Researchers from the Human Brain and Cognition research group at CIMCYC, in collaboration with researchers from other universities, have conducted two independent cross-sectional studies to explore the relationship between regular physical exercise and cardiac interoception.
Previous studies have suggested that cardiac interoception, i.e., the ability to detect and process afferent signals from the heart, improves after a single session of physical exercise (you've probably experienced this in situations like climbing stairs or running). However, it is still unclear whether continued practice of physical exercise over time leads to changes in cardiac interoceptive accuracy. Additionally, it is unknown whether such changes affect the electroencephalographic activity associated with the processing of afferent cardiac signals, measured through the cardiac evoked potential (CEP).
The aim of these two cross-sectional studies was to investigate this hypothesis by comparing active and inactive participants based on their physical fitness level (Study I; N = 45) or based on their self-reported levels of physical activity (Study II; N = 60). Interoception was assessed at rest using CEP in both studies, while Study II also included the heartbeat counting task (HCT) and the rubber hand illusion task (RHIT).
The results of Study I revealed better cardiovascular fitness in the active group compared to the inactive group, as well as significant differences in electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings. Study II replicated these differences in ECG based on regular physical activity. Although these results were expected due to clear differences in physical activity habits, the analyses did not show solid differences between groups in CEP amplitude, nor in the HCT and RHIT tasks.
In conclusion, although significant changes in cardiac signal associated with regular physical activity are evident, interoceptive measures did not indicate differences in the ability to detect and process afferent signals from the heart.
Full Reference:
Yoris, Adrián E., Luis F. Cira, Antonio Luque-Casado, Caterina Salvotti, Ana Tajadura-Jiménez, Chiara Avancini, Juan Antonio Zarza-Rebollo, Daniel Sanabria, and Pandelis Perakakis. (2024). Delving into the relationship between regular physical exercise and cardiac interoception in two cross-sectional studies. Neuropsychologia, 108867.
Contact Researchers:
Daniel Sanabria Lucena (daniel@ugr.es)
Adrián E. Yoris (ayoris@ineco.org.ar)