Resting lateralized activity (fNIRS) predicts the cortical response and appraisal of emotions

The present study explored the effect of lateralized left-right resting brain activity on prefrontal cortical responsiveness to emotional cues and on the explicit appraisal of emotions based on their valence. Indeed subjective response to different emotional stimulus should be predicted by brain resting activity and should be lateralized and valence-related (positive vs. negative valence). Hemodynamic measure was considered (functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, fNIRS). NIRS resting activity and brain response to emotional cues were registered when subjects viewed emotional positive vs. negative stimuli (IAPS). LIR (lateralized Index Response) during resting state, LI (Lateralized Index) during emotional processing and SAM rating were considered. Regression analysis showed the significant predictive effect of resting activity (more left or right lateralized) on both brain response and appraisal of emotional cues based on stimulus valence. Moreover, significant effects were found as a function of valence (more right response to negative stimuli; more left response to positive stimuli) during emotion processing. Therefore resting state may be considered a predictive marker of the successive cortical responsiveness and appraisal of emotions.