Spectral Correlation Studies of Emotional States in Humans

Abstract

Utilization of a new approach to EEG analysis, i.e., spectral correlation, allowed significant differences in the spatial distribution of correlational relationships in spectral power to be identified for emotions of different qualities, i.e., anger and fear. In conditions of fear, the topographic distribution of intracortical connections in the delta range was more extensive and included the frontal, central, temporal, parietal, and occipital areas. The emotion of anger induced changes in the pattern of the spatial distribution of intracortical connections in the alpha frequency range, such that a powerful frontal focus of connections formed in the frontal areas. The largest number of connections in the beta2 band (22 highly significant connections) was seen for the emotion of anger. Thus, generalization of connections in the high-frequency EEG ranges occurred in anger, while this was not characteristic of fear.