Exploring Neural Idiosyncrasies in Response to Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response Videos: Naturalistic Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Stress and Sensory Processing.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) videos have been increasingly popularized as accessible tools for stress relief. Despite widespread media coverage promoting their benefits, empirical research on the neural mechanisms underlying ASMR remains limited, particularly in general, unselected populations rather than self-identified ASMR responders.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate whether ASMR videos, when viewed in a naturalistic context by a general population sample, elicit consistent neural synchrony in stress-related brain regions and whether individual differences in perceived stress predict variability in neural responses.

Methods

The study included 72 young adults from South Korea. They participated in a functional magnetic resonance im

SUBMITTER: Lee HE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12306919 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature