Evaluation of Hemodynamics during Emotional Arousal

—A Study Using the International Affective Picture System—

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increasing need to estimate emotions objectively using biological data. The relationship between Russell's Circumplex Model and autonomic nervous system indicators has been widely discussed. However, there needs to be a more detailed discussion about the model in relation to hemodynamics, which we consider an important variable in sentiment estimation. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between hemodynamic indices, measured during emotional arousal by images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS), and the emotions elicited. The results showed that when the mean value during the resting condition with closed eyes was used as a baseline, stroke volume significantly increased over time due to drowsiness and fatigue. When the mean value during the viewing of “Neutral” images was used as a baseline, heart rate significantly decreased due to increased parasympathetic activity when the emotion of “Comfort” was aroused. Conversely, when the emotion of “Anger” was aroused, mean blood pressure and total peripheral resistance increased due to a passive coping response, while HR and cardiac output decreased. Additionally, the coefficient of variation of HR in the “Joy” condition was large and decreased over time.