A multidimensional and multi-feature framework for cardiac interoception.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Physiology

Background:

• Interoception, the sense of internal body signals, is crucial in neuroscience but lacks standardized neurocognitive signatures.
• Current interoceptive accuracy (IA) measures, primarily heartbeat detection (HBD) tasks, face limitations and controversies.
• A convergent, multidimensional approach is needed to comprehensively assess cardiac interoception.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel IA index (IA-md) for a multidimensional assessment of cardiac interoception.
• To investigate the neurocognitive correlates of cardiac interoception using the novel IA-md index.
• To compare the robustness of the novel IA-md index against traditional IA measures.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel interoceptive accuracy index (IA-md) for cardiac interoception.
• Utilized high-density electroencephalography (hd-EEG) to measure heart-evoked potentials (HEP).
• Employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to analyze functional connectivity in interoceptive brain networks.

Main Results:

• The novel IA-md index demonstrated significant associations with established interoception markers, including HEP and insular/somatosensory/frontal network connectivity.
• Outcomes from the IA-md index were predicted by socio-emotional skills.
• These associations were more robust and consistent compared to traditional IA indexes, even after controlling for confounding variables.

Conclusions:

• The novel IA-md index provides a more robust and comprehensive measure of cardiac interoception.
• This multidimensional approach enhances the characterization of interoception and its neurocognitive underpinnings.
• Findings have significant theoretical and clinical implications for assessing interoception, particularly in neuropsychiatric populations.