Slow breathing affects brain function and decision-making

The experiment involved 41 healthy volunteers. The participants performed risky decision-making tasks while following predetermined breathing protocols. They relied on visual cues and either breathed at their natural rate or slower with a prolonged exhalation (inhalation-to-exhalation ratio of 2:8).

During the experiment, the brain’s activity was monitored using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Simultaneously, breathing parameters, cardiac activity, skin conductivity, and pupil responses were recorded.

The results showed that an extended exhalation not only reduces heart rate, but also directly affects the processing of reward signals in the brain. With this type of breathing, people made more risky decisions, and their choices were more influenced by potential benefits, while the assessment of potential losses remained the same.

In addition, there was increased activity in two key brain regions:

• ventromedial prefrontal cortex;
• pre-cuneus (pre-cuneate).

These areas are associated with heart rate variability and sensitivity to rewards. In other words, slower breathing increases the brain’s sensitivity to signals of potential benefits, leading to more daring decisions.

The lead author of the study, Wenhao Huang, emphasizes the transformative role of breathing practices. The interaction between breathing and cardiac dynamics makes the brain more receptive to rewards.

Professor Pak, Head of the Department of Decision Neuroscience and Nutrition at DIfE, notes that breathing techniques have been used by humans for thousands of years in various cultures and religions. Now, experts have scientifically proven that these techniques are a reliable and targeted method that can influence decision-making processes.

The practical significance of this discovery is significant. Breathing techniques are a simple, inexpensive, and easily accessible method for self-regulation in everyday life. In addition, they can be useful in clinical practice as a non-pharmacological complementary strategy, for example, for anxiety disorders or depression. Such conditions are often associated with impaired autonomic regulation and altered reward perception.

In the future, it is planned to check whether the identified effects extend to broader clinical groups, including overweight individuals. Researchers conclude that food decisions are heavily influenced by reward assessment and physical condition. Targeted breathing regulation can play a role in conscious perception and more effective management of eating behavior.