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Simmonds-Moore CA. Exploring the correlates and nature of subjective anomalous interactions with objects (psychometry): a mixed methods survey. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1365144. [PMID: 39286561 PMCID: PMC11404038 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1365144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Psychometry refers to the experience of receiving information about a person or thing by contact with a given object. There is little research to date on the psychological correlates of psychometry and no systematic qualitative research on the nature of the experience itself. Method A convergent mixed methods online survey sought to explore how synesthesia and autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) correlate with a range of anomalous experiences, including psychometry, among members of the public. Those who reported that they had experienced psychometry were invited to describe their experiences in an open ended section. Results Results indicate that those who experience psychometry scored higher on a measure of ASMR than those who did not. Those who experience synesthesia also scored significantly higher on a measure of ASMR than those who did not. However, synesthesia was not significantly associated with psychometry. Both ASMR and synesthesia were associated with tendencies to report anomalous experiences (with and without a paranormal attribution). A thematic analysis found five themes including: a flash of imagery; lived feelings and intense emotions; noesis and perspective taking/empathy. Subjective psychometry experiences seem to reflect emotional information that is experienced as different to one's normal experiences and felt to be from the perspective of another person. Discussion Results are discussed and quantitative and qualitative findings are integrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine A Simmonds-Moore
- Department of Anthropology, Psychology and Sociology, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, United States
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Mednicoff SD, Barashy S, Vollweiler DJ, Benning SD, Snyder JS, Hannon EE. Misophonia reactions in the general population are correlated with strong emotional reactions to other everyday sensory-emotional experiences. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230253. [PMID: 39005036 PMCID: PMC11444238 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Misophonic experiences are common in the general population, and they may shed light on everyday emotional reactions to multi-modal stimuli. We performed an online study of a non-clinical sample to understand the extent to which adults who have misophonic reactions are generally reactive to a range of audio-visual emotion-inducing stimuli. We also hypothesized that musicality might be predictive of one's emotional reactions to these stimuli because music is an activity that involves strong connections between sensory processing and meaningful emotional experiences. Participants completed self-report scales of misophonia and musicality. They also watched videos meant to induce misophonia, autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) and musical chills, and were asked to click a button whenever they had any emotional reaction to the video. They also rated the emotional valence and arousal of each video. Reactions to misophonia videos were predicted by reactions to ASMR and chills videos, which could indicate that the frequency with which individuals experience emotional responses varies similarly across both negative and positive emotional contexts. Musicality scores were not correlated with measures of misophonia. These findings could reflect a general phenotype of stronger emotional reactivity to meaningful sensory inputs. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solena D Mednicoff
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154-9900, USA
| | - Sivan Barashy
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154-9900, USA
| | - David J Vollweiler
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154-9900, USA
| | - Stephen D Benning
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154-9900, USA
| | - Joel S Snyder
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154-9900, USA
| | - Erin E Hannon
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154-9900, USA
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Lin IF, Kondo HM. Brain circuits in autonomous sensory meridian response and related phenomena. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230252. [PMID: 39005041 PMCID: PMC11444242 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is characterized by a tingling sensation with a feeling of relaxation and a state of flow. We explore the neural underpinnings and comorbidities of ASMR and related phenomena with altered sensory processing. These phenomena include sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), synaesthesia, Alice in Wonderland syndrome and misophonia. The objective of this article is to uncover the shared neural substrates and distinctive features of ASMR and its counterparts. ASMR, SPS and misophonia exhibit common activations in the brain regions associated with social cognition, emotion regulation and empathy. Nevertheless, ASMR responders display reduced connectivity in the salience network (SN), while individuals with SPS exhibit increased connectivity in the SN. Furthermore, ASMR induces relaxation and temporarily reduces symptoms of depression, in contrast to SPS and misophonia, which are linked to depression. These observations lead us to propose that ASMR is a distinct phenomenon owing to its attention dispatch mechanism and its connection with emotion regulation. We suggest that increased activations in the insula, along with reduction in connectivity within the salience and default mode networks in ASMR responders, may account for their experiences of relaxation and flow states. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'.
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Affiliation(s)
- I-Fan Lin
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 112, Taiwan
| | - Hirohito M Kondo
- School of Psychology, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8666, Japan
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Terashima H, Tada K, Kondo HM. Predicting tingling sensations induced by autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) videos based on sound texture statistics: a comparison to pleasant feelings. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230254. [PMID: 39005038 PMCID: PMC11444235 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Sound serves as a potent medium for emotional well-being, with phenomena like the autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) showing a unique capacity for inducing relaxation and alleviating stress. This study aimed to understand how tingling sensations (and, for comparison, pleasant feelings) that such videos induce relate to acoustic features, using a broader range of ASMR videos as stimuli. The sound texture statistics and their timing predictive of tingling and pleasantness were identified through L1-regularized linear regression. Tingling was well-predicted (r = 0.52), predominantly by the envelope of frequencies near 5 kHz in the 1500 to 750 ms period before the response: stronger tingling was associated with a lower amplitude around the 5 kHz frequency range. This finding was further validated using an independent set of ASMR sounds. The prediction of pleasantness was more challenging (r = 0.26), requiring a longer effective time window, threefold that for tingling. These results enhance our understanding of how specific acoustic elements can induce tingling sensations, and how these elements differ from those that induce pleasant feelings. Our findings have potential applications in optimizing ASMR stimuli to improve quality of life and alleviate stress and anxiety, thus expanding the scope of ASMR stimulus production beyond traditional methods. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Terashima
- NTT Communication Science Laboratories, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198, Japan
| | - Kanae Tada
- School of Psychology, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8666, Japan
| | - Hirohito M Kondo
- School of Psychology, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8666, Japan
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Seifzadeh S, Kostek B. Exploring the technological dimension of Autonomous sensory meridian response-induced physiological responses. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17754. [PMID: 39035154 PMCID: PMC11260406 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background In recent years, the scientific community has been captivated by the intriguing Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR), a unique phenomenon characterized by tingling sensations originating from the scalp and propagating down the spine. While anecdotal evidence suggests the therapeutic potential of ASMR, the field has witnessed a surge of scientific interest, particularly through the use of neuroimaging techniques including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as well as electroencephalography (EEG) and physiological measures such as eye tracking (Pupil Diameter), heart rate (HR), heartbeat-evoked potential (HEP), blood pressure (BP), pulse rates (PR), finger photoplethysmography (PPG), and skin conductance (SC). This article is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of technology's contributions to the scientific elucidation of ASMR mechanisms. Methodology A meticulous literature review was undertaken to identify studies that have examined ASMR using EEG and physiological measurements. The comprehensive search was conducted across databases such as PUBMED, SCOPUS, and IEEE, using a range of relevant keywords such as 'ASMR', 'Autonomous sensory meridian response', 'EEG', 'fMRI', 'electroencephalography', 'physiological measures', 'heart rate', 'skin conductance', and 'eye tracking'. This rigorous process yielded a substantial number of 63 PUBMED and 166 SCOPUS-related articles, ensuring the inclusion of a wide range of high-quality research in this review. Results The review uncovered a body of research utilizing EEG and physiological measures to explore ASMR's effects. EEG studies have revealed distinct patterns of brain activity associated with ASMR experiences, particularly in regions implicated in emotional processing and sensory integration. In physiological measurements, a decrease in HR and an increase in SC and pupil diameter indicate relaxation and increased attention during ASMR-triggered stimuli. Conclusions The findings of this review underscore the significance of EEG and physiological measures in unraveling the psychological and physiological effects of ASMR. ASMR experiences have been associated with unique neural signatures, while physiological measures provide valuable insights into the autonomic responses elicited by ASMR stimuli. This review not only highlights the interdisciplinary nature of ASMR research but also emphasizes the need for further investigation to elucidate the mechanisms underlying ASMR and explore its potential therapeutic applications, thereby paving the way for the development of novel therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Seifzadeh
- Doctoral School of Gdańsk University of Technology, Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Multimedia Systems Department, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdansk, N/A, Poland
| | - Bozena Kostek
- Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Audio Acoustics Laboratory, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdansk, N/A, Poland
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Sakurai N, Nagasaka K, Sasaki K, Yuguchi Y, Takahashi S, Kasai S, Onishi H, Kodama N. The relaxation effect of autonomous sensory meridian response depends on personal preference. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1249176. [PMID: 38116234 PMCID: PMC10728270 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1249176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a sensory response such as tingling and pleasantness from audiovisual stimuli. ASMR videos come in a wide variety of types, and personal preferences are biased. There are many reports of the effects os ASMR on sleep onset, anxiety relief, and other relaxation effects. However, prior task-oriented studies have used ASMR videos provided by the experimenter. We hypothesized that ASMR movies of a personal preference would show significantly increased activity in the nucleus accumbens, frontal cortex, and insular cortex, which are brain areas associated with relaxation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to elucidate the neuroscientific basis for the relaxation effects of ASMR videos that match someone's personal preferences. Methods This study included 30 healthy individuals aged ≥18 years. ASMR enthusiasts were included as the target population due to the need to have a clear preference for ASMR videos. A control video (1 type) and ASMR videos (20 types) were used as the stimulus tasks. Among the ASMR videos, those with high and low evaluation scores were considered liked and dislikedASMR videos, respectively. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed while the participants viewed a block design with a resting task in between. The data were analyzed using Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 to identify the areas activated by control, disliked, and liked ASMR videos. Results Emotion-related areas (the amygdala, frontal cortex, and insular cortex) not activated by control and unliked ASMR videos were activated only by liked ASMR videos. Conclusion The amygdala, frontal cortex, and insular cortex may be involved in the limbic dopamine circuits of the amygdala and middle frontal gyrus and the autonomic balance of the left and right insular cortices. This suggests the potential of positive mood and its use as a treatment for patients with anxiety and depression. These results suggest that the use of ASMR videos to match individual preferences may induce relaxation and have beneficial effects on depression and other disorders, and also support the introduction of ASMR videos in mental health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Sakurai
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Nagasaka
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Kei Sasaki
- Graduate School of Health and Welfare, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Yukina Yuguchi
- Graduate School of Health and Welfare, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Shingo Takahashi
- Department of Healthcare Informatics, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Gunma, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kasai
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hideaki Onishi
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Naoki Kodama
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
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Yin Y, Fan CF. The Effects of Mukbang Watching on Enteral Feeding Intolerance Among Critically Ill Patients: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trail. Patient Prefer Adherence 2023; 17:2891-2897. [PMID: 37965439 PMCID: PMC10642568 DOI: 10.2147/ppa.s438190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose With an estimated prevalence of 38%, enteral feeding intolerance (EFI) is common in critically ill patients receiving enteral nutrition (EN), and is associated with higher mortality and longer duration of mechanical ventilation. Various methods have been reported to decrease the incidence of EFI during EN, such as post-pyloric feeding, continuous EN delivery, abdominal massage, and probiotic supplementation. However, several studies reported conflicting results. Inappropriate interventions may cause gastrointestinal (GI) injury. This study aims to design a protocol based on Mukbang videos, which are widely watched online, to detect their effects on the incidence of EFI, nutritional status, incidence of infectious complications, and activities of daily living. Patients and Methods We will conduct a three-arm, parallel-design, randomized controlled trial that will be implemented in 273 patients from intensive care units. Participants will be randomized into one of the three intervention arms (1:1:1), which will be performed by a research assistant. Participants were allocated to three groups: (a) watching mukbang video, (b) watching a cooking show, and (c) watching a non-food content video. Prior to EN initiation, each participant will watch a ten-minute mukbang video, cookery show, or non-food content video. Conclusion Mukbang videos show food, expressions of mukbangers and eating sounds. If it effectively reduces the incidence of EFI, leads to greater nutritional status, lower incidence of infectious complications, and a higher level of independence among patients compared with watching cooking videos or non-food content videos, it has broad dissemination potential as a non-invasive, easily assessing, and using method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Yin
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chao-Feng Fan
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
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Sakurai N, Nagasaka K, Takahashi S, Kasai S, Onishi H, Kodama N. Brain function effects of autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) video viewing. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1025745. [PMID: 36777643 PMCID: PMC9909086 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1025745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is the sensation of tingling from audiovisual stimuli that leads to positive emotions. ASMR is used among young people to relax, induce sleep, reduce stress, and alleviate anxiety. However, even without experiencing tingling, ASMR is used by many young people to seek relaxation. Auditory stimulation in ASMR is thought to play the most important role among its triggers, and previous studies have used a mixture of auditory and visual stimulation and auditory stimulation. This is the first study to approach the differences between the effects of direct audiovisual and auditory stimulation from the perspective of brain function using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and to clarify the effects of ASMR, which attracts many young people. Methods The subjects were 30 healthy subjects over 19 years old or older who had not experienced tingling. Brain function was imaged by fMRI while watching ASMR videos or listening to the sound files only. We administered a questionnaire based on a Likert scale to determine if the participants felt a "relaxed mood" and "tingling mood" during the task. Results Significant activation was found in the visual cortex for audiovisual stimulation and in the visual and auditory cortex for auditory stimulation. In addition, activation of characteristic sites was observed. The specific sites of activation for audiovisual stimulation were the middle frontal gyrus and the left nucleus accumbens, while the specific sites of activation for auditory stimulation were the bilateral insular cortices. The questionnaire showed no significant differences in either "relaxed mood" or "tingling mood" in response to auditory and visual stimulation or auditory stimulation alone. Conclusion The results of this study showed that there was a clear difference between auditory and audiovisual stimulation in terms of the areas of activation in the brain, but the questionnaire did not reveal any difference in the subjects' mood. Audiovisual stimulation showed activation of the middle frontal gyrus and the nucleus accumbens, whereas auditory stimulation showed activation of the insular cortex. This difference in brain activation sites suggests a difference in mental health effects between auditory and audiovisual stimulation. However, future research on comparisons between those who experience tingling and those who do not, as well as investigations of physiological indices, and examination of the relationship with activated areas in the brain may show that ASMR is useful for mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Sakurai
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Nagasaka
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Shingo Takahashi
- Department of Healthcare Informatics, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Gunma, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kasai
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hideaki Onishi
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Naoki Kodama
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan,*Correspondence: Naoki Kodama,
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Lohaus T, Yüksekdag S, Bellingrath S, Thoma P. The effects of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) videos versus walking tour videos on ASMR experience, positive affect and state relaxation. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0277990. [PMID: 36598891 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), the experience of a pleasant tingling on the neck and scalp, is known to be triggered by a characteristic type of videos (ASMR videos). The present study examines whether this experience is indeed specific to these ASMR videos, or whether it can also be triggered by other types of videos, e.g. walking tour videos. A further goal was to investigate differences between ASMR-responders and ASMR-non-responders regarding their ASMR sensation and to compare ASMR and walking tour videos with regard to the elicitation of positive affect and state relaxation. METHOD Two online assessments were carried out in two different predominantly student samples, one involving ASMR videos (n = 205) and the other one walking tour videos (n = 96). In both groups, ASMR experience, positive affect and state relaxation were assessed. RESULTS Compared to the walking tour video group, the ASMR-responders in the ASMR video group reported a pronounced ASMR sensation, higher state relaxation and higher positive affect scores. For ASMR-non-responders, lower scores in ASMR sensation, state relaxation and positive affect were revealed compared to the walking tour group. Without differentiating ASMR responder types, the ASMR group showed higher ASMR scores and lower positive affect scores compared to the walking tour group. CONCLUSIONS Watching ASMR videos induced significantly more characteristic ASMR sensations compared to walking tour videos. Since ASMR videos typically include a simulated interaction of the video protagonist with the viewer and walking tour videos do not, the simulated interaction with the viewer might be one important factor for triggering ASMR. As the ASMR observer type (responder or non-responder) is crucial for benefitting from ASMR videos, future scientific evaluation of ASMR needs to consider this differention when evaluating effects of ASMR on mental heath associated domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Lohaus
- Neuropsychological Therapy Centre (NTC), Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sara Yüksekdag
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Silja Bellingrath
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Patrizia Thoma
- Neuropsychological Therapy Centre (NTC), Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Comparison of autonomous sensory meridian response and binaural auditory beats effects on stress reduction: a pilot study. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19521. [PMID: 36376468 PMCID: PMC9663698 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24120-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to compare the effects of Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) and binaural beat (BB) on stress reduction, and to determine whether ASMR and BB can induce changes in quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG). A double-blind randomized trial was conducted. Subjects with stress were recruited considering their perceived stress scale (PSS), Beck depression inventory-II (BDI-II), insomnia severity index (ISI), and state-trait anxiety inventory-state anxiety (STAI-S) scores. Subjects listened to ASMR or BB with music (8 Hz for daytime, 5 Hz for nighttime) for 15 min in daytime and 30 min before going to sleep for 3 weeks. QEEG was measured before and after the intervention. Seventy-six participants (57 female, mean age = 46.12 ± 12.01) finished the trial. After the intervention, PSS, BDI-II, ISI, STAI-S, and PSQI scores improved significantly in both groups. BDI-II and ISI mean scores were normalized in both groups after the intervention. Changes of absolute beta and high beta power in the ASMR group were larger than those in the BB group (p = 0.026, p = 0.040, respectively). Both ASMR and BB are equally effective in reducing stress levels. Unlike BB, ASMR can lead to an increase in beta and high beta waves associated with cortical arousal.
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