Neurophysiological correlates of the regulation of emotion and working memory processes through spontaneous facial self-touch gestures

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Martin Grunwald
• Subject Area: General, Cognitive and Mathematical Psychology
• Term: from 2015 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 279590885

A previous study (Grunwald et al 2014a) has shown significant changes in the brain electrical activityof theta and beta power immediately before and after spontaneous facial self-touch gestures (sFSTG).The change dynamics of the EEG parameters across the entire experiment suggested thatspontaneously performed self-touch of the facial skin may modulate working memory processes andsimultaneously occurring emotional processes. If, in contrast, the examiner instructed the participantsto touch their face, no such pre-post EEG changes occurred. These finding are the firstneurobiological evidence in support of the hypothesis that movements directed to the own body mayfulfil regulatory functions. Respective research topics may provide promising insights in humanbehavior on the level of neurobiological foundational research as well as in clinical settings.The goals of the study under application are the following: a) elucidation of the brain electrical patterns of activation during the spontaneous facial self-touch, b) analysis of the duration and location of the sFSTG in relation to the brain electrical activity patterns before, during and after the sFSTG, c)analysis of the sFSTG characteristics (left vs. right hand; ipsilateral vs. contralateral face regions) inrelation to the brain electrical activity patterns before, during and after the sFSTG, d) elucidation of the gender specific characteristics of sFSTG concerning goals (a) through (c), and e) elucidation ofbehavioural effects and brain electrical changes caused by preventing the participant from performingsFSTG.Altogether, 56 men and 56 women between 20 and 35 years of age will be tested with the studydesign of Grunwald (2014a). Spectral and Wavelet analyses will be conducted of the conventionalband widths recorded with a 19 channel EEG. Movement and skin contact dynamics of the sFSTG will be registered by existing microprocessor acceleration sensors. The total duration of the study,including implementation, data analysis and manuscript submission will be 12 months.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants