Autonomic nervous system reactivity to positive and negative mood induction: The role of acute psychological responses and frontal electrocortical activity

▶ Effects of acute mood states were examined on responses in the autonomic nervous system, using heart rate variability (LF and HF HRV) analysis, and the central nervous system, using electroencephalography (EEG). ▶ Tasks included event recall tasks (Happiness Recall and Anger Recall) and a computer-based Stroop Color Word Test (SCWT). ▶ Happiness Recall resulted in increased LF-HRV but not HF-HRV, Anger Recall did not change HRV, and the SCWT produced decreases in HF-HRV and LF-HRV. ▶ Associations between EEG brain activation and HRV responses were mostly non-significant, ▶ This study shows that positive and negative mood induction result in differential HRV and EEG responses, and that these responses are related to both task characteristics and the intensity of task-induced emotions.