Affective Self-Report During the Intracarotid Sodium Amobarbital Test

Changes in internal affective state were investigated in patients undergoing the intracarotid sodium amobarbital test. It was found that when the left hemisphere was inactivated, patients rated their mood as significantly more negative than during baseline conditions. No significant change in affective state was observed during the inactivation of the right hemisphere. The findings are interpreted in terms of a differential lateralization model of emotion, in which the right hemisphere is more involved in the more powerful and salient negative affects.