Antero-Posterior EEG Spectral Power Gradient as a Correlate of Extraversion and Behavioral Inhibition

Several studies have shown that individual-specific patterns of cortical spectral power distribution are relatively stable across time and experimental conditions. The antero-posterior EEG spectral power gradient (APSPG) emerged as the most prominent feature associated with important personality characteristics. In this study this phenomenon is further investigated in relation to its stability and association with different personality traits. It has been shown that APSPG is generally more pronounced during resting baseline than during inter-trial interval and post-stimulus period. Its association with personality variables is similar for different frequency bands and is mostly preserved during different experimental conditions. Relatively higher oscillatory activity in frontal than in posterior cortical sites is more frequently observed in subjects with higher behavioral inhibition (BIS) and lower Sociability. Source localization analysis showed that both high BIS/low Sociability and high APSPG are associated with higher oscillatory activity in medial cortices associated with emotion processing (mostly the cingulate gyrus). This association could be tentatively explained by higher vigilance and emotional tension in introverted and behaviorally inhibited subjects.