The Neurophysiology of Interoceptive Disruptions in Trauma-Exposed Populations


Author: Negar Fani1, Travis Fulton2, Boris Botzanowski2

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA. nfani@emory.edu.

<sup>2</sup> Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Conference/Journal: Curr Top Behav Neurosci
Date published: 2024 Apr 28
Other:
  Special Notes: doi: 10.1007/7854_2024_469.   ,  Word Count: 151  
    In the aftermath of psychological trauma, many individuals experience perturbations in interoception, a term that broadly references the ability to accurately detect body signals and integrate these signals with emotional states. These interoceptive disruptions can manifest in different ways, including blunting or amplification of sensitivity to internal physiological signals. In this chapter we review extant neurophysiological research on interoception in trauma-exposed populations, with a particular focus on the effects of chronic interpersonal trauma, such as childhood maltreatment and racial discrimination. We explore research that used different types of interoceptive assays, from self-report measures to electrophysiological and neuroimaging tools to characterize the disruptions in pain perception, interoceptive acuity, and physiological responses that may arise after a traumatic event. Finally, we discuss interventions that are designed to target interoceptive mechanisms, from exposure-based therapies to mindfulness-based practices, as well as future directions in trauma interoception research.



Keywords: Electrophysiology; Interoception; Neuroimaging; PTSD; Trauma.



PMID: 38678141 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2024_469