![]() 'Since our heart was already beating while our brain was still forming, we've been exposed to it since the very start of our existence. It's in your interest to be aware of what's outside you,' Dr Salomon added. 'You don't want your internal sensations to interfere with your external ones. ![]() Stock imageĪccording to the researchers, the results show the role of the insular cortex in detecting and discriminating between internal and external signals, and how the brain turns down the volume of some in order to focus on others. ![]() The findings illustrate the role of the insular cortex in detecting and discriminating between internal and external signals, and how the brain turns down the volume of some in order to focus on others. The increased blood flow in the region indicates activity, which the team concluded showed that it was involved in filtering out the constant sensory signals coming from the beating heart. However, when the shape was in line with their pulse, activity in the brain region dropped, resulting in them having trouble perceiving the flashing shape. Hooking the subjects up to an MRI scanner revealed what was going on in their brains during the processing.įunctional MRI scans revealed increased blood flow in a deep central region of the brain called the insular cortex, which is associated with consciousness, perception and keeping the body's basic functions ticking over in the background.īrain scans revealed that when the flashing shapes were not in sync with the person's heartbeat the insular cortex showed relatively normal activity and they were able to see the shape when it appeared on-screen. More than 150 volunteers were asked to perceive a shape as it flashed on a screen.īut when the shape flashed in time to their heartbeat, the volunteers had more trouble perceiving it. Using functional MRI, researchers revealed that when shapes flashed on-screen out of sync with a person's heartbeat, a region called the insular cortex showed relatively normal activity and they were able to see the shape when it appeared on-screen.īut when shape flashed in sync with someone's heartbeat, activity in the brain region dropped, and subjects had more difficulty in perceiving the flashing shape. Neuroscientists at the EPFL in Switzerland found that the brain filters out the sound of a person's heartbeat.
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