Key result
Vibratory stimuli to the thoracoabdominal region significantly increased subjective fear scores (d = 1.51) and skin conductance responses (d = 1.67) compared to no vibratory stimuli.
Why the study?
To investigate whether thoracoabdominal mechanical vibrations stimulate vagus nerves causing interoceptive sensations that influence emotions by comparing their fear effects to finger stimulation.
Does vibratory stimulation to the thoracoabdominal region increase fear responses compared to finger stimulation or no stimulation in adults watching horror movies?
Does vibratory stimulation to the thoracoabdominal region increase fear responses compared to finger stimulation or no stimulation in adults watching horror movies?
Standardized Mean Difference: 1.51
p-value: p=8.4 × 10−4
Mechanical vibratory stimuli to the thoracoabdominal region elicit stronger subjective fear and physiological responses than stimulation to the fingers while watching horror movies.
Thoracoabdominal vibration may augment emotional responses; leaves open vagal interoceptive mechanisms and any clinical translation.
Mechanical vibratory stimuli applied to the thoracoabdominal region enhance emotional experiences while watching movies. We hypothesized that these vibrations to the thoracoabdominal region stimulate the vagus nerves, which are distributed in the upper body organs, causing interoceptive sensations that influence emotions. To investigate this hypothesis, we compared the effects of vibratory stimuli on fear between the thoracoabdominal region and fingers, which have the highest tactile sensitivity in the body, while watching horror movies. The results showed that vibratory stimuli to the thoracoabdominal evoked greater subjective evaluations than those to the fingers and conditions without vibratory stimuli. Further, greater skin conductance responses were caused by the stimulation to the thoracoabdominal region than the no vibratory condition. These findings suggest that mechanical vibratory stimuli to the vagus nerve play a crucial role in shaping emotional experiences.
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Makioka et al. (2024) conducted a letter in Healthy volunteers (n=12). Vibratory stimuli to the thoracoabdominal region vs. No vibratory stimuli and vibratory stimuli to the fingers was evaluated on Subjective fear score (9-point Likert scale) (d = 1.51, p=8.4 × 10−4). Vibratory stimuli to the thoracoabdominal region significantly increased subjective fear scores (d = 1.51) and skin conductance responses (d = 1.67) compared to no vibratory stimuli.
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