917	2024
Postural control in emotional states: An effect of biofeedback. Gait & posture\| PubMed ID: 38100957	2024
Deciphering the neural responses to a naturalistic persuasive message. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America\| PubMed ID: 39413130	2024
Neurophysiological study of consumer emotional reactions in a simulated multisensory retail environment. Frontiers in human neuroscience\| PubMed ID: 41209399	2025

Vladimir Kosonogov

Biography

JoVE Journal Publications

Other Publications