Operationalizing the Mind-Body Connection: Interoception via the Autonomic Nervous System

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Physiology

Background:

• Traditional interoception research uses single-organ proxies (e.g., heart, lungs), limiting ecological validity.
• A comprehensive sense of the body requires integrating signals across multiple organ systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate a novel measure of interoception, termed Autonomic Nervous Systemception (ANSception).
• To assess if ANSception better captures the integrative role of interoception compared to traditional methods.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-four participants reported their perceived sympathetic nervous system activation (ANSception) using a slider.
• Physiological data including electrodermal activity (EDA) and blood pressure were monitored concurrently.
• Participants' subjective reports indicated integration of signals from multiple organ systems.

Main Results:

• ANSception demonstrated unique and robust correlations with physiological measures across different conditions.
• Individual differences were observed, with some participants showing strong ANSception-EDA or ANSception-blood pressure correlations.
• Most participants integrated information from multiple organ systems when assessing their ANS state.

Conclusions:

• ANSception offers a more ecologically valid measure of interoception than traditional single-organ tasks.
• Interoception's primary role is likely the integration and management of information across the entire body.
• The autonomic nervous system is central to this integrative interoceptive function.