Probing the Interoceptive Network by Listening to Heartbeats: An fMRI Study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Psychophysiology

Background:

• Homeostatic cues, such as heartbeats, are crucial for self-regulation and interoception.
• Attentional resources are hypothesized to increase towards homeostatic cues due to their importance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate brain activation patterns during auditory heartbeat cue exposure using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
• To determine if listening to heartbeats activates brain areas associated with interoception, particularly the insular cortex.
• To explore the relationship between neural activity, autonomic arousal, and subjective anxiety.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity in 36 participants.
• Participants listened to heartbeat sounds versus control sinus tones.
• Autonomic markers (skin conductance) and anxiety levels were assessed.

Main Results:

• Heartbeat sound stimulation led to activation in key interoceptive brain regions, including the insular cortex, inferior frontal operculum, and middle frontal gyrus.
• Functional connectivity was observed between the middle frontal gyrus and regions like the insular cortex, amygdala, and supplementary motor area.
• Activation in the right anterior insular cortex correlated positively with autonomic arousal.

Conclusions:

• Listening to heartbeats engages the brain's interoception network and influences psychophysiological arousal and emotional experience.
• This fMRI approach offers a promising method for studying interoception.
• Future research should explore clinical applications in anxiety-prone populations.