title: Context differences in delta beta coupling are associated with neuroendocrine reactivity in infants.
abstract: Although evidence suggests that delta-beta coupling may provide a useful index of trait level cortico-subcortical cross talk in baseline contexts, there has been little work done to clarify the role of delta-beta coupling across contexts and in association with other physiological markers of emotion processing. We examined whether individual differences in coupling were visible across both positive and negative emotion-eliciting episodes during infancy (age 6 months). We also tested the convergence between measures of delta-beta coupling and neuroendocrine reactivity, which is also believed to index emotion processing. Patterns of coupling across emotion-eliciting episodes differed based on infants' levels of cortisol reactivity. Low cortisol-reactive infants largely did not show differences in coupling across emotion contexts while high cortisol-reactive infants showed greater coupling in non-fear contexts during baseline and fear episodes. Moreover, high cortisol-reactive infants showed greater coupling than low-reactive infants in non-positive episodes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Montana State University, PO Box 173440, Bozeman, MT 59717-3440. rebecca.brooker@montana.edu.
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Brooker
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Miami University, Oxford, OH.
authors.forename: Randi A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Phelps
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
authors.forename: H Hill
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
mesh_terms: D001611:Beta Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D003700:Delta Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D058407:Electroencephalography Phase Synchronization / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: HPA axis; electrophysiology; emotion; infant