Your Heart Has Its Own "Mini Brain" and Scientists Are Still Learning What It Can Do
Most of us think the brain controls everything the heart does. While the brain certainly plays a major role, scientists have discovered something remarkable: your heart contains its own intricate network of about 40,000 specialized nerve cells . This network is sometimes called the heart's "mini brain." No, your heart cannot think or feel emotions the way your brain does. But it can process information, communicate with the brain, and help regulate its own activity in ways that scientists are still working to understand. More Than a Simple Pump For many years, the heart was viewed as little more than a powerful muscle that followed orders from the brain. Researchers now know the relationship is much more dynamic. The heart constantly sends signals to the brain through nerves, hormones, and pressure receptors. In fact, more information travels from the heart to the brain than many people realize. These signals influence areas of the brain involved in attention, decision-...