A Brief Introduction and Review on Galvanic Skin Response

Abstract

The Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) is defined as a change in the electrical properties of the skin. The signal can be used for capturing the autonomic nerve responses as a parameter of the sweat gland function. The response appears as an increase in the electrical conductance of the skin (a decrease in resistance) across the palms of the hands or soles of the feet. The PGR (psychogalvanic reflex) is mediated by the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. The PGR is essentially involuntary, although people can be taught to control it somewhat via biofeedback training. As a detector of emotion, the response often has served as one of the indicators in the lie detector, along with blood pressure, pulse, and respiration. The galvanic skin resistance (GSR) is an accessible & sensitive index of peripheral sympathetic nervous activity, reflecting peripheral autonomic change. This test has a potential therapeutic value as GSR biofeedback in assessing seizure frequency in patients with drug resistant epilepsy.