Interoception Lecture Review

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture about interoception, its definitions, measurement methods, and related psychological constructs.

Interoception

The sensory process of receiving and interpreting internal bodily signals.

Homeostasis

The tendency towards a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, maintained by physiological processes.

Allostasis

The efficient regulation required to prepare the body to satisfy its needs before they arise.

Afferent pathways

Neural pathways that carry sensory signals to the central nervous system.

Exteroceptive signals

Sensations originating from outside the body, such as touch, vision, taste, smell, and hearing.

Interoceptive accuracy

The ability to accurately perceive internal bodily signals, such as heartbeat.

Interoceptive sensibility

Subjective belief about the accuracy of one's perception of interoceptive signals.

Cardiac sensations

Sensations arising from heart activity, important in interoception.

Affective touch

A type of touch that involves unmyelinated low-threshold axons (CT afferents) and is associated with emotional responses.

Insular cortex

A part of the brain involved in interoception and emotion processing.

Neural correlates of interoception

Brain structures involved in processing interoceptive signals.

Skin as an interoceptive organ

The concept that skin can perceive and send interoceptive signals to the brain.

Visceral sensory nervous system

The system that conveys sensory impulses from internal organs to the brain.

Referred pain

Pain perceived at a location other than where the injury or damage occurs, linked to interoception.

Interoceptive hierarchy

A model that outlines levels of interoceptive awareness and influence on cognitive and emotional processes.

Heartbeat detection task

An experimental measure of interoceptive accuracy where participants identify their heartbeats.

Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA)

A questionnaire assessing various aspects of interoceptive awareness.

Mechanoreception

The ability of sensory receptors to respond to mechanical pressure or distortion.

Proprioception

The sense of body position and movement derived from muscles and joints.

Somatosensory cortex

The brain region that processes sensory input from the body.

Bolus isoproterenol infusions

A method for assessing interoceptive awareness through pharmacological manipulation.

Neural systems supporting interoceptive awareness

The brain systems involved in the detection and interpretation of internal bodily states.

Emotional states

Subjective feelings that can influence interoceptive perception.

Subjective representation of bodily state

The mental interpretation of one’s internal physical condition based on interoceptive signals.

CT afferents

Unmyelinated fibers in the skin that respond to gentle touch and affect emotional processing.

Anterior insula

A brain region associated with processing interoceptive and emotional information.

Heart rate variability

The variation in time intervals between heartbeats, considered important in interoception.

Neuroscience of interoception

The study of neural mechanisms involved in the perception of internal bodily signals.

Emotional reactivity

The response of an individual to emotional stimuli, potentially influenced by interoception.

Social cognition

The ability to understand social information and the emotional states of others.

Proprioceptive drift

The perceived change in the position of one’s limb during the rubber hand illusion.

Affective measures

Assessments related to emotional responses and feelings.

Autonomic nervous system

The part of the nervous system responsible for involuntary bodily functions.

Self-regulation

The ability to manage one's emotional state and bodily sensations.

Body perception questionnaire

A tool measuring awareness of bodily processes and sensations.

Affective response

An emotional reaction that can arise from interoceptive sensations.

Affective touch questionnaire

An assessment tool measuring perceptions of touch related to emotions.

Perception of emotional pictures

A task analyzing how interoceptive signals influence responses to emotional stimuli.

Emotion processing

The cognitive and psychological mechanisms involved in discerning and reacting to emotions.

Interoceptive awareness

The conscious awareness of internal bodily states and sensations.

Cognitive processing

The set of mental operations involved in understanding and interpreting sensations.

Neuropsychology of interoception

The study of how neurological conditions affect interoceptive abilities.

Damasio's theory

A theory emphasizing the relationship between emotion, interoception, and decision-making.

Tuberosity of the insula

The region in the insular cortex associated with interoceptive functions.

Critchley and Garfinkel model

A theoretical framework outlining facets of interoception and physiological response.

Self-awareness

The capacity to recognize and understand one’s own emotional and bodily states.

Threshold for conscious detection

The level of stimulus intensity required for awareness of interoceptive sensations.

Heartbeat discrimination task

An assessment regarding how well an individual can distinguish between their heartbeats.