Effects of Learning on Visceral Functions — Biofeedback

Abstract

The brain has a major role in regulation of respiration, heart rate, blood pressure and release of hormones such as ACTH, and in the complex control of temperature and electrolyte balance. The lower centers of the brain, which regulate many of these vital visceral functions, were once thought to be largely autonomous, but recent research emphasizes many anatomic and functional connections between the higher and lower centers of the brain. Furthermore, the visceral organs are represented at the brain's highest level, the cerebral cortex. This presentation reviews recent findings on psychologic and learned effects on the visceral processes and some . . .