Abstract: When we think about consciousness, we think about the brain. However, the brain is closely interconnected with the rest of the body and continuously receives and integrates rhythmic signals generated by fundamental pacemakers such as the cardiac and respiratory cycles. In this talk, I will explore the hypothesis that the neural mechanisms associated with the conscious perception of a stimulus vary with the momentary state of the body. In a series of studies, we show that cardiac and respiratory signals modulate the timing and sources of awareness-related potentials. These effects were influenced by the mode of breathing, clarifying the role of distinct interoceptive processes in conscious awareness. Finally, in the pre-stimulus period, the momentary state of the brain did not interact with bodily signals to modulate the perceptual outcome. Our findings suggest that the brain dynamically adapts its response to external events by accounting for visceral signals, redirecting its activity towards regions that can optimally process these signals. Overall, cardiac and respiratory rhythms are fundamental pacemakers that influence perceptual processes.
Bio: Viviana Leupin is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Fribourg (Switzerland) where she pursued her PhD thesis under the supervision of Dr. Juliane Britz in the Department of Psychology. Her research focuses on the interactions between the brain and body in conscious awareness and how they can contribute to a deeper understanding of cognitive neuroscience.