Prefrontal brain electrical asymmetry predicts the evaluation of affectivestimuli

Measures of left-right asymmetry in resting brain activity were derived fro m spectral estimates of electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha -band power densit y in 13 homologous scalp electrode pairs from 81 right-handed individuals ( 43 F) on two occasions separated by 6 weeks. At a third, later session, the se individuals completed a cognitive task, comparing word-pairs that system atically differed in affective tone. For an extended series of paired-compa risons, the subject chose the one word-pair that 'went together best'. Obje ctively, associative strength was comparable for both word-pairs. Individua ls with relatively greater left-sided anterior frontal resting activity wer e more likely to select the more pleasant word-pair. Relations between word -pair selection and asymmetry in resting brain activity at central and post erior sites were not significant. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.