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Animal Presence Modulates Frontal Brain Activity of Patients in a Minimally Conscious State: A Pilot Study

Arnskötter, Wanda and Marcar, Valentine L. and Wolf, Martin and Hund-Georgiadis, Margret and Hediger, Karin. (2022) Animal Presence Modulates Frontal Brain Activity of Patients in a Minimally Conscious State: A Pilot Study. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 32 (7). pp. 1324-1336.

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Abstract

Integrating animals into therapy is applied increasingly in patients in a minimally conscious state (MCS). This pilot study investigates the effect of animal presence on frontal brain activity in MCS patients compared to healthy subjects. O; 2; HB, HHb and tHb of two MCS patients and two healthy adults was measured in frontal cortex using functional near-infrared spectroscopy during three sessions with a live animal and three sessions with a mechanical toy animal present. Each session had five phases: (1) baseline, (2) watching animal, (3) passive contact, (4) active contact, (5) neutral. Data were descriptively analysed. All participants showed the largest hemodynamic response during direct contact with the live or toy animal compared to "baseline" and "watching." During active contact, three of the four participants showed a stronger response when stroking the live compared to the toy animal. All participants showed an inverted signal with higher HHb than O; 2; Hb concentrations while stroking the live or toy animal. Animal contact leads to a neurovascular reaction in both MCS patients and healthy subjects, indicating elevated neural activity in the frontal cortex. We conclude that while a toy animal can elicit attention processes, active contact to a living animal is combined with emotional processes.
Faculties and Departments:07 Faculty of Psychology > Departement Psychologie > Health & Intervention > Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy (Hediger)
09 Associated Institutions > Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) > Department of Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH)
09 Associated Institutions > Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) > Department of Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH) > Human and Animal Health > One Health (Zinsstag)
UniBasel Contributors:Hediger, Karin and Arnskötter, Wanda
Item Type:Article, refereed
Article Subtype:Research Article
Publisher:Routledge
ISSN:0960-2011
e-ISSN:1464-0694
Note:Publication type according to Uni Basel Research Database: Journal article
Language:English
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Last Modified:06 Jan 2023 16:28
Deposited On:19 Dec 2022 10:07

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