Heartbeat perception is causally linked to frontal delta oscillations

Abstract

The ability to accurately perceive ones own bodily signals, such as the heartbeat, plays a vital role in physical and mental health. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying this ability, termed interoception, are not fully understood. Converging evidence suggests that cardiac rhythms are linked to frontal brain activity, particularly oscillations in the delta (0.5 - 4 Hz) band, but their causal relationship remained elusive. Using amplitude-modulated transcranial alternating current stimulation (AM-tACS), a method to enhance or suppress brain oscillations in a phase-specific manner, we investigated whether frontal delta oscillations are causally linked to heartbeat perception. We found that enhancement of delta phase synchrony suppressed heartbeat detection accuracy, while suppression of delta phase synchrony enhanced heartbeat detection accuracy. These findings suggest that frontal delta oscillations play a critical role in heartbeat perception, paving the way for causal investigations of interoception and potential clinical applications. SignificanceAlthough bodily signals are known to influence perception and behavior, little is known about the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. Here, we show that perception of the heartbeat is anticorrelated with phase synchrony of frontal delta oscillations, and that modulating these oscillations with transcranial electric stimulation influences heartbeat perception. Our results suggest that delta oscillations play a key role in processing bodily signals, with potential implications for theories of emotions and clinical neuroscience.