The brain continuously senses signals from within the body and the rhythms of the heart, lungs, and stomach have a large impact on brain signals and cognition. To which extent is the coupling between the brain and viscera dependent on different states (e.g. being active versus resting) and is it possible to change the strength of this connection? This is especially relevant given that how connected the brain is to these signals might directly impact our mental health. This project will further our fundamental understanding on the nature of this brain-body coupling, test a new paradigm to change the strength of the coupling, and quantify whether psychopathological symptoms are driven by changes in viscera-brain coupling. The project, conducted at the university of Jyväskylä, will use a combination of state-of-the-art neuroimaging, brain stimulation and computational modeling. The findings of the experiments will open new possibilities for treating mental ill-health.

2026

2029