Neurovisceral integration in the executive control network: A resting state analysis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychophysiology

Background:

• Neurovisceral integration models highlight frontal lobe roles in regulation.
• The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and middle frontal gyrus (MFG) are candidate hubs for cardio-autonomic control, anxiety, and executive attention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of DLPFC-MFG connectivity in neurovisceral integration.
• To identify specific brain regions involved in regulating physiological and cognitive functions.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state functional imaging data from 271 adults (NKI-Rockland Sample) were analyzed.
• Regression models predicted high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV), trait anxiety (TA), and executive attention reaction time using DLPFC and MFG connectivity.
• Controlled for age, sex, BMI, and head motion.

Main Results:

• The right DLPFC-MFG seed pair showed the strongest association with neurovisceral integration.
• This connectivity predicted higher HF-HRV, lower TA, and faster reaction times on an attention task.
• A significant hemispheric effect was observed.

Conclusions:

• Right DLPFC-MFG connectivity is crucial for neurovisceral integration.
• This pathway plays an inhibitory role in regulating cardio-autonomic function, emotion, and executive attention.
• Findings support the involvement of the right prefrontal cortex in maintaining homeostatic balance and cognitive control.