Posture-dependent modulation of interoceptive processing: a heartbeat
evoked potential study
Abstract
Interoception, the internal perception of bodily states such as
heartbeat and hunger, plays a crucial role in shaping cognitive and
emotional states. Given that postural control affects cognitive and
emotional processing, exploring postural effects on interoception could
help uncover the neural mechanisms underlying its effects on cognition
and emotion. In this study, we aimed to investigate how different
postures affect interoception by using heartbeat-evoked potentials
(HEPs), which are event-related potentials indicative of heartbeat
processing in the cortex. The study included 21 healthy male
participants. They were asked to sit in a chair (sitting condition) and
stand (standing condition) in a relaxed state. Data from 64-channel
electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) were collected.
The EEG data were segmented by the R-wave timing detected from the ECG
data for HEP analysis. HEPs were calculated by focusing on the 350–500
ms post-R-wave interval in the central and temporal brain regions. A
paired t-test was performed to compare HEP amplitudes between the
sitting and standing conditions, revealing significantly lower HEP
amplitudes in the standing condition than those in the sitting condition
(t=2.63, p=0.016, d=0.59). Furthermore, we explored the relationship
between HEP changes and physiological changes such as cardiac activity
and spontaneous EEG, finding no significant correlations
(p>0.05, |r|<0.26). These findings
suggest that the decreased HEP amplitudes observed during standing
reflect attenuated interoceptive processing probably due to a
redistribution of attentional resources from internal to external
sensory processing, necessary for maintaining standing posture. Thus,
postural differences may influence specific neurophysiological processes
linked to interoception.