冷え症の人の冷覚に関わる脳活動の特徴を明らかにするために、若年日本人女性を対象として、安静時および手部冷却刺激時の脳波(EEG)が冷え症によって影響されるか否かについて検討した。冷え症の程度は体の冷えに関するアンケートの項目該当数から評価した。EEGは頭頂部(C3、C4)から導出し、4周波数帯(θ波、α1波、α2波、β波)のスペクトルパワーを解析した。被験者は手部冷却のために手を15℃の水に1分間浸漬した。アンケートの項目該当数は、α1パワーとの間に負の相関関係(r=-0.527、P＜0.0001)、βパワーとの間に正の相関関係(r=0.451、P＜0.001)がそれぞれみられたが、θパワー、α2パワーとの間には有意な相関関係は認められなかった。いずれの周波数帯のEEG パワーも手部冷却によって有意に変化しなかった。冷え症女性の安静時脳活動の特徴として、末梢部冷却の有無に関係なく、低周波数α波の出現率が低く、β波の出現率の高いことが明らかになった。
To elucidate the characteristics of brain activity under cold conditions in people with a cold constitution, we examined whether resting electroencephalogram (EEG) and EEG during cold stimulation to the hand are influenced by hypersensitivity to the cold in young Japanese women. Hypersensitivity to the cold was evaluated from the number of applicable items in a questionnaire regarding the coldness of the body. EEG was measured at the parietal area (C3, C4) during rest, and the spectral power of 4 frequency bands (the θ wave, α1 wave, α2 wave, and β wave) was analyzed. For cold stimulation to the hand, subjects immersed their hand in water at 15°C for 1 min. The number of applicable items in the questionnaire were negatively correlated (r= -0.527, P ＜ 0.0001) to α 1 power and positively correlated (r= 0.451, P ＜ 0.001) to β power, but were not significantly correlated to θ power or α 2 power. The hand cooling did not alter the spectral power of each frequency band in EEG. These results suggest that the resting brain activity in women with a cold constitution was characterized by a lower appearance ratio of low-frequency α waves and a higher appearance ratio of β waves regardless of peripheral cooling of the body.workshops． The participants wrote their thoughts/impressions using a self-administered questionnaire after each workshop． Their writings were analyzed using a descriptive qualitative analysis tool．Results : 6 categories were extracted from the data． These are [shared precious meaningful time] [gained confident through feeling safe] [experienced pleasure from interacting with people] [discovered power of the meaningful words] [experienced a new method of interacting with their children] [anticipation of the next steps]． Conclusion : The effect of using the special meaningful words [experiencing a new method of interacting with children] helped mothers appreciate the power of meaningful words in supporting their interactions with their children．