Emotional Imagery Influences the Adaptive Force in Young Women
- The link between emotions and motor function has been known for decades but is still not clarified. The Adaptive Force (AF) describes the neuromuscular capability to adapt to increasing forces and was suggested to be especially vulnerable to interfering inputs. This study investigated the influence of pleasant an unpleasant food imagery on the manually assessed AF of elbow and hip flexors objectified by a handheld device in 12 healthy women. The maximal isometric AF was significantly reduced during unpleasant vs. pleasant imagery and baseline (p < 0.001, dz = 0.98–1.61). During unpleasant imagery, muscle lengthening started at 59.00 ± 22.50% of maximal AF, in contrast to baseline and pleasant imagery, during which the isometric position could be maintained mostly during the entire force increase up to ~97.90 ± 5.00% of maximal AF. Healthy participants showed an immediately impaired holding function triggered by unpleasant imagery, presumably related to negative emotions. Hence, AF seems to be suitable to test instantaneously theThe link between emotions and motor function has been known for decades but is still not clarified. The Adaptive Force (AF) describes the neuromuscular capability to adapt to increasing forces and was suggested to be especially vulnerable to interfering inputs. This study investigated the influence of pleasant an unpleasant food imagery on the manually assessed AF of elbow and hip flexors objectified by a handheld device in 12 healthy women. The maximal isometric AF was significantly reduced during unpleasant vs. pleasant imagery and baseline (p < 0.001, dz = 0.98–1.61). During unpleasant imagery, muscle lengthening started at 59.00 ± 22.50% of maximal AF, in contrast to baseline and pleasant imagery, during which the isometric position could be maintained mostly during the entire force increase up to ~97.90 ± 5.00% of maximal AF. Healthy participants showed an immediately impaired holding function triggered by unpleasant imagery, presumably related to negative emotions. Hence, AF seems to be suitable to test instantaneously the effect of emotions on motor function. Since musculoskeletal complaints can result from muscular instability, the findings provide insights into the understanding of the causal chain of linked musculoskeletal pain and mental stress. A case example (current stress vs. positive imagery) suggests that the approach presented in this study might have future implications for psychomotor diagnostics and therapeutics.…
Author details: | Laura SchaeferORCiDGND, Silas DechORCiDGND, Lara Luisa WolffORCiDGND, Frank BittmannORCiDGND |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12101318 |
ISSN: | 2076-3425 |
Title of parent work (English): | Brain Sciences |
Subtitle (English): | Unpleasant Imagery Reduces Instantaneously the Muscular Holding Capacity |
Publisher: | MDPI |
Place of publishing: | Basel, Schweiz |
Further contributing person(s): | Mamede de Carvalho |
Publication type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of first publication: | 2022/09/29 |
Publication year: | 2022 |
Release date: | 2023/03/07 |
Tag: | Adaptive Force; emotional imagery; emotions; holding capability; manual muscle test; maximal isometric Adaptive Force; motor control; neuromuscular adaptation; pleasant and unpleasant imagery |
Volume: | 12 |
Issue: | 10 |
Article number: | 1318 |
Number of pages: | 23 |
Funding institution: | Universität Potsdam |
Funding number: | PA 2022_134 |
Organizational units: | Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Strukturbereich Kognitionswissenschaften / Department Sport- und Gesundheitswissenschaften |
DDC classification: | 5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 57 Biowissenschaften; Biologie / 570 Biowissenschaften; Biologie |
Peer review: | Referiert |
Grantor: | Publikationsfonds der Universität Potsdam |
Publishing method: | Open Access / Gold Open-Access |
License (German): | CC-BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International |
External remark: | Zweitveröffentlichung in der Schriftenreihe Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe ; 816 |