Anke Karabanov
Mind the gut: The gastric rhythm as a scaffold for conscious perception
The beating of the heart and the contractions of the stomach are rhythmic signals continuously sensed by the brain. Bodily rhythms influence the activity of large networks of cortical brain cells with wide-reaching consequences. Recent research showed that our ability to perceive the world around us varies with the rhythm of the heartbeat; we are more likely to detect stimuli that fall within specific timeframes of the heart rhythm. Because the gut rhythm is slower and harder to detect, it remains unclear whether the gut also creates windows of optimal perceptual sensitivity. This project aims to test if perception fluctuates with the gut's rhythmic contractions. The results could transform our understanding of how the body shapes perception and open novel therapeutic avenues targeting the gut-brain connection.
