Lighthill's hypothesis

Lighthill's hypothesis suggests that changes in brain activity, especially in autonomous regions like the brainstem, may influence the heart's rhythm. This idea posits that the nervous system, which controls vital functions, can have a direct impact on the heart's variability, and that some heart rate irregularities might be driven or modulated by neural signals rather than just local cardiac factors. Essentially, it highlights a connection between brain activity and heart function, implying that our mental states and neural processes can shape the heart's rhythms.