Attention to cardiac sensations enhances the heartbeat-evoked potential during exhalation.

ABSTRACT: Respiration and cardiac activity intricately interact through complex physiological mechanisms. The heartbeat-evoked potential (HEP) is an EEG fluctuation reflecting the cortical processing of cardiac signals. We recently found higher HEP amplitude during exhalation than inhalation during a task involving attention to cardiac sensations. This may have been due to reduced cardiac perception during inhalation and heightened perception during exhalation through attentional mechanisms. To investigate relationships between HEP, attention, and respiration, we introduced an experimental setup that included tasks related to cardiac and respiratory interoceptive and exteroceptive attention. Results revealed HEP amplitude increases during the interoceptive tasks over fronto-central electrodes. When

SUBMITTER: Zaccaro A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11016802 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature