“The Neuroscience of Heart Rate Regulation
“The brain cortex is a heart-brake,” a preprint by Elisabetta Patron, Ph.D., Rocco Mennella, Ph.D., Simone Messerotti Benvenuti, Ph.D, and Julian F. Thayer, Ph.D.
Have you ever wondered how your brain influences your heartbeat? Recent research has uncovered fascinating connections between our brain’s prefrontal cortex and vagal modulation of heart rate variability (HRV), a critical marker of autonomic function. This variation tells us a lot about the interplay between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, which is intricately linked to emotional regulation, cognitive performance, and overall mental health. The prefrontal cortex, particularly its medial and ventromedial regions, regulates parasympathetic activity through its connections with subcortical structures such as the amygdala and brainstem nuclei—connections that play a pivotal role in how we adapt to internal and external stimuli.”
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