A feasibility study of detecting brain signal in EEG during emotional self-regulation

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a potentially disabling mental condition with multi-factorial aetiology. To relieve the MDD condition, latest functional neural imaging studies using fMRI have shown initial positive outcomes from feedback-based up-regulation of neural activities in the particular brain region of amygdala. Towards validating a more practical approach using EEG, this work aimed to examine the feasibility of detecting particular brain signals in EEG when a user was performing a specific task for emotional up-regulating. In this preliminary study, we designed a test protocol and recruited healthy subjects to perform a sequence of alternating mental tasks, with eyes-closed to avoid ocular artifacts. Self-report of affective state confirmed the effectiveness of the protocol for regulating emotional states, while EEG data were analyzed to explore significant signals in relation to the affective tasks.