interoceptionthe

Interoception is the sense of the physiological condition of the body, encompassing the perception and interpretation of internal signals such as heart rate, breathing, hunger, thirst, digestion, and other visceral states. It integrates information from the body's internal organs with cognitive and emotional processes to generate a coherent sense of internal bodily condition.

Researchers distinguish several components of interoception. Interoceptive accuracy refers to objective ability to detect internal signals (for example, heartbeat perception tasks). Interoceptive sensibility denotes self-reported tendency to focus on bodily signals, while interoceptive awareness describes metacognitive insight into how accurate one is at sensing internal states. These components do not always align, highlighting the complexity of the construct.

Neural substrates of interoception center on the insular cortex, particularly the anterior insula, which integrates visceral signals with emotional and cognitive information. Other brain regions involved include the anterior cingulate cortex, somatosensory cortex, brainstem, and prefrontal areas that support regulation and decision making.

Interoception plays a key role in homeostasis, affect, motivation, and social cognition. It influences how individuals perceive emotions, regulate behavior, and make choices under risk or stress. Variations in interoception have been associated with clinical conditions such as anxiety disorders, somatic symptom disorders, depression, eating disorders, and autism, though findings are mixed and context-specific.

Assessment methods include objective tasks like heartbeat counting or discrimination and self-report questionnaires. Interventions such as mindfulness and certain forms of biofeedback may enhance interoceptive awareness.

Note: the term interoceptionthe is not standard in scholarly usage and likely represents a typographical error for interoception.