title: [Alexithymia impact on EEG activity of anterior and posterior regions of the right hemisphere while experiencing positive and negative emotions].
abstract: The present study was aimed to assess the influence of alexithymia (an emotional disorder associated with difficulties in identification and describing personal feelings) on regional activity while experiencing positive or negative emotional activation. The 62-channels EEG was recorded in non-alexithymic (n = 27) and alexithymic (n = 17) subjects viewing emotional film clips. Effects of alexithymia were found in the upper theta, low and upper alpha frequency bands; for all the bands the alexithymics exhibited greater reactivity of the right hemisphere, suggesting enhanced avoidance motivational tendencies, negative effect and autonomic arousal. The present phenomenon suggests engagement of additional cognitive resources in identification of emotional feelings. Such a 'cognitive effort' can be a result of impaired referential links and deficit of symbolic processing of emotions.
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Aftanas
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Varlamov
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male