Text written in Basque and translated automatically by Elia without any subsequent editing. SEE ORIGINAL

The heart has a small brain that protects us from stress

A type of neuron in the heart ensures proper functioning of the heart in stressful situations.

The compass of the heartbeat is carried by the brain, but it is not the only responsible one. A special nervous system embedded in the heart is also of great importance in this work. A study led by Yale University takes the first steps to elucidate the functioning of this complex system and refutes the belief that all neurons in the heart are equal.

The "intrinsic nervous system of the heart" is embedded in the fat layer surrounding the heart. Local neurons exchange signals with each other and with the brain, and these cells are responsible for the function of the heart. However, cardiac neurons are very rare, accounting for only 0.01% of cardiac tissue. For this reason, the exact functions of these cells are not yet well known.

“Peripheral areas of the nervous system do much more than just receive and send signals.”

The authors analyzed cardiac neurons in mice and identified two subgroups of these cells. They realized that the neurons of the first subgroup were necessary for the heart to continue beating. The function of the second subgroup was less obvious. After several tests, they concluded that without these second types of neurons, the heart was more vulnerable to stress. Without these neurons, two-thirds of the mice died from a stress condition, and no death occurred in mice that had these neurons in the same condition.

The authors point out the importance of a good knowledge of the function of these cardiac neurons, since the intrinsic nervous system of the heart is related to diseases such as myocardial infarction, heart failure or arrhythmia.

It is still unclear whether the results can be extrapolated to humans, but researchers say there will be parallels between the two systems. The discovery highlights the interdependence of neural networks in the brain with neural networks in other organs, making it clear that peripheral areas of the nervous system do much more than receive and send signals.