Brain-Heart Interactions and Optimizing Psychotherapy.
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| Title: | Brain-Heart Interactions and Optimizing Psychotherapy. |
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| Authors: | Moss, Donald (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Applied Psychophysiology & Biofeedback. Jun2025, Vol. 50 Issue 2, p189-196. 8p. |
| Subjects: | Compassion-focused therapy, Cognitive psychology, Heart beat, Medical sciences, Cognitive flexibility |
| Abstract: | The present article examines how physiological systems impact on affect regulation, social engagement, and cognitive flexibility, three critical factors in psychotherapeutic success. The vagal system, associated with parasympathetic nervous activity and heart rate variability, provides an integration of brain, heart, gut, affective systems, cognitive performance, and social engagement. The author presents Stephen Porges' polyvagal theory, Julian Thayer's neurovisceral integration model, Kerstin Uvnas-Moberg's oxytocin/hormonal model, and Paul Gilbert's compassion focused therapy, as models for understanding the impact of vagal function and parasympathetic nervous activation on affect, social behavior, and cognition. The article proposes that direct heart rate variability training, along with other practices that increase vagal activity, can prepare patients for psychotherapy, and contribute to progress in psychotherapy. The emphasis is on the reciprocal influences among vagal activity, prefrontal cortical circuits, affect regulation, caring, and thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Applied Psychophysiology & Biofeedback is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | The present article examines how physiological systems impact on affect regulation, social engagement, and cognitive flexibility, three critical factors in psychotherapeutic success. The vagal system, associated with parasympathetic nervous activity and heart rate variability, provides an integration of brain, heart, gut, affective systems, cognitive performance, and social engagement. The author presents Stephen Porges' polyvagal theory, Julian Thayer's neurovisceral integration model, Kerstin Uvnas-Moberg's oxytocin/hormonal model, and Paul Gilbert's compassion focused therapy, as models for understanding the impact of vagal function and parasympathetic nervous activation on affect, social behavior, and cognition. The article proposes that direct heart rate variability training, along with other practices that increase vagal activity, can prepare patients for psychotherapy, and contribute to progress in psychotherapy. The emphasis is on the reciprocal influences among vagal activity, prefrontal cortical circuits, affect regulation, caring, and thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 10900586 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10484-025-09692-3 |
