抄録
This study aimed to use near infrared spectroscopy to demonstrate the effect of hand massages on cerebral
activity. The subjects were 16 healthy female students between the ages of 18 and 40. All subjects were given
10-minute hand massages, primarily effleurage. During these sessions, prefrontal cortex oxy-hemoglobin concentrations
(oxy-Hb) were continuously monitored and the results were compared with those of the control condition. Significantly
lower oxy-Hb concentrations were recorded during the first five minutes of the massage session than that
of the control condition. This suggests the possibility that a hand massage of about five minutes could be a patient
care method that calms the activity of the prefrontal cortex and obtains a subjective relaxation effect.
