Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 8, 2026
12:03
A Method for Tracking the Time Evolution of Steady-State Evoked Potentials
Published on: May 25, 2019
8.9K
Interoception is associated with heartbeat-evoked brain potentials (HEPs) in adolescents
Sandra Mai1, Chung Ki Wong2, Eleana Georgiou1
1Clinical and Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Germany.
Biological Psychology
|June 27, 2018
Summary
Heartbeat-evoked brain potentials (HEPs) show promise as a marker for interoception in adolescents. This study found HEPs are linked to interoceptive accuracy, suggesting their potential for understanding adolescent mental health.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Heartbeat-evoked potentials (HEPs) reflect cortical processing of internal body signals (interoception).
- Limited research exists on HEPs and interoception specifically in adolescent populations.
- Adolescence is a critical period for developing self-awareness and emotional regulation, potentially linked to interoceptive function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of HEPs as a neural marker of interoception in adolescents.
- To examine the relationship between HEPs, interoceptive accuracy, and interoceptive sensibility in this age group.
Main Methods:
- Electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG) were recorded from 46 adolescents.
- Participants completed a heartbeat detection task and reported confidence in their interoceptive accuracy.
- HEPs were analyzed during resting and task conditions.
Main Results:
- HEPs were observed in both resting and heartbeat detection conditions, with distinct topographical distributions.
- Interoceptive accuracy positively correlated with frontocentral HEPs during the heartbeat task.
- No significant association was found between interoceptive sensibility and HEPs or between accuracy and sensibility.
Conclusions:
- HEPs serve as a relevant neural marker for interoception in adolescents.
- Future research should explore HEPs as an indicator of vulnerability for affective and mental health issues during adolescence.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Cognitive Development During Adolescence
631
During adolescence, individuals experience significant cognitive development that enhances their understanding of others' emotions and thoughts, known as cognitive empathy. This period is marked by an increased ability to adapt to others' perspectives and a more nuanced understanding of others' mental states, a skill that is foundational for social problem-solving and conflict avoidance. The development of cognitive empathy relies heavily on the theory of mind — the...
631
01:24Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition
313
A revisionist approach to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development has brought new insights that challenge and reinterpret his established ideas. Piaget proposed that the formal operational stage, emerging in adolescence, represents the culmination of cognitive maturity. During this stage, individuals are said to develop abstract thinking, engage in systematic problem-solving, and show a form of egocentrism, believing others are as preoccupied with their behavior as they are...
313
01:17Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adolescence
1.3K
Erik Erikson's fifth stage of psychosocial development, "identity versus role confusion," is crucial during adolescence (ages 12 to 18). In this stage, adolescents face the developmental task of forging a distinct personal identity, a process influenced by social, psychological, and biological changes typical of this period. Adolescents naturally explore different roles, behaviors, and ideologies as they navigate complex questions of self-concept, asking, "Who am I?" and "What is my place in...
1.3K
00:52Potential Energy
42.7K
The energy stored by a structure and location of matter in space is called potential energy. For instance, raising a kettlebell changes its spatial location and increases its potential energy. Similarly, a stretched rubber band contains potential energy which, under certain conditions, can be converted into other forms of energy, such as kinetic energy.
Chemical bonds that form attractive forces between atoms also contain potential energy, called chemical energy. When a chemical reaction...
Chemical bonds that form attractive forces between atoms also contain potential energy, called chemical energy. When a chemical reaction...
42.7K
01:09Potential Energy
1.0K
A conservative force, such as a gravitational or elastic force, gives the body the capacity to do work. This capacity, measured as the potential energy, depends on the body's location or “position” relative to a fixed reference position or datum. The gravitational potential energy is considered zero at the reference point. Suppose a body is located at some vertical distance above a fixed horizontal reference or datum. In that case, the weight of the body has positive gravitational potential...
1.0K
03:02Standard Electrode Potentials
50.4K
On comparing the reactivity of silver and lead, it is observed that the two ionic species, Ag+ (aq) and Pb2+ (aq), show a difference in their redox reactivity towards copper: the silver ion undergoes spontaneous reduction, while the lead ion does not. This relative redox activity can be easily quantified in electrochemical cells by a property called cell potential. This property is commonly known as cell voltage in electrochemistry, and it is a measure of the energy which accompanies the charge...
50.4K