EEG changes caused by spontaneous facial self-touch may represent emotion regulating processes and working memory...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Spontaneous facial self-touch gestures (sFSTG) are common, particularly during stress.
• These gestures often occur unconsciously and are not primarily for communication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between sFSTG and electrical brain activity.
• To determine if sFSTG involve emotional regulation and working memory processes.

Main Methods:

• 14 subjects performed a delayed haptic memory task with auditory stress.
• Recorded behavior, 19-channel EEG, and EMG.
• Analyzed behavioral data and EEG spectral power (theta, alpha, beta, gamma bands).

Main Results:

• sFSTG increased during unpleasant sounds.
• Increased theta and beta power observed after stimulus exploration and sFSTG.
• Theta power decreased before sFSTG during the retention interval.
• No significant EEG changes were found for instructed facial self-touch.

Conclusions:

• Changes in theta power before and after sFSTG suggest involvement of cortical regulatory processes.
• sFSTG are associated with working memory and emotional regulation.