Can simultaneously acquired electrodermal activity improve accuracy of fMRI detection of deception?

Abstract

Observation of changes in autonomic arousal was one of the first methodologies used to detect deception. Electrodermal activity (EDA) is a peripheral measure of autonomic arousal and one of the primary channels used in polygraph exams. In an attempt to develop a more central measure to identify lies, the use of functional magnetic resonance inaging (fMRI) to detect deception is being investigated. We wondered if adding EDA to our fMRI analysis would improve our diagnostic ability. For our approach, however, adding EDA did not improve the accuracy in a laboratory-based deception task. In testing for brain regions that replicated as correlates of EDA, we did find significant associations in right orbitofrontal and bilateral anterior cingulate regions. Further work is required to test whether EDA improves accuracy in other testing formats or with higher levels of jeopardy.

Acknowledgements

Funding provided by Defense Agency for Credibility Assessment (formerly Department of Defense Polygraph Institute) (W74V8H-04-1-0010) and Cephos Corporation. F. A. Kozel is supported by a K23 from the NIMH (5K23MH070897). We wish to thank Dave Ramsey, Scott Geer, and John Dornish of the South Carolina Research Authority for computer support; Paul Morgan and Chris Rorden for help with imaging parameters; and Minnie Dobbins and Sally Donegan for administrative support. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense, the US Government, the National Institute of Mental Health, or the National Institutes of Health.