Locus of Subjective Control: Peculiarities of the Coherence of EEG Activity in the Resting State

Abstract

When studying the spatial organization of ongoing EEG, we calculated the coefficients of coherence, Kcoh, in 60 healthy adults of both sexes characterized by different locus of subjective control, LC. The latter psychological trait was diagnosed using the Rotter questionnaire. Recording of EEG (21 leads; positions of the electrodes according to the 10-20 system) was performed in the resting state with the eyes closed; Kcoh values were calculated for 20 lead pairs. Despite natural high interindividual variability, greater Kcoh values for oscillations of all EEG frequency ranges and for the entire EEG spectrum (especially in fronto-central leads) were more frequently observed in the subgroup of subjects with internal LC (internals). Externals were characterized by greater numbers of relations with low Kcoh values, while moderate and significant levels of coherence, especially for high-frequency EEG rhythms, were more typical of internals. The latter subjects more frequently and significantly differed from externals by greater Kcoh values in lead pairs F3-C3, F4-C4, and Fp2-F4. In pairs O1-O2 and P4-O2, Kcoh in internals were practically always smaller. The index of general internality demonstrated only positive correlations with the Kcoh values for δ, β, and γ EEG oscillations.