Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Muscle tension patterns during auditory attention.

B H Cohen1, R J Davidson, J A Senulis

  • 1Department of Psychology, New York University, NY 10003.

Biological Psychology
|July 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Development and validation of single-item experience sampling measures of wellbeing in teens.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

Incidental Findings from 16,400 Brain MRI Examinations of Research Volunteers.

AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology·2023
Same author

Differential DNA methylation in experienced meditators after an intensive day of mindfulness-based practice: Implications for immune-related pathways.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2019
Same author

Differential effects of non-dual and focused attention meditations on the formation of automatic perceptual habits in expert practitioners.

Neuropsychologia·2018
Same author

Correction to: Investigation of brain structure in the 1-month infant.

Brain structure & function·2018
Same author

Investigation of brain structure in the 1-month infant.

Brain structure & function·2018

Effortful attention to sensory stimuli, like pitch discrimination, alters facial muscle tension. This study observed specific patterns of muscle activity, including increased brow furrowing and forehead tension, during demanding sensory tasks.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychophysiology
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Muscle tension changes are documented during mental work.
  • Limited data exist on muscle tension during focused attention to sensory input.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate muscle tension patterns during effortful sensory attention.
  • To compare responses during a pitch discrimination task and a digit retention task.

Main Methods:

  • Twenty-four females performed pitch discrimination and digit retention tasks at varying difficulty levels.
  • Electrocardiogram (EKG) and electromyography (EMG) of facial and forearm muscles were recorded.

Main Results:

  • Heart rate decreased with increasing pitch task difficulty.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Facial EMG showed increased corrugator supercilii and frontalis activity and decreased jaw muscle activity as task difficulty rose.
  • Muscle tension patterns varied with task difficulty and time within trials.

    • Conclusions:

    • Sensory attention elicits distinct facial muscle tension patterns.
    • These patterns may relate to emotional expression and motor theories of attention.