The traditional theory that all decisions are made exclusively by the brain has been officially refuted. A study by German neuroscientists published in the journal Neuron has proven that conscious control of breathing can directly manage the work of the heart and brain. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
"It was previously unknown how conscious regulation of our body, for example through targeted breathing, can control the decision-making process. We wanted to create a physiological shift using slow breathing to change the quality of our decisions," explains Soen K. Pak, head of the Department of Neuroscience of Decision Making and Nutrition at DIfE.
41 people participated in the experiment. Subjects made risky decisions while following specified breathing protocols. Specifically, they followed visual breathing cues and breathed either in their natural rhythm or slower with an extended exhalation (inhalation to exhalation ratio 2:8).
At the same time, scientists recorded brain activity using MRI and tracked breathing parameters, cardiac activity, skin conductance, and pupil response.
"It turned out that longer exhalation led to riskier decisions by slowing heart rate. Notably, risky decisions were determined more by potential gains, while the assessment of potential losses remained unchanged," the study says.
In addition, subjects showed increased activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and precuneus.
These two key brain regions influence both the time intervals between heartbeats — known as heart rate variability — and sensitivity to reward.
The scientists note that the results expand the field of research on body-brain interaction and confirm that physical state has a strong influence on cognitive processes.
"Breathing techniques have accompanied humanity for millennia in various religions and cultures. In this study, we provide scientific evidence that this is a reliable method capable of controlling our decisions," explains Pak.
As a next step, the scientists plan to study a group of overweight people. The researchers want to prove that breathing can also control human eating behavior.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that another study turned the understanding of the possibilities of diet therapy in neurology upside down. It turns out that when brain cells lose the ability to absorb glucose, fatty ketone bodies become ideal fuel for them.