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Research by Sascha Kyssa

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There is an unfortunate scientific belief that the brain is the only organ capable of housing human intelligence. Scientists attribute this intelligence to the presence of neurons. Did you know that the heart contains 40,000 neurons? As many neurons as various sub-cortical areas of the brain.(1) It is a relatively new and exciting idea to think of the heart as an intelligent organ. For example, The heart has the capacity to influence our emotions, thoughts, and immune system. Incredibly, this “heart intelligence” can be harnessed to increase our physical and emotional well-being.

Sadly, the majority of recent neuro-cardio research has not made itself available to the general public. Because of complex scientific terms and obscure listings in scientific journals, the general public has been kept in the dark regarding this new understanding of the heart. Through an analysis of the research articles listed in the references below, this essay provides a layperson approach to the exciting new findings in neuro-cardio science.

Lets begin by dispelling an incorrect fact about the heart. In the not too distant past, Scientists believed that the timing of the heart’s beat was controlled by the brain through the autonomic nervous system. But surprisingly, the heart doesn’t require a hardwired connection to the brain to keep beating. This is demonstrated when a patient receives a heart transplant. When a new heart is placed into a patient, surgeons are not yet able to reconnect the nerves that run from the brain to the heart. Miraculously, the heart continues to govern its own beat, just like it always has. (2)

But what allows the heart to think? Is it just a bundle of neurons? Dr. J Andrew Armour of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, provides neuro-scientific evidence that the nervous system within the heart is sophisticated enough to be considered a “little brain”.(3) Research conducted by Dr. Armour and his team have shown that this heart-brain is a complex network of neurons, neurotransmitters, proteins, and support cells. The intricate circuitry allows it to act independently of our cerebral commands. More importantly, Dr. Armour’s research has uncovered a heart that learns, remembers, senses, and even feels without input from the brain.(4)

Research conducted by physiologists John and Beatrice Lacey of the Fels Research Institute has uncovered a deeper understanding of the heart’s intelligence in relation to the brain. The psycho-physiological findings show us that the neurological signals that the heart sends the brain have a regulatory influence on the autonomic nervous system signals originating in the brain. These signals flow out of the brain back to the heart, then to the blood vessels, and on to other glands and organs. However, the heart-to-brain relationship doesn’t end there. heart signals sent to the brain also cascade up into higher centers of the brain and influence the functioning of higher cognitive cortex. This research shows us that the heart’s impulses affect the the part of the brain that governs our highest capacities for thought and reason.(5-7)

Make no mistake, The heart is not just confined to influencing our thinking and reasoning. The heart’s input to the brain also influences neural activity in the important emotional center called the amygdala.(8) Depending on the type of input received by the heart, the amygdala inhibits or facilitates brain functioning emotional expression.(5-7)(9) This discovery lends a certain credibility to the childhood belief that we feel emotions with our heart.

Of all the organs, the heart is unique in that it is not restricted to neuro-electric and chemical communication. Experiments conducted at the Institute of HeartMath show us that pressure waves produced by the heart’s beat alter our states of awareness. During the experiments, HeartMath researchers measured the blood pressure wave as it reached the brain, while simultaneously measuring brain-wave activity (the footprint of our cognitive state). A change in the brain’s electrical activity could be clearly observed as the blood pressure wave reached the brain cells.(10) The heart seems to have the ability to over-ride the brain. But is the heart or the brain the dominant organ in the body? For decades, western science has assumed that the brain is the sole governor and operator of the body. Is this still the case?

Since the 1970’s, scientists have known that the body’s nervous system has been responsible for connecting the heart and brain but scientists presumed that the brain made all the decisions. Experiments conducted by the Fels Research Institute proved that this assumption was not entirely correct. Researchers discovered that while the brain sends “orders” to the heart through the nervous system, the heart doesn’t automatically obey. Instead, the heart responds as if it has its own unique logic. Occasionally, when the brain sent an arousal signal to the body in response to stimuli, the heart’s beat sped up accordingly. But frequently it actually slowed down while the rest of the organs responded with arousal. The selective nature of the heart indicates that it does not mechanically respond to signals sent from the brain. Instead, the heart’s response appears to depend on the nature of the stimuli and the type of response required of the heart. Even more fascinating, the research showed  that the heart sent messages back to the brain that the brain not only understood but universally obeyed.(11) If the heart truly is the dominant cognitive organ of the body, is there a way, similar to meditation, to increase the heart’s coherence?

Based on feedback from clinical trials, The Institute of HeartMath developed heart-coherence protocols that have produced surprising results. By simply shifting awareness to the area around the heart, an individual can increase immune function, and physical well being.(12) When examining an individual’s immune system, secretory IgA is frequently used to measure immunity. secretory IgA is the body’s first line of defense against invading pathogens.(13) During the first phase of HeartMath Institute experiments, study participants’ IgA levels were measured before and after a fifteen minute heart-awareness technique while attempting to feel sincere appreciation. After the heart-coherence technique, average IgA levels amongst participants increased by fifty percent, a substantial increase for an important immune system marker. During the second phase of the experiments, participants were instructed to do another fifteen minute heart-coherence technique and attempt to feel appreciation while listening to music designed to invoke positive emotions.(14) Incredibly, the group showed a one-hundred and forty percent increase in IgA levels.(15) By simply shifting awareness and invoking positive emotions, an individual can reap tremendous rewards for their immune system. If such a simple approach could increase immunity, what other positive health factors could be increased?

DHEA, a precursor hormone, is necessary to moderate the hormones of the human body. Insufficient DHEA contributes to fatigue, bone loss, loss of muscle mass, depression, memory loss, aching joins, decreased sex drive, and impaired immune function. High stress levels release high amounts of cortisol into our bodies which triggers a reduction in DHEA production. Naturally, if you are measuring overall physical well being, DHEA is the natural first place to look. During a follow-up study, participants in the HeartMath Institute experiments were called back in after one month of practice for an assessment of their DHEA levels. The subjects showed an average increase of one-hundred percent in their DHEA levels and an average drop of twenty three percent in their cortisol levels. Some subjects tripled and even quadrupled their DHEA levels after their first month of heart-coherence practice. The numbers clearly show that individuals have the ability to consciously invoke their hearts to positively affect their physiology.

Recent neuro-cardio research has shown us that there is still much we do not know about the human body. The results of this type of research changes the foundational beliefs we hold concerning the power of our physiology. Discovering the true nature of the heart changes our brain-body paradigm into a heart-brain-body paradigm. The results of the Institute of HeartMath’s experiments allow the everyday individual to take an active role in maintaining the health and well being of his or her physiology. The potential for this heart technology is great. By simply focusing on the heart, a world with reduced sickness and disease could be just around the corner.

Sascha is a Sustainable Living student at MUM.

REFERENCES:

1: Armour, J., and Ardell, J., eds. Neurocardiology. New York: Oxford University Press, 1984.

2. Doc Lew Childre, Howard Martin: “The HeartMath Solution”, 1999.

3. Armour, J. Anatomy and function of the intrathoracic neurons regulating the mammalian

heart. In: Zucker, I., and Gilmore, J., eds. Reflex Control of the Circulation. Boca Raton, FL:

CRC Press, 1991:1-37.

4.  Armour, J. Neurocardiology: Anatomical and functional principles. In: McCraty, R.,

Rozman, D., and Childre, D., eds. HeartMath: A New Biobehavioral Intervention for Increas-

ing Health and Personal Effectiveness-Increasing Coherence in the Human System (working

title). Amsterdam: Harwood Academic Publishers, 1999 (fall release).

5. Lacey, J., and Lacey, B. Some autonomic-central nervous system interrelationships.

In: Black, P., ed. Physiological Correlates of Emotion. New York: Academic Press, 1970:205-227.

6. Koriath, J. , and Lindholm, E. Cardiac-related cortical inhibition during a fixed

foreperiod reaction time task. International Journal of Psychophysiology. 1986;4: 183-195.

7. Schandry, R., and Montoya, P. Event-related brain potentials and the processing of

cardiac activity. Biological Pgychology. 1996;42:75-85.

8. Frysinger, R C., and Harper, R. M. Cardiac and respiratory correlations with unit

discharge in epileptic human temporal lobe. Epilepsia. 1990;31 (2):162-171.

9. Turpin, G. Cardiac-respiratory integration: Implications for the analysis and inter-

pretation of phasic cardiac responses. In: Grossman, P., Janssen, K, and Vaitl, D., eds. Car-

diorespiratory and cardiosomatic pgychophysiology. New York: Plenum Press, 1985:139-155.

10.  McCraty, R., Rozman, D., and Childre, D., eds. HeartMath: A New Biobehavioral In-

tervention for Increasing Health and Personal Effectiveness-Increasing Coherence in the

Human System (working title). Amsterdam: Harwood Academic Publishers, 1999 (fall re-

lease).

11. Lacey, J. , and Lacey, B. Some autonomic-central nervous system interrelationships.

In: Black, P., Physiological Correlates of Emotion. New York: Academic Press, 1970:205-227

12. Doc Lew Childre, Howard Martin: “The HeartMath Solution”, 1999.

13. Tomasi, T. The Immune System of Secretions. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1976.

14. Childre, D. L. Heart Zones. Boulder Creek, CA: Planetary Publications, 1991.

15. McCraty, R., Atkinson, M. , Rein, G ., and others. Music enhances the effect of positive

16. McCraty, R., Barrios-Choplin, B., Rozman, D., and others. The impact of a new emo-

tional self-management program on stress, emotions, heart rate variability, DHEA, and corti-

soL Integrative Physiological and Behavioral Science. 1998;33(2): 151-170