title: Resting state EEG delta-beta coherence in relation to anxiety, behavioral inhibition, and selective attentional processing of threatening stimuli.
abstract: Variability in human resting state electroencephalography (EEG) may reflect emotion regulation processes (for a review, see Knyazev, 2007). For instance, it has been suggested that correlation between slow (1-3 Hz) and fast (13-30 Hz) activity (or δ-β coherence) may reflect functional synchronization between limbic and cortical brain systems. Indirect support comes from several studies reporting relationships between δ-β coherence and subjectively reported behavioral inhibition and state anxiety. The present study sought to extend this work and tested the prediction that objectively, experimentally, measured threat-selective attention should also be related to δ-β coherence. EEG frequency band power and dot probe task performance were assessed in forty healthy women and results demonstrated a negative association between delta-beta coherence and automatic, anxiety-driven attentional avoidance of threatening pictorial stimuli. These first reported objective measures for cognitive-emotional behavior obtained in relation to delta-beta coherence provide additional support for the hypothesis that this EEG parameter may reflect emotion regulation processes and supports suggestions that δ-β coherence may be a useful tool in the experimental study of affect and psychopathology. In addition, results showed an unexpected negative association between δ-β coherence and self-reported trait anxiety (but no association with behavioral inhibition).
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Leiden University, The Netherlands. PPutman@FSW.leidenuniv.nl
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Putman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001611:Beta Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D003700:Delta Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult