Brain–heart interplay modulation during biofeedback: A new frontier in understanding self-regulation

These findings highlight distinct patterns of brain-heart interaction during an attempt at voluntary self-regulation. Opposite patterns of BHI indexes emerged in increase vs. decrease HR, suggesting the presence of different mechanisms supporting the voluntary attempt at self-regulation. Moreover, the higher top-down control without feedback may suggest greater cognitive demand to modulate cardiac arousal. By elucidating the intricate relationships between neural activity and cardiac function during volitional self-regulation, this research opens new avenues for understanding the psychophysiological mechanisms and the role of brain-heart communication in conscious autonomic control.