Anterior electroencephalographic asymmetry changes in elderly women in response to a pleasant and an unpleasant odor.
Greater left than right frontal EEG activation has been associated with increased positive and/or decreased negative affect, whereas greater right than left frontal activation has been associated with the opposite pattern. Substantial research has documented the trait properties of asymmetry, as well as responses to pleasant and unpleasant stimuli. The present study examined changes in anterior alpha asymmetries in response to pleasant (vanilla), unpleasant (valerian), and neutral (water) odors. As predicted, vanilla produced relative left frontal activation compared to valerian and water. Frontal asymmetry did not differ in response to valerian compared to water. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the left frontal region of the brain is involved in positive/approach-related emotion, and extend previous results into the olfactory realm.
Kline
J P
JP
Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1051, USA. kline@psy.fsu.edu
Blackhart
G C
GC
Woodward
K M
KM
Williams
S R
SR
Schwartz
G E
GE
D000339:Affect; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009812:Odorants; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*