Synchronization of Heart and Breathing: Why it is Key for Our Brain

 

Synchronization of Heart and Breathing

A pioneering study reveals how the brain integrates cardiorespiratory information to maintain the health and homeostasis of the human body. Internationally renowned researchers have identified specific neurons in the thalamus that play a crucial role in this process, providing unprecedented insight into the complex functional pathways that connect internal organs to the brain.

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), this study represents a milestone in understanding how the human brain processes and uses information from the heart and lungs.

The research team, led by Dr. Vibhor Krishna of the UNC School of Medicine, Dr. Ali Rezai of the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, and Dr. Olaf Blanke of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, used microelectrode recordings during the deep brain stimulation surgery to unravel these mysteries.

What they found was fascinating: a significant proportion of neurons in the thalamus respond to heart and respiratory rhythms. This revelation highlights the importance of the brain in integrating vital signals for body regulation and overall health.

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Dr. Krishna commented on the importance of this finding, noting that every heartbeat and every breath provides the brain with a rich amount of sensory information. However, understanding how the brain integrates this information has been a challenge.

Cardiorespiratory integration

This study represents a step forward in that sense, offering new ideas about how the human brain achieves the integration of cardiorespiratory information and its relationship with possible brain, heart, or lung disorders.

To carry out this innovative research, the team used an established technique of microelectrode recording during deep brain stimulation surgery. This allowed them to observe the activity of individual neurons in three different regions of the thalamus and the subthalamic nucleus, revealing their direct involvement in the processing of cardiorespiratory signals.

The results were surprising 

Approximately 70% of the recorded neurons responded to cardiorespiratory activity, while 30% showed responsiveness to multiple signals. This underlines the complexity of internal communication between organs and the brain, as well as the specialization and integration of cardiac and respiratory signals in the regions studied.

Dr. Rezai emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaborations in this type of research, highlighting that the next frontier is to better understand the human brain. Collaboration between functional neurosurgeons and neuroscientists has been instrumental in gaining unprecedented insight into the inner workings of the human brain.

The relevance of this study extends to various medical specialties, from cardiology and pulmonology to neurology, psychiatry, and psychological research. Dr. Krishna emphasized that this work paves the way for future advances in these fields, providing a solid foundation to better understand the complex interactions between the brain and internal organs.

Dr. Nelson Oyesiku, chair of the UNC Department of Neurosurgery, praised this study as an important step forward in our understanding of how the brain maintains homeostasis throughout the body through direct neurological and endocrine regulation.

This research reveals new insights into how the brain processes incoming information from the heart and lungs, allowing for more effective regulation of bodily functions and ultimately better health and well-being for individuals.