State Of Body Research Articles

The more open, the more creative? The metaphorical effects of postural openness on divergent thinking and convergent thinking

As one of the most prevalent bodily states in daily life, postures can exert an impact on creative thinking. Adopting the perspective of embodied metaphor, two studies were conducted using the "posture-cognition" dual-task paradigm to investigate the influence of different postural openness on creative thinking. Study 1 explored the effects of expansive/open versus contractive/closed postures on divergent thinking and convergent thinking, and observed whether they were modulated by standing and sitting postures. Study 2 further examined the participants' performance on a convergent thinking task and a non-creative detail processing task of varying difficulty under identical postures. Results indicated better divergent thinking performance with expansive postures than with contractive postures, confirming the "expansive-divergent" metaphor. The expansive standing posture was found to be the most conducive posture for divergent thinking. However, the contractive postures failed to facilitate the convergent thinking task, but showed more conducive to the moderately difficult non-creative detail processing task. These findings support that body postures can have a metaphorical effect on higher cognitive processes such as creative thinking, but the effect varies depending on the type of creative cognitive processing. This research enhances the comprehension of embodied creativity and provides valuable insights for educational practice.

Defining cardioception: Heart-brain crosstalk.

Interoception, the sensation and perception of internal bodily states, should be conceptualized through specialized modalities like cardioception, pulmoception, gastroception, and uroception. This NeuroView emphasizes cardioception, exploring heart-brain interactions, cardiac reflexes, and their influence on mental states and behavior.

Interoceptive and Bodily Processing in Prospective and Retrospective Timing.

This chapter reviews some directions along which Craig's proposal of subjective time as emergent from interoceptive and bodily dynamics allows to frame recent findings on prospective and retrospective time processing. Behavioral and neuroimaging evidence from prospective timing studies demonstrates that an interoceptive-insular system may support the development of a primary representation of time in the context of large-scale networks involved in duration processing. Studies showing a tight link between episodic memory and interoceptive, emotional, and sensorimotor states further provide insights on processes supporting retrospective timing. These lines of evidence show that acknowledging its dependence on bodily states is most likely a crucial step toward a mechanistic understanding of time perception.

Heart Rate Variability and Interoception in Periodic Limb Movements in Sleep: Interference with Psychiatric Disorders?

Periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS) are a prevalent disorder characterized by rhythmic, involuntary movements of the lower limbs, such as dorsiflexion of the ankle and extension of the big toe, occurring in periodic intervals during sleep. These movements are often linked to disrupted autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity and altered interoception. Interoception involves perceiving internal bodily states, like heartbeat, breathing, hunger, and temperature, and plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis and the mind-body connection. This review explores the complex relationships between PLMS, heart rate variability (HRV), ANS dysregulation, and their impact on psychiatric disorders. By synthesizing the existing literature, it provides insights into how ANS dysregulation and altered interoceptive processes, alongside PLMS, contribute to psychiatric conditions. The review highlights the potential for integrated diagnostic and therapeutic approaches and presents a cause-and-effect model illustrating the mutual influence of psychiatric disorders, ANS dysregulation, PLMS, and interoception.

Алгоритм количественной оценки кардиореспираторной синхронизации для характеристики функционального состояния и межсистемных взаимодействий у спортсменов

Introduction. The rhythm of the heart (heart rate, HR) is closely related to the rhythm of breathing. The phenomenon of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (an increase in heart rate during inhalation and a decrease during exhalation) is well known. Cardiorespiratory interactions and synchronization of these two signals are evaluated differently in the literature. The purpose of this work was to propose and test an approach to assess cardiorespiratory synchronization – the calculation of the cross-correlation coefficient between heart rate and respiration curve, for a more objective characterization of an athlete’s bodily states. Methods. A photoplethysmogram and respiration were recorded in 45 healthy athletes (18-25 years old) in three situations: rest, paced breathing at 6 times per minute (resonant frequency) and the performance of a sensorimotor task (tapping with the rhythmic metronome sounds and then reproducing a given rhythm from memory). For the HR and respiration curves, filtering and smoothing algorithms using the Savitsky-Goley method were applied sequentially, and then the cross-correlation coefficient between the two curves was calculated. The spectral parameters of heart rate variability (LF and HF) were also obtained, since during spontaneous breathing its contribution to the HR is reflected in HF band, and when breathing at a resonant frequency, a peak occurs at a frequency of 0.1 Hz in the LF band. Results. The cross-correlation coefficient, as well as the peak of HR spectral power at 0.1 Hz, increases significantly when breathing at a resonant frequency. The relationship between these indicators is most accurately described not by a linear, but by a logarithmic dependence. When performing a sensorimotor task, the so-called respiratory waves in the heart rhythm spectrum (HF) do not change from rest to tapping by a metronome and then to holding the rhythm by memory. At the same time, the cross-correlation coefficient demonstrates significant changes between these situations. In addition, a significant correlation was found between the change in the cross-correlation coefficient and the stability of rhythm maintenance (from memory): an increase in the cardiorespiratory synchronization leads to a decrease in motor rhythm stability. Conclusion. Assessment of cardiorespiratory synchronization due to the peculiarities of both signals (changes in heart rate and respiratory phases) requires preliminary preparation of data arrays: filtering and smoothing the stepped curve of heart rate dynamics. The calculation of the cross-correlation coefficient can be used to assess cardiorespiratory synchronization in real time and is likely to be applicable in short time fragments to assess emotional reactions and other short-term fluctuations in psychophysiological conditions, where the classical method of assessing changes in heart rhythm in the frequency or time domains is not applicable.

Interoceptive sensibility and alcohol craving in Polish prisoners: the role of alexithymia and emotional dysregulation.

Alcohol craving, characterized by a strong desire or compulsion to consume alcohol, is a prominent symptom of substance dependence syndrome. Research indicates that alcohol craving is a significant factor leading to the termination of abstinence. The mechanisms underlying the activation of alcohol craving remain not fully understood. The urge to reach for alcohol may be stimulated by emotions, memories, thoughts, or bodily sensations, as well as external factors. It has been postulated that individuals with high levels of interoceptive sensibility tend to exhibit a high degree of alexithymia and emotion dysregulation in the context of alcohol craving. Deficits in identifying and verbalizing emotions, along with an operational thinking style, facilitate alcohol consumption by impeding accurate insight into one's mental state, thereby hindering the comprehension of bodily states, emotions, and the regulation of self. This study involved 160 inmates incarcerated in a prison in Poland, awaiting participation in therapy for individuals with substance dependence following psychiatric diagnosis. Four questionnaires were used in the study: multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Sensibility (MAIA) for interoceptive sensibility, Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) for alexithymia, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) for emotional dysregulation, and the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) for alcohol craving assessment. The results of the study are as follows: the study findings indicated that alexithymia and emotional dysregulation significantly mediates the relationship between interoceptive sensibility and alcohol craving. The indirect effect for both factors was found to be significant, similar to the indirect effect observed for alexithymia as an mediator. However, in the case of emotional dysregulation, no significant indirect effect was observed. Our study provides insights into the potential contribution of interoceptive sensibility to the heightened risk of alcohol dependence. Specifically, impaired interoceptive sensibility may be associated with the development of alexithymia and emotional dysregulation, potentially rendering individuals more susceptible to alcohol craving. Interoceptive sensibility could serve as a prerequisite for the cultivation of positive emotional processing skills.

The role of the somatosensory system in the feeling of emotions: a neurostimulation study.

Emotional experiences deeply impact our bodily states, such as when we feel 'anger', our fists close and our face burns. Recent studies have shown that emotions can be mapped onto specific body areas, suggesting a possible role of the primary somatosensory system (S1) in emotion processing. To date, however, the causal role of S1 in emotion generation remains unclear. To address this question, we applied transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on the S1 at different frequencies (beta, theta, and sham) while participants saw emotional stimuli with different degrees of pleasantness and levels of arousal. Results showed that modulation of S1 influenced subjective emotional ratings as a function of the frequency applied. While theta and beta-tACS made participants rate the emotional images as more pleasant (higher valence), only theta-tACS lowered the subjective arousal ratings (more calming). Skin conductance responses recorded throughout the experiment confirmed a different arousal for pleasant versus unpleasant stimuli. Our study revealed that S1 has a causal role in the feeling of emotions, adding new insight into the embodied nature of emotions. Importantly, we provided causal evidence that beta and theta frequencies contribute differently to the modulation of two dimensions of emotions-arousal and valence-corroborating the view of a dissociation between these two dimensions of emotions.

The unavoidable pressure injury/ulcer: a review of skin failure in critically ill patients.

Due to an ageing population and prolonged lifespan, pressure injury (PI) incidence is increasing. Patients with a PI typically endure longer hospital stays, which create a significant burden on healthcare resources and costs. With appropriate preventive interventions, most PIs can be avoided; however, skin failure may become inevitable in particular instances. These are classified as unavoidable PIs. Patients in a critical condition are exposed to a unique set of therapies, medications and bodily states. Oftentimes, these instances decrease tissue tolerance, which may promote PI formation. Patients who are critically ill, especially those with extended stays in the intensive care unit, are susceptible to skin failure due to: prolonged immobility; mechanical ventilation; acute respiratory distress syndrome; COVID-19; sepsis; multiorgan system dysfunction; vasopressor use; and treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Poor perfusion leading to skin breakdown results from the compounding factors of circulatory collapse, build-up of metabolites, compromised lymphatic drainage, patient comorbidities, and ischaemia via capillary blockage in patients who are critically ill. In addition, similar physiology is present during end-of-life multisystem organ failure, which creates unavoidable skin deterioration. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of circumstances which decrease tissue tolerance and ultimately lead to PI development, despite adequate preventive measures in patients who are critically ill.

Artificial Punishment Signals for Guiding the Decision-Making Process of an Autonomous System

Somatic markers have been evidenced as determinant factors in human behavior. In particular, the concepts of somatic reward and punishment have been related to the decision-making process; both reward and somatic punishment represent bodily states with positive or negative sensations, respectively. In this research work, we have designed a mechanism to generate artificial somatic punishments in an autonomous system. An autonomous system is understood as a system capable of performing autonomous behavior and decision making. We incorporated this mechanism within a decision model oriented to support decision making on stock markets. Our model focuses on using artificial somatic punishments as a tool to guide the decisions of an autonomous system. To validate our proposal, we defined an experimental scenario using official data from Standard & Poor’s 500 and the Dow Jones index, in which we evaluated the decisions made by the autonomous system based on artificial somatic punishments in a general investment process using 10,000 independent iterations. In the investment process, the autonomous system applied an active investment strategy combined with an artificial somatic index. The results show that this autonomous system presented a higher level of investment decision effectiveness, understood as the achievement of greater wealth over time, as measured by profitability, utility, and Sharpe Ratio indicators, relative to an industry benchmark.

Individual Differences in Bodily Self-Consciousness and Its Neural Basis.

Bodily self-consciousness (BSC), a subject of interdisciplinary interest, refers to the awareness of one's bodily states. Previous studies have noted the existence of individual differences in BSC, while neglecting the underlying factors and neural basis of such individual differences. Considering that BSC relied on integration from both internal and external self-relevant information, we here review previous findings on individual differences in BSC through a three-level-self model, which includes interoceptive, exteroceptive, and mental self-processing. The data show that cross-level factors influenced individual differences in BSC, involving internal bodily signal perceptibility, multisensory processing principles, personal traits shaped by environment, and interaction modes that integrate multiple levels of self-processing. Furthermore, in interoceptive processing, regions like the anterior cingulate cortex and insula show correlations with different perceptions of internal sensations. For exteroception, the parietal lobe integrates sensory inputs, coordinating various BSC responses. Mental self-processing modulates differences in BSC through areas like the medial prefrontal cortex. For interactions between multiple levels of self-processing, regions like the intraparietal sulcus involve individual differences in BSC. We propose that diverse experiences of BSC can be attributed to different levels of self-processing, which moderates one's perception of their body. Overall, considering individual differences in BSC is worth amalgamating diverse methodologies for the diagnosis and treatment of some diseases.

A model linking emotional dysregulation in neurodivergent people to the proprioceptive impact of joint hypermobility.

Emotional feelings are putatively ascribed to central representation of bodily states in the context of expectation and uncertainty in both internal state and external world. Neurodivergent people are more likely to experience co-occurring mental health challenges, although mechanistic insights underpinning this association are scarce. We therefore undertook a study to test whether imprecise processing of proprioceptive error signals may underlie the connection between neurodivergence and emotional dysregulation. In a cohort of people with complex chronic conditions, including chronic pain/fatigue, and complex trauma, and in a comparison group, we assessed presence of neurodivergence, variant connective tissue manifested through joint hypermobility, and emotional dysregulation. We present a data-informed conceptual model showing that variant connective tissue determines whether proprioceptive surprise is linked with emotional dysregulation in neurodivergent individuals. We suggest that future research in this area may have important clinical implications for the interaction of mental and physical wellbeing in neurodivergent people. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'.

Cancer treatments as paradoxical catalysts of tumor awakening in the lung.

Much of the fatality of tumors is linked to the growth of metastases, which can emerge months to years after apparently successful treatment of primary tumors. Metastases arise from disseminated tumor cells (DTCs), which disperse through the body in a dormant state to seed distant sites. While some DTCs lodge in pre-metastatic niches (PMNs) and rapidly develop into metastases, other DTCs settle in distinct microenvironments that maintain them in a dormant state. Subsequent awakening, induced by changes in the microenvironment of the DTC, causes outgrowth of metastases. Hence, there has been extensive investigation of the factors causing survival and subsequent awakening of DTCs, with the goal of disrupting these processes to decrease cancer lethality. We here provide a detailed overview of recent developments in understanding of the factors controlling dormancy and awakening in the lung, a common site of metastasis for many solid tumors. These factors include dynamic interactions between DTCs and diverse epithelial, mesenchymal, and immune cell populations resident in the lung. Paradoxically, among key triggers for metastatic outgrowth, lung tissue remodeling arising from damage induced by the treatment of primary tumors play a significant role. In addition, growing evidence emphasizes roles for inflammation and aging in opposing the factors that maintain dormancy. Finally, we discuss strategies being developed or employed to reduce the risk of metastatic recurrence.

Maternal interoceptive focus is associated with greater reported engagement in mother-infant stroking and rocking.

Parental caregiving during infancy is primarily aimed at the regulation of infants' physiological and emotional states. Recent models of embodied cognition propose that interoception, i.e., the perception of internal bodily states, may influence the quality and quantity of parent-infant caregiving. Yet, empirical investigations into this relationship remain scarce. Across two online studies of mothers with 6- to 18-month-old infants during Covid-19 lockdowns, we examined whether mothers' self-reported engagement in stroking and rocking their infant was related to self-reported interoceptive abilities. Additional measures included retrospective accounts of pregnancy and postnatal body satisfaction, and mothers' reports of their infant's understanding of vocabulary relating to body parts. In Study 1 (N = 151) and Study 2 (N = 111), mothers reported their engagement in caregiving behaviours and their tendency to focus on and regulate bodily states. In a subsample from Study 2 (N = 49), we also obtained an objective measure of cardiac interoceptive accuracy using an online heartbeat counting task. Across both studies, the tendency to focus on and regulate interoceptive states was associated with greater mother-infant stroking and rocking. Conversely, we found no evidence for a relationship between objective interoceptive accuracy and caregiving. The findings suggest that interoception may play a role in parental engagement in stroking and rocking, however, in-person dyadic studies are warranted to further investigate this relationship.

Biped Robots Control in Gusty Environments with Adaptive Exploration Based DDPG.

As technology rapidly evolves, the application of bipedal robots in various environments has widely expanded. These robots, compared to their wheeled counterparts, exhibit a greater degree of freedom and a higher complexity in control, making the challenge of maintaining balance and stability under changing wind speeds particularly intricate. Overcoming this challenge is critical as it enables bipedal robots to sustain more stable gaits during outdoor tasks, thereby increasing safety and enhancing operational efficiency in outdoor settings. To transcend the constraints of existing methodologies, this research introduces an adaptive bio-inspired exploration framework for bipedal robots facing wind disturbances, which is based on the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) approach. This framework allows the robots to perceive their bodily states through wind force inputs and adaptively modify their exploration coefficients. Additionally, to address the convergence challenges posed by sparse rewards, this study incorporates Hindsight Experience Replay (HER) and a reward-reshaping strategy to provide safer and more effective training guidance for the agents. Simulation outcomes reveal that robots utilizing this advanced method can more swiftly explore behaviors that contribute to stability in complex conditions, and demonstrate improvements in training speed and walking distance over traditional DDPG algorithms.

Masked distress: The mediated effects of face masks on physical and emotional suffocation.

This study explores the effects of bodily states on emotions based on embodied cognition theories of conceptual metaphor and feelings-as-information theory. Specifically, it investigates how physical suffocation induced by mask-wearing affects perceptions of emotional suffocation related to one's romantic relationship and financial situation. In this quantitative online experiment, we employed a convenience sampling method through a crowdsourcing platform. Adult participants (N = 180, 25 years or older and involved in a romantic relationship) were randomly assigned to three conditions: wearing COVID-19 masks properly, wearing masks on their chins, or not wearing masks. After completing a puzzle meant to prolong mask-wear, participants filled out digital questionnaires assessing their experiences of physical and psychological distress. The results supported our proposed mechanisms, revealing that increased feeling of physical suffocation while wearing masks properly, compared to the other conditions, was linked to heightened feelings of financial and romantic distress, supporting the conceptual metaphor account. This link was partially mediated by elevated state anxiety, aligning with the feelings-as-information theory. This study demonstrates how bodily experiences can impact emotional states, and highlights the complex interplay between everyday behaviours like mask-wearing and emotions.

Intranasal Oxytocin Improves Interoceptive Accuracy and Heartbeat-Evoked Potentials During a Cardiac Interoceptive Task

BackgroundInteroception represents perception of the internal bodily state, which is closely associated with social/emotional processing and physical health in humans. Understanding the mechanism that underlies interoceptive processing, particularly its modulation, is therefore of great importance. Given the overlap between oxytocinergic pathways and interoceptive signaling substrates in both peripheral visceral organs and the brain, intranasal oxytocin administration is a promising approach for modulating interoceptive processing. MethodsUsing a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-participant design, we recruited 72 healthy male participants who performed a cardiac interoceptive task during electroencephalograph and electrocardiograph recording to examine whether intranasal administration of the neuropeptide oxytocin could modulate interoceptive processing. We also collected data in a resting state to examine whether we could replicate previous findings. ResultsThe results showed that in the interoceptive task, oxytocin increased interoceptive accuracy at the behavioral level, which was paralleled by larger heartbeat-evoked potential amplitudes in frontocentral and central regions on the neural level. However, there were no significant effects of oxytocin on electroencephalograph or electrocardiograph during resting state. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that oxytocin may only have a facilitatory effect on interoceptive processing under task-based conditions. Our findings not only provide new insights into the modulation of interoceptive processing via targeting the oxytocinergic system but also provide proof-of-concept evidence for the therapeutic potential of intranasal oxytocin in mental disorders with dysfunctional interoception.

Enhancing Empathy Through the Body

Abstract In recent years, many scholars of performing arts, cinema, and mass media have been focusing their studies on the body, examining the perception of the physical experience of projection and connecting bodily states with spiritual and ethical constructs. The purpose of this article is to present how cinema and performance can utilize the body in ways that enhance the audience's empathy. The role of cinema is to enable the viewer to liberate their body from its “individual ownership” and to rediscover its potential. Similarly, performances challenge the audience to respond with their bodies to the stimulation of certain emotions, experiencing a pure sensation through participation. However, experiencing empathy, a viewer can impose their ideas or reactions onto the experiences or emotions of others, believing that what they are experiencing is what others experienced.

Embodied schema information processing theory: an underlying mechanism of embodied cognition in communication

Abstract Embodiment has been incorporated in communication studies researching the experiencing self, motivated cognitive information processing, and embodied medium theory. This article highlights another factor—past bodily experiences—as important for understanding the impact of embodiment on communication processes. Expanding schema to a construct spanning multiple levels of the neural hierarchy, we propose embodied schema as a minimal framework to capture the idea that all mental structures are grounded in the body. Based on the function of embodied schemas, we describe an Embodied Schema Information Processing Theory (ESIPT) that includes an embodied dual-process theory, which offers a more coherent account of the automatic cue- or heuristic-based processing mode, and a model that describes the influence of the environment and bodily state on high-level cognitive processing. This article systematically explores the role of past bodily experiences and provides a general account of embodied information processing that can inform a wide range of communication studies.

Transdiagnostic failure to adapt interoceptive precision estimates across affective, substance use, and eating disorders: A replication and extension of previous results

Recent Bayesian theories of interoception suggest that perception of bodily states rests upon a precision-weighted integration of afferent signals and prior beliefs. In a previous study, we fit a computational model of perception to behavior on a heartbeat tapping task to test whether aberrant precision-weighting could explain misestimation of cardiac states in psychopathology. We found that, during an interoceptive perturbation designed to amplify afferent signal precision (inspiratory breath-holding), healthy individuals increased the precision-weighting assigned to ascending cardiac signals (relative to resting conditions), while individuals with anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, and/or eating disorders did not. In this pre-registered study, we aimed to replicate and extend our prior findings in a new transdiagnostic patient sample (N = 285) similar to the one in the original study. As expected, patients in this new sample were also unable to adjust beliefs about the precision of cardiac signals – preventing the ability to accurately perceive changes in their cardiac state. Follow-up analyses combining samples from the previous and current study (N = 719) also afforded power to identify group differences between narrower diagnostic categories, and to examine predictive accuracy when logistic regression models were trained on one sample and tested on the other. With this confirmatory evidence in place, future studies should examine the utility of interoceptive precision measures in predicting treatment outcomes and test whether these computational mechanisms might represent novel therapeutic targets.

A Critical View on Virudha Aahar: Dietic Incompatibility

The three Upstambha (Aahar, Swapna, and Brahmchraya) that describe in the Ayurvedic Samhitas. These three Upstambha hold the body. The body gains strength, firmness, and Varna by carefully using these three pillars. Aahar, the first Upstambha, is helpful for keeping the body in a healthy state. However, people are now consuming improper foods in the wrong combinations. Certain drugs and dietary combinations that have traits in opposition to body elements may decrease the body's immunity. Such types of foods are referred to as Virudha Aahar in old Ayurvedic texts. This article describes how individuals nowadays consume Virudha Aahar and how it has adverse effects on the human health. What impacts do they have on each physiological system of human body?