summary: ASMR is a phenomenon enjoyed by many people for its calming effects, but scientifically proven to have a positive impact on mood and physiological responses such as heart rate and blood pressure in 25-30% of people. It has been.
After reviewing more than 1,000 scientific papers, researchers focused on changes in delta brain waves and activation of specific brain regions, confirming that descriptions of ASMR and experiences between individuals are consistent.
However, the long-term mental health effects of ASMR have not yet been proven, and the team plans further studies using control videos to investigate any lasting effects.
Important facts:
- Although ASMR has short-term effects on mood and physiology, the long-term effects on mental health are not yet understood.
- EEG and fMRI studies show that ASMR reduces delta waves and activates brain regions associated with attention and movement.
- Future research is planned to compare the long-term effects of ASMR videos to control videos such as “walking tour” clips.
sauce: Rub
While some viewers may find videos frustrating, for many people, including many students, they are a big part of their lives, for example, how they relax after a busy day at university or how they sleep. It is used as a method of attachment. But what exactly is ASMR?
To find out, researchers screened more than 1,000 papers and, after independent peer review, excluded 54 on the subject of ASMR that had previously been published in scientific journals.
“We found that ASMR is a well-defined phenomenon that many people experience and describe in very similar ways,” says Tobias Rohaus. Masu.
“Experienced viewers of ASMR content also appear to be unaffected by expectancy effects.”
Specifically, for approximately 25 to 30 percent of people capable of experiencing ASMR, viewing ASMR videos is associated with short-term positive effects on mood and physiological changes such as lower heart rate and lower blood pressure. Several studies have shown that there is.
Additionally, brainwave studies have repeatedly shown that ASMR experiences are associated with a reduction in so-called delta waves, which are typically associated with deep sleep but have recently been linked to states of consciousness as well. I know.
“It’s probably the very state of consciousness that occurs when you’re relaxed,” Rohaus surmises.
fMRI studies have repeatedly shown that very specific brain regions are involved in ASMR experiences, particularly the anterior cingulate gyrus, which is associated with attentional processes, and brain regions associated with movement.
Research on long-term effects in pipelines
“Nonetheless, it is important to point out that no studies have yet been found that demonstrate the long-term effects on mental health caused by ASMR,” Tobias Rohaus emphasizes.
“This will require future studies that examine the effects of ASMR videos over time and compare them to viewing control videos.”
A research team from Ruhr-University Bochum and the University of Duisburg-Essen is already planning such a study as part of a broader joint research proposal.
The research team laid the groundwork for the new project by publishing ASMR research in early 2023. This study showed that so-called walking tour videos, which film people walking through a specific area, may be a suitable control video. These videos are much less of an ASMR experience compared to ASMR clips.
About this ASMR and sensory neuroscience research news
author: Mike Driessen
sauce: Rub
contact: Maike Driessen – RUB
image: Image credited to Neuroscience News
Original research: Closed access.
“Autonomic sensory meridian response (ASMR): A PRISMA-based systematic reviewWritten by Tobias Rohaus et al. Research and practice of consciousness psychology theory
abstract
Autonomic sensory meridian response (ASMR): A PRISMA-based systematic review
This PRISMA Guide article provides a systematic review of the current state of research on autonomic sensory meridian responses (ASMR). A systematic literature search was conducted in Pubmed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science (last search: March 2022), and all studies with quantitative scientific research on the ASMR phenomenon were selected.
54 studies focusing on ASMR were retrieved (total number of participants: n = 11,140). ASMR may be associated with several mental health-related variables (e.g., improved mood) and personality traits (e.g., neuroticism).
At a neurobiological level, ASMR is associated with changes in electrophysiological response patterns (tentatively suggesting a reduction in delta waves), activation of specific brain regions (particularly the anterior cingulate and movement-related areas), and physiological changes. as well as associated with atypical functional connectivity patterns. such as decreased heart rate.
Future research should evaluate associations between ASMR and additional psychological constructs, uncover more specific neurobiological outcome patterns, and conduct longitudinal ASMR intervention studies.
