How the heart affects our perception

(Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences) When we encounter a dangerous situation, signals from the brain make sure that the heart beats faster. When we relax the heart slows down. But the heartbeat also affects the brain but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences have now identified two mechanisms underpinning how the heart influences our perception, the brain, and how these mechanisms differ betw...