Our human body has a very complex system. Our brain controls all bodily functions like our thoughts, emotions, sense of touch, motor skills, vision, sense of taste, temperature, and hunger. But did you know that it is not just the brain that helps us think and feel? Our heart can also help us ‘think’ and ‘feel’, and it is because of this that we sometimes use the phrase — “My heart tells me…”
A recent study by Karolinska Institutet and Columbia University, published in Nature Communications, shows that the heart has a mini-brain — its nervous system that helps control heartbeat. This study was conducted on a zebrafish, an animal modal that exhibits similarities to a human heart.
During the study, the researchers experimented by observing the composition, organisation and function of neurons within the heart by using a combination of methods such as single-cell RNA sequencing, anatomical studies, and electrophysiological techniques.
According to Konstantinos Ampatzis, principal researcher and docent at the Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, who led the study: “This ‘little brain’ plays a key role in maintaining and controlling heartbeat, similar to the brain, which helps regulate rhythmic functions like breathing, sense of hunger and locomotion.” This study also further showed how researchers have discovered several types of neurons in the heart that have similar functions and also a small group of neurons that have ‘peacemaker properties’. So, how does this ‘little brain’ help us in our everyday lives, in what ways does it impact our lifestyle, and how do we identify this little brain in our heart?
A key human organ
1 To define it in scientific terms, the heart is considered a key organ because it is the central component of the circulatory system, which plays a vital role in sustaining life
2 The heart pumps blood throughout the body, delivers oxygen and nutrients to every cell, and helps release carbon dioxide from the body
3 It works as a powerful pump that helps in circulating blood even to the smallest capillaries, and the concentrated contraction and relaxation of the heartbeat help maintain blood pressure
4 The heart is also connected to the lungs, and it ensures that the deoxygenated blood is sent to the lungs to pick up oxygen, which is then distributed to the rest of the body
5 The heart’s rhythmic beating is closely tied to the nervous system and endocrine system, which helps regulate our metabolism, temperature, and hormone delivery
6 The heart can adjust the pumping rate and strength, based on the body’s needs while resting, exercising or when one is stressed out But these are just the physical roles that the heart plays in the human body.
Apart from this, the heart also has emotional and psychological connections. It is believed that the heart is symbolically and neurologically linked to emotions. This is why most of the time changes in heart rate or rhythm are attributed to stress, excitement, love or happiness, making it an integral part of emotional wellbeing. The heart has more to do than just pump blood as a mechanical organ.
Both modern science and ancient wisdom emphasise not just its role in sustaining life, but also in influencing emotions, cognition, and overall wellbeing. These are some aspects which show how the heart is more than just a physical organ. It is also an intelligent organ, containing approximately 40,000 neurons, which help form an intrinsic cardiac nervous system, and this is often referred to as the heart’s ‘brain’.
Dr J Andrew Armour, a pioneer in neuro-cardiology, found that these neurons can process information, learn, and even make decisions independently of the brain. He implied that the heart communicates with the brain in a two-way dialogue and helps in influencing our emotions and behaviours.
Heart-Brain Communication
One of the research studies conducted by the HeartMath Institute reveals that the heart sends more signals to the brain than the brain sends to the heart. It generates an electromagnetic field that is 60 times stronger in amplitude than that of the brain and can even influence brain activity.
Heart and emotional intelligence
Positive emotions like love, gratitude and compassion have a positive impact on Heart Rate Variability (HRV), while negative emotions like anger and stress can disrupt the heart’s coherence, which may lead to psychological imbalances, as it is directly connected to emotional intelligence.
Listening to your heart
Studies and research conducted by neuroscientist Rollin McCraty show that the heart responds to stimuli milliseconds before the brain. This way, it plays a crucial role in intuition, which we often refer to as ‘gut feeling’. Also, the heart’s intelligence can sometimes guide us in making decisions that are not purely logical, but are also aligned with our values and emotions.
Heart’s role in collective emotion
Research by the Global Coherence Initiative (GCI) shows that large groups of people experiencing synchronised positive emotions (e.g., during meditation) can influence global magnetic fields. Though this is a new area of study, the researchers show that collective emotional states can impact individuals, as well as larger systems.
This research implies that the heart may play a key role in creating an interconnectedness, making it central to both personal and social wellbeing. Hence, the heart is considered a sophisticated integrator of physical, emotional, and even spiritual dimensions. Its ability to process information, regulate emotions, and influence decisions makes it a cornerstone of human health and consciousness.
Hence, today, modern science is not just catching up with the old traditional beliefs, but it has come to understand that the heart is not just an organ, but a profound source of wisdom and connection.
Improving relationships
Yes, the heart’s brain indeed plays a significant role in shaping emotions, intuitions and communications, for building strong interpersonal relationships. By influencing how we feel, connect, and respond to others, the heart’s intelligence can profoundly improve the quality of our relationships. The heart’s intrinsic nervous system helps regulate emotional responses by influencing the brain’s limbic system (one that governs emotions). Whereas, a coherent heart rhythm promotes calmness and emotional stability. The HeartMath Institute has demonstrated and showed how heart coherence reduces stress and emotional reactivity, and helps individuals respond to conflict or tension with empathy and patience. It helps the individuals maintain their composure during a disagreement, which also fosters a productive conversation. The heart responds to emotional and social cues before the brain. This intuitive intelligence enables individuals to “sense” the needs or feelings of others, even without verbal communication. By tuning into the heart’s intuitive signals, people can become more attuned to their partner’s unspoken feelings, strengthening understanding and emotional intimacy.
Having a positive emotional state like gratitude and compassion, can directly influence the heart’s rhythm. This in turn helps promote coherent heart patterns which enhance calmness and reduce reactivity during interpersonal conflicts. The heart and the brain are connected through the vagus nerve, and the heart’s influence on this nerve plays a critical role in social bonding.
A healthy vagus tone is often associated with improved emotional resilience and social engagement. This way, the second brain in the heart, which is also known as the ‘little brain’, is considered a vital source in building and maintaining meaningful interpersonal relationships, and helps individuals deeply connect with others. By practising certain simple activities to calm the mind, people can enhance their emotional wellbeing and create healthier, harmonious relationships. heart the Centre of Consciousness The heart is called the centre of consciousness, as it goes beyond its physical role of pumping blood through its intrinsic intelligence, emotional processing and intuitive guidance.
Philosophical traditions, modern neuroscience, and various studies in energy fields all converge to show that the heart is a profound centre of human experience that bridges the realms of logical emotions and spiritual awareness.
A healthy heart for a healthy body A healthy heart is essential for maintaining a healthy body as it serves as the engine that powers the circulatory system.
The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to every tissue and cell of our body and ensures optimal function. So, when the heart is healthy it helps in maintaining proper blood flow, supporting vital processes such as energy production, immune defence, and waste elimination.