Visceral Signals Shape Brain Dynamics and Cognition

Visceral signals automatically contribute to shaping spontaneous large-scale brain dynamics, even when not consciously experienced. To what extent ascending visceral signals can be consciously perceived remains a matter of debate. Neural and behavioral responses to external stimuli can be influenced by temporal contingencies between heartbeats and stimuli. Beyond temporal contingencies, the transient neural response evoked by each heartbeat plays a role in cognitive functions that are usually studied separately, such as emotion, self-related cognition, and also subjective visual perception, calling for new theoretical perspectives. Neural responses to heartbeats may be involved in the generation of the unified viewpoint of consciousness