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Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Impairing Effect of Emotion on Cognition
Published on: February 1, 2012
Frontal brain asymmetry predicts affective style in men
1Harvard Medical School.
Abstract:
Recent research suggests that a significant relationship between frontal brain asymmetry (FBA) and affective style can be documented in women with 1-measurement occasion. The purpose of this study was to determine whether this finding is generalizable to men. Resting electroencephalogram (EEG) activity was recorded from male adults during 5 60-s baselines on 1 measurement occasion. Mean alpha power asymmetry was extracted in midfrontal and lateral-frontal sites. For the lateral-frontal site, but not the midfrontal site, there was a significant relationship between relative left anterior activation and positive affective style. These results suggest that lateral FBA is a robust and state-independent measure of affective style in men.
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