Monitoring and Evaluation of Emotion Regulation by Aerobic Exercise and Motor Imagery Based on Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

Objective: We sought to effectively alleviate the emotion of individuals with anxiety and depression, and explore the effects of aerobic exercise on their emotion regulation. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) brain imaging technology is used to monitor and evaluate the process of aerobic exercise and imagination that regulates emotion. Approach:Thirty participants were scored by the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) and profile of mood states (POMS), and fNIRS images were collected before, after, and during aerobic exercise and motor imagery. Then, the oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO), deoxygenated hemoglobin (HbR), and total hemoglobin (HbT) concentrations and their average value were calculated, and the ratio of HbO concentration in the left and right frontal lobes was determined. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to calculate the correlation between variations in the average scores of the two scales and in blood oxygen concentrations. Results: In comparison with motor imagery, STAI, and POMS scores decreased after 20 min of aerobic exercise. The prefrontal cortex had asymmetry and laterality (with the left side being dominant in emotion regulation). The increase in hemoglobin concentration recorded by fNIRS was negatively correlated with STAI and POMS scores. Aerobic exercise has a good effect on emotion regulation. Significance:The study showed that portable fNIRS could be effectively used for monitoring and evaluating emotion regulation by aerobic exercise. This study is expected to provide ideas for constructing fNIRS-based online real-time monitoring and evaluation of emotion regulation by aerobic exercise.