Warmer ears, warmer brain? Lateralized tympanic membrane temperature in relation to asymmetric frontal cortical activity in infants

Emotions have motivating characteristics: either you approach or withdraw in reaction to emotional stimuli. This approach-withdrawal system has been the focus of emotion studies for several decades now. Asymmetric frontal cortical activity has been widely used in these studies, using electroencephalogram (EEG). Two separate neural circuits are involved in different emotional reactions. The first is involved in emotional reactions that are more positive and elicit goals to approach or engage in a situation, and the second is involved in emotional reactions that are more negative and elicit goals to withdraw from a situation. Recently, another measurement has been hypothesized to be related to emotion, and particularly the approach-withdrawal system, namely tympanic membrane temperature (TMT). TMT would be a powerful instrument to use as an alternative for EEG, particularly in infant research. However it is not yet clear if a relationship between EEG and TMT exist, which is analysed...Show moreEmotions have motivating characteristics: either you approach or withdraw in reaction to emotional stimuli. This approach-withdrawal system has been the focus of emotion studies for several decades now. Asymmetric frontal cortical activity has been widely used in these studies, using electroencephalogram (EEG). Two separate neural circuits are involved in different emotional reactions. The first is involved in emotional reactions that are more positive and elicit goals to approach or engage in a situation, and the second is involved in emotional reactions that are more negative and elicit goals to withdraw from a situation. Recently, another measurement has been hypothesized to be related to emotion, and particularly the approach-withdrawal system, namely tympanic membrane temperature (TMT). TMT would be a powerful instrument to use as an alternative for EEG, particularly in infant research. However it is not yet clear if a relationship between EEG and TMT exist, which is analysed in this study. A relationship between those two measurements means that TMT might be of use in emotion studies. This is of great importance, because TMT is less invasive and can be easily used in research. The study population consisted of 18 infants of 10 months old. The current study used EEG to measure asymmetric frontal cortical activity and TMT was measured using an ear thermometer. The findings suggest that no relationship can be found between TMT and EEG, indicating that TMT does not measure the same thing as EEG. Hence, the hypothesis that TMT is a cheaper and easier replacement for EEG measurements cannot be endorsed in light of present data.Show less

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Warmer ears, warmer brain? Lateralized tympanic membrane temperature in relation to asymmetric frontal cortical activity in infants