The Synchronized Dance: How Heartbeats Impact Brain Activity

New research has found that the phases of a heartbeat have a significant impact on brain and motor system excitability. The study used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to observe changes in cortical and corticospinal excitability across the cardiac cycle and found heightened excitability during the systolic phase. This discovery could potentially revolutionize treatments for depression and stroke by aligning them with the cardiac cycle for enhanced effectiveness.