New research shows that the heart has its own complex nervous system, or “mini-brain,” which is independent of the brain and plays a key role in controlling heart rhythms.Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Columbia University have discovered that the heart has its own “mini-brain” – an independent nervous system that regulates the heartbeat.
The system is much more complex and diverse than we previously understood. A deeper understanding of how it works could pave the way for innovative treatments for heart disease. The study, detailed in the journal Nature Communications, used zebrafish as a model.It has long been thought that the heart is controlled entirely by the autonomic nervous system, which transmits signals from the brain.
The heart’s neural network is embedded in the shallow layers of the heart wall and has long been thought to be a simple structure that transmits signals from the brain. However, recent research has shown that it also has a more advanced function.
Control heartbeat
Scientists have now discovered that the heart has its own complex nervous system that is crucial for controlling its rhythm.”This’ little brain ‘plays a key role in maintaining and controlling the heartbeat, just as the brain regulates rhythmic functions such as movement and breathing,” explained lead researcher
Konstantinos Ampatzis from the Department of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, who led the study.
The researchers found several neurons in the heart with different functions, including a small group of neurons with pacemaker properties. The finding challenges current ideas about how heartbeats are controlled, which could have clinical implications.
Similar to the human heart
“We were surprised to find that the nervous system within the heart is so complex,” Konstantinos Ampatis said. “A better understanding of this system could lead to new insights into heart disease and help develop new treatments for conditions such as arrhythmias.”
The study was conducted on zebrafish, an animal model that closely resembles human heart rate and overall heart function. The researchers were able to map the composition, organization and function of neurons within the heart through a combination of methods such as single-cell RNA sequencing, anatomical studies and electrophysiological techniques.
New therapeutic targets
“We will now continue to study how the heart’s brain interacts with the actual brain to regulate heart function under different conditions, such as exercise, stress or disease,” Konstantinos Ampatis said. “Our goal is to identify new therapeutic targets by studying how disruption of the cardiac neural network leads to different heart diseases.”
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