Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Simultaneous measurement of electrodermal activity components correlated with age-related differences

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Biological Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Electrodermal activity (EDA) measurements are influenced by various factors. Age-related psychological and physiological changes may be considered as one of the possible factors which may influence EDA measurements. In order to properly investigate the effects of such factors on EDA, techniques of precisely and simultaneously recording more than one EDA parameter are recommended. This study aims to explore the impact of age-related differences on EDA components through employing a new measuring technique, which is composed of a small front-end electronic box, DAQ card, and a laptop running LabVIEW software. It is dependent on the simultaneous recording of three EDA parameters: skin conductance (SC), skin potential (SP), and skin susceptance (SS) at the same skin site. EDA components as results of breathing, mathematical tasks, and image stimuli were recorded from 60 healthy participants simultaneously at the same skin site. They were categorized by age into young adults (ages 18–25), middle-aged adults (ages 30–40), and old adults (ages 50–70) years. It was found that skin potential responses (SPRs), and skin conductance level (SCL) (p < 0.001), were significantly decreased due to aging, but changes in other EDA parameters were nonsignificant (p > 0.05). Moreover, both tonic and phasic SS were the least affected and found to be more robust than SC and SP with respect to aging. The study suggests that it is important to take age into account in research studies where the mean aim of the study is to compare EDA parameters; however, in the meantime, the results from our small number and specific study population cannot be generalized to clinical applications.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dawson, M.E., Schel, A.M., Filion, D.L.: The electrodermal system. In: Cacioppo, J., Tassinary, L.G., and Bernston, G.G. (eds.) Handbook of Psychophysiology, pp. 200–223. Cambridge University Press, New York (2007)

  2. Tronstad, C., Kalvøy, H., Grimnes, S., Martinsen, Ø.G.: Improved estimation of sweating based on electrical properties of skin. Ann. Biomed. Eng. 41, 1074–1083 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Boucsein, W.: Electrodermal Activity. Plenum Press, New York (2012)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  4. Grimnes, S., Martinsen, Ø.G.: Bioimpedance and Bioelectricity Basics. Academic Press, Oxford (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Greco, A., Valenza, G., Scilingo, E.P.: Advances in Electrodermal Activity Processing with Applications for Mental Health – From Heuristic Methods to Convex Optimization. Springer, Berlin (2016)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  6. Farage, M.A., Miller, K.W., Elsner, P., Maibach, H.I.: Characteristics of the aging skin. Adv. Wound Care 2, 5–10 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Leveque, J.L., Corcuff, P., Rigal, J.D., Agache, P.: In vivo studies of the evolution of physical properties of the human skin with age. Int. J. Dermatol. 23, 322–329 (1984)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Fenske, N.A., Lober, C.W.: Structural and functional changes of normal aging skin. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 15, 571–585 (1986)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Balin, A., Pratt, L.: Physiological consequences of human skin aging. Cutis 43, 431–436 (1989)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Boucsein, W., Fowles, D.C., Grimnes, S., Ben-Shakhar, G., Roth, W.T., Dawson, M.E., Filion, D.L.: Publication recommendations for electrodermal measurements. Psychophysiology. 49, 1017–1034 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Garwood, M., Engel, B.T., Kusterer, J.P.: Skin potential level: age and epidermal hydration effects. J. Gerontol. 36, 7–13 (1981)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Barontini, M., Lazzari, J.O., Levin, G., Armando, I., Basso, S.J.: Age-related changes in sympathetic activity: biochemical measurements and target organ responses. Arch. Gerontol. Geriatr. 25, 175–186 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Shmavonian, B.M., Miller, L.H., Cohen, S.I.: Differences among age and sex groups in electro-dermal conditioning. Psychophysiology 5, 119–131 (1968)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Gavazzeni, J., Wiens, S., Fischer, H.: Age effects to negative arousal differ for self-report and electrodermal activity. Psychophysiology 45, 148–151 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Zelinski, E.M., Walsh, D.A., Thompson, L.W.: Orienting task effects on EDR and free recall in three age groups. J. Gerontol. 33, 239–245 (1978)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Catania, J.J., Thompson, L.W., Michalewski, H.A., Bowman, T.E.: Comparisons of sweat gland counts, electrodermal activity, and habituation behavior in young and old groups of subjects. Psychophysiology 17, 146–152 (1980)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Garwood, M.K., Engel, B.T., Quilter, R.E.: Age differences in the effect of epidermal hydration on electrodermal activity. Psychophysiology 16, 311–317 (1979)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Furchtgott, E., Busemeyer, J.K.: Heart rate and skin conductance during cognitive processes as a function of age. J. Gerontol. 34, 183–190 (1979)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Weisz, J., Czigler, I.: Age and novelty: event-related brain potentials and autonomic activity. Psychophysiology. 43, 261–271 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Aldosky, H.Y.Y., Bari, D.S.: Electrodermal activity: simultaneous recordings. In: El-Azazy, M. (ed.) Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, pp. 519–551. IntechOpen, London (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Bari, D.S., Aldosky, H.Y.Y., Tronstad, C., Kalvøy, H., Martinsen, Ø.G.: Electrodermal responses to discrete stimuli measured by skin conductance, skin potential, and skin susceptance. Skin Res. Technol. 24, 108–116 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Bari, D.S., Aldosky, H.Y.Y., Tronstad, C., Kalvøy, H., Martinsen, Ø.G.: Influence of relative humidity on electrodermal levels and responses. Skin Pharmacol. Physiol. 31, 298–307 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Bari, D.S., Aldosky, H., Tronstad, C., Kalvøy, H., Martinsen, Ø.G.: Electrodermal activity responses for quantitative assessment of felt pain. J. Electr. Bioimp. 9, 52–58 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Martinsen, Ø.G., Kalvøy, H., Bari, D.S., Tronstad, C.: A circuit for simultaneous measurements of skin electrical conductance, susceptance, and potential. J. Electr. Bioimp. 10, 110–112 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Martinsen, Ø.G., Pabst, O., Tronstad, C., Grimnes, S.: Sources of error in AC measurement of skin conductance. J. Electr. Bioimp. 6, 49–53 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Tronstad, C., Johnsen, G.K., Grimnes, S., Martinsen, Ø.G.: A study on electrode gels for skin conductance measurements. Physiol. Meas. 31, 1395–1410 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Fowles, D.C., Christie, M.J., Edelberg, R., Grings, W.W., Lykken, D.T., Venables, P.H.: Publication recommendations for electrodermal measurements. Psychophysiology 18, 232–239 (1981)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Edelberg, R.: Electrical properties of skin. In: Elden, H.R. (ed.) A Treatise of the Skin (Biophysical Properties of the Skin), pp. 519–551. Wiley, New York (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Venables, P.H., Christie, M.J.: Electrodermal activity. In: Martin, I., Venables, P.H. (eds.) Techniques in Psychophysiology, pp. 3–67. Wiley, New York (1980)

  30. Tronstad, C., Kalvøy, H., Grimnes, S., Martinsen, Ø.G.: Waveform difference between skin conductance and skin potential responses in relation to electrical and evaporative properties of skin. Psychophysiology 50, 1070–1078 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Mathieu, N.G., Gentaz, E., Harquel, S., Vercueil, L., Chauvin, A., Bonnet, S., Campagne, A.: Brain processing of emotional scenes in aging: effect of arousal and affective context. PLoS One 9, e99523 (2014)

  32. Andrew, W. Structural alternations with aging in the nervous system. J. Chronic Dis. 3, 575–596 (1966)

  33. Plouffe, L., Stelmack, R.M.: The electrodermal orienting response and memory: an analysis of age differences in picture recall. Psychophysiology 21, 191–198 (1984)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Edelberg, R.: Electrical activity of the skin: its measurement and uses in psychophysiology. In: Greenfield, N.S., Stembach, R.A. (eds.) Handbook of Psychophysiology, pp. 367–418. Holt, Rinehart, Winston, New York (1972)

  35. Dziechciaz, M., Filip, R.: Biological psychological and social determinants of old age: bio-psycho-social aspects of human aging. Ann. Agric. Environ. Med. 21, 835–838 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Otto, M.W., Moshier, S.J., Kinner, D.G., Simon, N.M., Pollack, M.H., Orr, S.P.: De novo fear conditioning across diagnostic groups in the affective disorders: evidence for learning impairments. Behav. Ther. 45, 619–629 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Surwillo, W.W.: Statistical distribution of volar skin potential level in attention and the effects of age. Psychophysiology. 6, 13–16 (1969)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Martinsen, O.G., Grimnes, S., Nilsen, J.K., Tronstad, C., Jang, W., Kim, H., Shin, K., Naderi, M., Thielmann, F.: Gravimetric method for in vitro calibration of skin hydration measurements. IEEE Trans. Biom. Eng. 55, 728–732 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Zakho, Zakho, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

    Dindar S. Bari

  2. Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Duhok, Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

    Haval Y. Yacoob Aldosky

  3. Department of Clinical and Biomedical Engineering, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

    Ørjan G. Martinsen

  4. Department of Physics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Ørjan G. Martinsen

Authors
  1. Dindar S. Bari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Haval Y. Yacoob Aldosky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ørjan G. Martinsen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dindar S. Bari.

Ethics declarations

The protocol has been complied with all the relevant national regulations, institutional policies, and in accordance with the tenets of the Helsinki Declaration.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bari, D.S., Yacoob Aldosky, H.Y. & Martinsen, Ø.G. Simultaneous measurement of electrodermal activity components correlated with age-related differences. J Biol Phys 46, 177–188 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10867-020-09547-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10867-020-09547-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation