Frontal Alpha Asymmetry and Delta–Beta Correlation as EEG Biomarkers of Cognitive Control Deficits in Public Speaking Anxiety

Although public speaking anxiety (PSA) is extensively studied, objective neurophysiological markers of its cognitive control deficits remain underexplored. This study aimed to investigate brain-behavior mechanisms underlying PSA through analysis of reaction time (RT) and electroencephalogram (EEG) data, utilizing the ex-Gaussian model, Frontal Alpha Asymmetry (FAA) and Delta Beta Correlation (DBC). A Stroop experiment was conducted with 12 High (H) PSA subjects and 12 matched Low (L) PSA subjects. EEG data were recorded from 14 channels. The findings aligned with expectations: HPSA subjects exhibited increased ex-Gaussian parameters (μ, σ and τ) and higher right FAA compared to the LPSA group. Statistically significant (p< 0.05) increased DBC were identified in the frontal and parietal brain regions. The analyses of ex-Gaussian parameters, FAA, and DBC are valuable in biomedical engineering, as they effectively reveal biomarkers of cognitive control deficits during PSA.