Physiological Effects of Touching Wood
This study aimed to clarify the physiological effects of touching wood with the palm, in comparison with touching other materials on brain activity and autonomic nervous activity. Eighteen female university students (mean age, 21.7 ± 1.6 years) participated in the study. As an indicator of brain a...
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doaj-6f0fafb450a8458abf73b21f3e0e7c3d2020-11-24T23:40:14ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1660-46012017-07-0114780110.3390/ijerph14070801ijerph14070801Physiological Effects of Touching WoodHarumi Ikei0Chorong Song1Yoshifumi Miyazaki2Department of Wood Engineering, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, JapanCenter for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, JapanCenter for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, JapanThis study aimed to clarify the physiological effects of touching wood with the palm, in comparison with touching other materials on brain activity and autonomic nervous activity. Eighteen female university students (mean age, 21.7 ± 1.6 years) participated in the study. As an indicator of brain activity, oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentrations were measured in the left/right prefrontal cortex using near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy. Heart rate variability (HRV) was used as an indicator of autonomic nervous activity. The high-frequency (HF) component of HRV, which reflected parasympathetic nervous activity, and the low-frequency (LF)/HF ratio, which reflected sympathetic nervous activity, were measured. Plates of uncoated white oak, marble, tile, and stainless steel were used as tactile stimuli. After sitting at rest with their eyes closed, participants touched the materials for 90 s. As a result, tactile stimulation with white oak significantly (1) decreased the oxy-Hb concentration in the left/right prefrontal cortex relative to marble, tile, and stainless steel and (2) increased ln(HF)-reflected parasympathetic nervous activity relative to marble and stainless steel. In conclusion, our study revealed that touching wood with the palm calms prefrontal cortex activity and induces parasympathetic nervous activity more than other materials, thereby inducing physiological relaxation.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/7/801woodtactileautonomic nervous activityprefrontal cortex activityheart rate variabilitynear-infrared spectroscopysemantic differential methodprofile of mood statesphysiological relaxationpreventive medical effect |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Harumi Ikei Chorong Song Yoshifumi Miyazaki |
spellingShingle |
Harumi Ikei Chorong Song Yoshifumi Miyazaki Physiological Effects of Touching Wood International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health wood tactile autonomic nervous activity prefrontal cortex activity heart rate variability near-infrared spectroscopy semantic differential method profile of mood states physiological relaxation preventive medical effect |
author_facet |
Harumi Ikei Chorong Song Yoshifumi Miyazaki |
author_sort |
Harumi Ikei |
title |
Physiological Effects of Touching Wood |
title_short |
Physiological Effects of Touching Wood |
title_full |
Physiological Effects of Touching Wood |
title_fullStr |
Physiological Effects of Touching Wood |
title_full_unstemmed |
Physiological Effects of Touching Wood |
title_sort |
physiological effects of touching wood |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
issn |
1660-4601 |
publishDate |
2017-07-01 |
description |
This study aimed to clarify the physiological effects of touching wood with the palm, in comparison with touching other materials on brain activity and autonomic nervous activity. Eighteen female university students (mean age, 21.7 ± 1.6 years) participated in the study. As an indicator of brain activity, oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentrations were measured in the left/right prefrontal cortex using near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy. Heart rate variability (HRV) was used as an indicator of autonomic nervous activity. The high-frequency (HF) component of HRV, which reflected parasympathetic nervous activity, and the low-frequency (LF)/HF ratio, which reflected sympathetic nervous activity, were measured. Plates of uncoated white oak, marble, tile, and stainless steel were used as tactile stimuli. After sitting at rest with their eyes closed, participants touched the materials for 90 s. As a result, tactile stimulation with white oak significantly (1) decreased the oxy-Hb concentration in the left/right prefrontal cortex relative to marble, tile, and stainless steel and (2) increased ln(HF)-reflected parasympathetic nervous activity relative to marble and stainless steel. In conclusion, our study revealed that touching wood with the palm calms prefrontal cortex activity and induces parasympathetic nervous activity more than other materials, thereby inducing physiological relaxation. |
topic |
wood tactile autonomic nervous activity prefrontal cortex activity heart rate variability near-infrared spectroscopy semantic differential method profile of mood states physiological relaxation preventive medical effect |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/7/801 |
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