Emotional tear triggered by activation of medial prefrontal cortex may act as stress reduction

DOI
  • Arita Hideho
    Department of Physiology, Toho University School of Medicine
  • Suzuki Ikuko
    Department of Physiology, Toho University School of Medicine

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Other Title
  • 涙のストレス緩和

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Description

To study the role of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in crying with tear, we continuously measured cerebral oxygenation in the PFC while subjects watched a movie that is expected to elicit emotional tear. Cerebral oxygenation was assessed by changes in the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin (oxyHb) using multi-channel near-infrared spectroscopy. We found a small gradual increase in oxyHb in the medial PFC (mPFC) at 10-50 seconds prior to tearing, when subjects developed an increase in heart rate and felt “choked up”. Thereafter oxyHb in the mPFC showed a spiky larger increase, i.e., “tear-triggering phase” just before subjects started weeping bitterly. This result indicates that the crying response is triggered by the top-down command originating from the mPFC that is related with “theory of mind” or empathy. During the weeping we observed a recovery from the increased PFC oxyHb and tachycardia. The mood state, assessed by POMS questionnaire score after crying with tear, reduced confusion and tension-anxiety. Since the tearing response is induced by a vigorous excitation of the parasympathetic (facial) nervous system in the brain stem, even though dominant sympathetic tone is generally expected under the waking condition. Such unique change in the autonomic nervous system suggests that the crying behavior with weeping bitterly is likely to relieve a stressful condition.Skin Research, Suppl. 20: 28-30, 2013

Journal

  • Hifu no kagaku

    Hifu no kagaku 12 (Suppl.20), 28-30, 2013

    Meeting of Osaka Dermatological Association/Meeting of Keiji Dermatological Association

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