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Updated: Jul 13, 2026
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Published on: August 1, 2017
Heartbeat perception and P300 amplitude in a visual oddball paradigm
Olga Pollatos1, Ellen Matthias, Rainer Schandry
1Department of Psychology, University of Munich, Leopoldstr. 13, 80802 Munich, Germany. pollatos@psy.uni-muenchen.de
Summary
Enhanced interoceptive awareness, the perception of bodily signals, is linked to better visual attention. This suggests a broader role for interoception in processing information.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychophysiology
Background:
- Interoceptive awareness, the perception of internal bodily signals, influences cognitive processes.
- Previous research indicates modulation of evoked potentials, like the P300, by interoception in response to emotional stimuli and internal cues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between heartbeat perception (a measure of interoceptive awareness) and the P300 amplitude in response to visual stimuli.
- To determine if interoceptive awareness is associated with more general information processing capabilities.
Main Methods:
- A visual oddball paradigm was employed to elicit event-related potentials (ERPs).
- Heartbeat perception accuracy was measured.
- The amplitude of the P300 component to target stimuli was analyzed in relation to heartbeat perception.
Main Results:
- A significant positive correlation was found between interoceptive awareness and P300 amplitude at the Cz electrode.
- This correlation remained significant even after accounting for individual differences in anxiety levels.
Conclusions:
- Interoceptive awareness is positively associated with the attentive processing of visual information.
- These findings suggest that interoception may play a role in more elaborated information processing, potentially mediated by arousal and common neural mechanisms.
