Facial and autonomic activity in depression: social context differences during imagery.
Previous research indicates that depressed patients show reduced facial expression as well as a lack of social context differences in frowning in response to sad imagery. The present study examined social context differences in facial electromyogram (EMG), self-reported emotion, skin conductance level and heart rate in 21 depressed and 22 non-depressed women assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory. Subjects were asked to imagine happy and sad situations both with and without visualizing other people. Depressed subjects showed a lack of social context differences in EMG-brow activity during sad imagery while heart rate was increased during sad-social compared to sad-solitary imagery. In contrast, non-depressed subjects showed increased EMG-brow activity during sad-social compared to sad-solitary imagery but no social context differences in heart rate. EMG-cheek activity and heart rate were increased during happy-social compared to happy-solitary imagery in depressed and non-depressed subjects. Skin conductance level was reduced in depressed compared to non-depressed subjects during baseline but failed to respond to imagery. Social context differences in heart rate and a lack thereof of frowning during sad imagery may indicate an altered psychosocial functioning in depression.
Gehricke
J G
JG
Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, 334 Social Ecology II, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. jgehrick@uci.edu
Shapiro
D
D
D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004576:Electromyography; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005138:Eyebrows / Q000502:physiology; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D012931:Social Environment