Dottorato in PSICOLOGIA E SCIENZA COGNITIVA

Titolo della tesi: Blood Pressure, Heart Rate Variability and Cognitive Functions: a possible twist.

Psychophysiology research was founded on the premise that the mind and body are indivisible and interrelated in their influence. This premise was derived, in part, from the early evidence developed in the 20th century, indicating that the brain plays a critical role in mind-body interaction. Therefore, it is ironic that, in the past half-century, the field has addressed this integration by studying mind and body as separate entities. This approach, unfortunately, may have perpetuated the mind-body dualism that has been to overcome. Communication between brain and body end organs is accomplished through information transfer systems (such as autonomic, endocrine, and immune systems). It is well-known that fluctuations in bodily arousal and affective feeling states can influence cognitive processes. These changes are a focus of much psychophysiological research (including autonomic, electroencephalographic, and neuroimaging studies) that attempts to understand the basic level of mind-body integration. At a general level, these researches provide insight into brain-body interactions, promoting broader understandings of health and diseases, highlighting the importance of cortical activity in cognitive functions and cardiovascular integration. The main aim of this dissertation is to analyze the integration between cardiovascular and cognitive systems via the autonomic nervous system.