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Simmonds-Moore CA. Exploring the correlates and nature of subjective anomalous interactions with objects (psychometry): a mixed methods survey. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1365144. [PMID: 39286561 PMCID: PMC11404038 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1365144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Psychometry refers to the experience of receiving information about a person or thing by contact with a given object. There is little research to date on the psychological correlates of psychometry and no systematic qualitative research on the nature of the experience itself. Method A convergent mixed methods online survey sought to explore how synesthesia and autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) correlate with a range of anomalous experiences, including psychometry, among members of the public. Those who reported that they had experienced psychometry were invited to describe their experiences in an open ended section. Results Results indicate that those who experience psychometry scored higher on a measure of ASMR than those who did not. Those who experience synesthesia also scored significantly higher on a measure of ASMR than those who did not. However, synesthesia was not significantly associated with psychometry. Both ASMR and synesthesia were associated with tendencies to report anomalous experiences (with and without a paranormal attribution). A thematic analysis found five themes including: a flash of imagery; lived feelings and intense emotions; noesis and perspective taking/empathy. Subjective psychometry experiences seem to reflect emotional information that is experienced as different to one's normal experiences and felt to be from the perspective of another person. Discussion Results are discussed and quantitative and qualitative findings are integrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine A Simmonds-Moore
- Department of Anthropology, Psychology and Sociology, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, United States
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2
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Lin IF, Kondo HM. Brain circuits in autonomous sensory meridian response and related phenomena. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230252. [PMID: 39005041 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is characterized by a tingling sensation with a feeling of relaxation and a state of flow. We explore the neural underpinnings and comorbidities of ASMR and related phenomena with altered sensory processing. These phenomena include sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), synaesthesia, Alice in Wonderland syndrome and misophonia. The objective of this article is to uncover the shared neural substrates and distinctive features of ASMR and its counterparts. ASMR, SPS and misophonia exhibit common activations in the brain regions associated with social cognition, emotion regulation and empathy. Nevertheless, ASMR responders display reduced connectivity in the salience network (SN), while individuals with SPS exhibit increased connectivity in the SN. Furthermore, ASMR induces relaxation and temporarily reduces symptoms of depression, in contrast to SPS and misophonia, which are linked to depression. These observations lead us to propose that ASMR is a distinct phenomenon owing to its attention dispatch mechanism and its connection with emotion regulation. We suggest that increased activations in the insula, along with reduction in connectivity within the salience and default mode networks in ASMR responders, may account for their experiences of relaxation and flow states. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'.
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Affiliation(s)
- I-Fan Lin
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 112, Taiwan
| | - Hirohito M Kondo
- School of Psychology, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8666, Japan
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Terashima H, Tada K, Kondo HM. Predicting tingling sensations induced by autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) videos based on sound texture statistics: a comparison to pleasant feelings. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230254. [PMID: 39005038 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Sound serves as a potent medium for emotional well-being, with phenomena like the autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) showing a unique capacity for inducing relaxation and alleviating stress. This study aimed to understand how tingling sensations (and, for comparison, pleasant feelings) that such videos induce relate to acoustic features, using a broader range of ASMR videos as stimuli. The sound texture statistics and their timing predictive of tingling and pleasantness were identified through L1-regularized linear regression. Tingling was well-predicted (r = 0.52), predominantly by the envelope of frequencies near 5 kHz in the 1500 to 750 ms period before the response: stronger tingling was associated with a lower amplitude around the 5 kHz frequency range. This finding was further validated using an independent set of ASMR sounds. The prediction of pleasantness was more challenging (r = 0.26), requiring a longer effective time window, threefold that for tingling. These results enhance our understanding of how specific acoustic elements can induce tingling sensations, and how these elements differ from those that induce pleasant feelings. Our findings have potential applications in optimizing ASMR stimuli to improve quality of life and alleviate stress and anxiety, thus expanding the scope of ASMR stimulus production beyond traditional methods. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Terashima
- NTT Communication Science Laboratories, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198, Japan
| | - Kanae Tada
- School of Psychology, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8666, Japan
| | - Hirohito M Kondo
- School of Psychology, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8666, Japan
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4
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de Sampaio Barros MF, Stefano Filho CA, de Menezes LT, Araújo-Moreira FM, Trevelin LC, Pimentel Maia R, Radel R, Castellano G. Psycho-physio-neurological correlates of qualitative attention, emotion and flow experiences in a close-to-real-life extreme sports situation: low- and high-altitude slackline walking. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17743. [PMID: 39076780 PMCID: PMC11285370 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
It has been indicated that extreme sport activities result in a highly rewarding experience, despite also providing fear, stress and anxiety. Studies have related this experience to the concept of flow, a positive feeling that individuals undergo when they are completely immersed in an activity. However, little is known about the exact nature of these experiences, and, there are still no empirical results to characterize the brain dynamics during extreme sport practice. This work aimed at investigating changes in psychological responses while recording physiological (heart rate-HR, and breathing rate-BR) and neural (electroencephalographic-EEG) data of eight volunteers, during outdoors slackline walking in a mountainous environment at two different altitude conditions (1 m-low-walk- and 45 m-high-walk-from the ground). Low-walk showed a higher score on flow scale, while high-walk displayed a higher score in the negative affect aspects, which together point to some level of flow restriction during high-walk. The order of task performance was shown to be relevant for the physiological and neural variables. The brain behavior during flow, mainly considering attention networks, displayed the stimulus-driven ventral attention network-VAN, regionally prevailing (mainly at the frontal lobe), over the goal-directed dorsal attention network-DAN. Therefore, we suggest an interpretation of flow experiences as an opened attention to more changing details in the surroundings, i.e., configured as a 'task-constantly-opened-to-subtle-information experience', rather than a 'task-focused experience'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Felipe de Sampaio Barros
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratoire LAMHESS, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Nice, Côte d’Azur, France
| | - Carlos Alberto Stefano Filho
- Neurophysics Group, Gleb Wataghin Institute of Physics, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (BRAINN), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lucas Toffoli de Menezes
- Neurophysics Group, Gleb Wataghin Institute of Physics, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (BRAINN), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernando Manuel Araújo-Moreira
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de pós-graduação em Engenharia Nuclear, Instituto Militar de Engenharia/IME, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luis Carlos Trevelin
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
- Departamento de Computação, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael Pimentel Maia
- Department of Statistics, Institute of Mathematics, Statistics and Scientific Computing, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rémi Radel
- Laboratoire LAMHESS, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Nice, Côte d’Azur, France
| | - Gabriela Castellano
- Neurophysics Group, Gleb Wataghin Institute of Physics, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (BRAINN), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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5
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Seifzadeh S, Kostek B. Exploring the technological dimension of Autonomous sensory meridian response-induced physiological responses. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17754. [PMID: 39035154 PMCID: PMC11260406 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background In recent years, the scientific community has been captivated by the intriguing Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR), a unique phenomenon characterized by tingling sensations originating from the scalp and propagating down the spine. While anecdotal evidence suggests the therapeutic potential of ASMR, the field has witnessed a surge of scientific interest, particularly through the use of neuroimaging techniques including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as well as electroencephalography (EEG) and physiological measures such as eye tracking (Pupil Diameter), heart rate (HR), heartbeat-evoked potential (HEP), blood pressure (BP), pulse rates (PR), finger photoplethysmography (PPG), and skin conductance (SC). This article is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of technology's contributions to the scientific elucidation of ASMR mechanisms. Methodology A meticulous literature review was undertaken to identify studies that have examined ASMR using EEG and physiological measurements. The comprehensive search was conducted across databases such as PUBMED, SCOPUS, and IEEE, using a range of relevant keywords such as 'ASMR', 'Autonomous sensory meridian response', 'EEG', 'fMRI', 'electroencephalography', 'physiological measures', 'heart rate', 'skin conductance', and 'eye tracking'. This rigorous process yielded a substantial number of 63 PUBMED and 166 SCOPUS-related articles, ensuring the inclusion of a wide range of high-quality research in this review. Results The review uncovered a body of research utilizing EEG and physiological measures to explore ASMR's effects. EEG studies have revealed distinct patterns of brain activity associated with ASMR experiences, particularly in regions implicated in emotional processing and sensory integration. In physiological measurements, a decrease in HR and an increase in SC and pupil diameter indicate relaxation and increased attention during ASMR-triggered stimuli. Conclusions The findings of this review underscore the significance of EEG and physiological measures in unraveling the psychological and physiological effects of ASMR. ASMR experiences have been associated with unique neural signatures, while physiological measures provide valuable insights into the autonomic responses elicited by ASMR stimuli. This review not only highlights the interdisciplinary nature of ASMR research but also emphasizes the need for further investigation to elucidate the mechanisms underlying ASMR and explore its potential therapeutic applications, thereby paving the way for the development of novel therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Seifzadeh
- Doctoral School of Gdańsk University of Technology, Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Multimedia Systems Department, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdansk, N/A, Poland
| | - Bozena Kostek
- Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Audio Acoustics Laboratory, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdansk, N/A, Poland
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6
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Ludwig D, Khalidi MA. Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) and the Functions of Consciousness. Cogn Sci 2024; 48:e13453. [PMID: 38742274 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.13453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
"Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response" (ASMR) refers to a sensory-emotional experience that was first explicitly identified and named within the past two decades in online discussion boards. Since then, there has been mounting psychological and neural evidence of a clustering of properties common to the phenomenon of ASMR, including convergence on the set of stimuli that trigger the experience, the properties of the experience itself, and its downstream effects. Moreover, psychological instruments have begun to be developed and employed in an attempt to measure it. Based on this empirical work, we make the case that despite its nonscientific origins, ASMR is a good candidate for being a real kind in the cognitive sciences. The phenomenon appears to have a robust causal profile and may also have an adaptive evolutionary history. We also argue that a more thorough understanding of the distinctive type of phenomenal experience involved in an ASMR episode can shed light on the functions of consciousness, and ultimately undermine certain "cognitive" theories of consciousness. We conclude that ASMR should be the subject of more extensive scientific investigation, particularly since it may also have the potential for therapeutic applications.
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Sakurai N, Nagasaka K, Sasaki K, Yuguchi Y, Takahashi S, Kasai S, Onishi H, Kodama N. The relaxation effect of autonomous sensory meridian response depends on personal preference. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1249176. [PMID: 38116234 PMCID: PMC10728270 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1249176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a sensory response such as tingling and pleasantness from audiovisual stimuli. ASMR videos come in a wide variety of types, and personal preferences are biased. There are many reports of the effects os ASMR on sleep onset, anxiety relief, and other relaxation effects. However, prior task-oriented studies have used ASMR videos provided by the experimenter. We hypothesized that ASMR movies of a personal preference would show significantly increased activity in the nucleus accumbens, frontal cortex, and insular cortex, which are brain areas associated with relaxation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to elucidate the neuroscientific basis for the relaxation effects of ASMR videos that match someone's personal preferences. Methods This study included 30 healthy individuals aged ≥18 years. ASMR enthusiasts were included as the target population due to the need to have a clear preference for ASMR videos. A control video (1 type) and ASMR videos (20 types) were used as the stimulus tasks. Among the ASMR videos, those with high and low evaluation scores were considered liked and dislikedASMR videos, respectively. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed while the participants viewed a block design with a resting task in between. The data were analyzed using Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 to identify the areas activated by control, disliked, and liked ASMR videos. Results Emotion-related areas (the amygdala, frontal cortex, and insular cortex) not activated by control and unliked ASMR videos were activated only by liked ASMR videos. Conclusion The amygdala, frontal cortex, and insular cortex may be involved in the limbic dopamine circuits of the amygdala and middle frontal gyrus and the autonomic balance of the left and right insular cortices. This suggests the potential of positive mood and its use as a treatment for patients with anxiety and depression. These results suggest that the use of ASMR videos to match individual preferences may induce relaxation and have beneficial effects on depression and other disorders, and also support the introduction of ASMR videos in mental health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Sakurai
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Nagasaka
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Kei Sasaki
- Graduate School of Health and Welfare, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Yukina Yuguchi
- Graduate School of Health and Welfare, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Shingo Takahashi
- Department of Healthcare Informatics, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Gunma, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kasai
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hideaki Onishi
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Naoki Kodama
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
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8
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Zielinski-Nicolson KL, Roberts N, Boag S. Does ASMR propensity reflect a mentally flexible mindset? Exploring the relationship between ASMR propensity, transliminality, emotional contagion, schizotypal traits, roleplaying ability, and creativity. Conscious Cogn 2023; 113:103546. [PMID: 37356323 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2023.103546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is an alternative state of consciousness characterised 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 schizotypal 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.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Natalie Roberts
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Simon Boag
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
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Mahady A, Takac M, De Foe A. What is autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR)? A narrative review and comparative analysis of related phenomena. Conscious Cogn 2023; 109:103477. [PMID: 36806854 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2023.103477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan Mahady
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Australia
| | - Marcel Takac
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Australia.
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Kornelsen J, Fredborg BK, Smith SD. Structural differences in the cortex of individuals who experience the autonomous sensory meridian response. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e2894. [PMID: 36692975 PMCID: PMC9927840 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Kornelsen
- Department of Radiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Beverley K Fredborg
- Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen D Smith
- Department of Psychology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Sakurai N, Nagasaka K, Takahashi S, Kasai S, Onishi H, Kodama N. Brain function effects of autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) video viewing. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1025745. [PMID: 36777643 PMCID: PMC9909086 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1025745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is the sensation of tingling from audiovisual stimuli that leads to positive emotions. ASMR is used among young people to relax, induce sleep, reduce stress, and alleviate anxiety. However, even without experiencing tingling, ASMR is used by many young people to seek relaxation. Auditory stimulation in ASMR is thought to play the most important role among its triggers, and previous studies have used a mixture of auditory and visual stimulation and auditory stimulation. This is the first study to approach the differences between the effects of direct audiovisual and auditory stimulation from the perspective of brain function using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and to clarify the effects of ASMR, which attracts many young people. Methods The subjects were 30 healthy subjects over 19 years old or older who had not experienced tingling. Brain function was imaged by fMRI while watching ASMR videos or listening to the sound files only. We administered a questionnaire based on a Likert scale to determine if the participants felt a "relaxed mood" and "tingling mood" during the task. Results Significant activation was found in the visual cortex for audiovisual stimulation and in the visual and auditory cortex for auditory stimulation. In addition, activation of characteristic sites was observed. The specific sites of activation for audiovisual stimulation were the middle frontal gyrus and the left nucleus accumbens, while the specific sites of activation for auditory stimulation were the bilateral insular cortices. The questionnaire showed no significant differences in either "relaxed mood" or "tingling mood" in response to auditory and visual stimulation or auditory stimulation alone. Conclusion The results of this study showed that there was a clear difference between auditory and audiovisual stimulation in terms of the areas of activation in the brain, but the questionnaire did not reveal any difference in the subjects' mood. Audiovisual stimulation showed activation of the middle frontal gyrus and the nucleus accumbens, whereas auditory stimulation showed activation of the insular cortex. This difference in brain activation sites suggests a difference in mental health effects between auditory and audiovisual stimulation. However, future research on comparisons between those who experience tingling and those who do not, as well as investigations of physiological indices, and examination of the relationship with activated areas in the brain may show that ASMR is useful for mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Sakurai
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Nagasaka
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Shingo Takahashi
- Department of Healthcare Informatics, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Gunma, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kasai
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hideaki Onishi
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Naoki Kodama
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan,*Correspondence: Naoki Kodama,
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12
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Comparison of autonomous sensory meridian response and binaural auditory beats effects on stress reduction: a pilot study. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19521. [PMID: 36376468 PMCID: PMC9663698 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24120-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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13
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Naranowicz M. Mood effects on semantic processes: Behavioural and electrophysiological evidence. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1014706. [DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1014706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mood (i.e., our current background affective state) often unobtrusively yet pervasively affects how we think and behave. Typically, theoretical frameworks position it as an embodied source of information (i.e., a biomarker), activating thinking patterns that tune our attention, perception, motivation, and exploration tendencies in a context-dependent manner. Growing behavioural and electrophysiological research has been exploring the mood–language interactions, employing numerous semantics-oriented experimental paradigms (e.g., manipulating semantic associations, congruity, relatedness, etc.) along with mood elicitation techniques (e.g., affectively evocative film clips, music, pictures, etc.). Available behavioural and electrophysiological evidence has suggested that positive and negative moods differently regulate the dynamics of language comprehension, mostly due to the activation of mood-dependent cognitive strategies. Namely, a positive mood has been argued to activate global and heuristics-based processing and a negative mood – local and detail-oriented processing during language comprehension. Future research on mood–language interactions could benefit greatly from (i) a theoretical framework for mood effects on semantic memory, (ii) measuring mood changes multi-dimensionally, (iii) addressing discrepancies in empirical findings, (iv) a replication-oriented approach, and (v) research practices counteracting publication biases.
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