{
  "id": 9669132,
  "title": "A prefrontal cortex-hypothalamus circuit for heart rate control in non-human primates",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/a-prefrontal-cortex-hypothalamus-circuit-for-heart-rate-control-in",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.18.752614v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Scientists have discovered a brain circuit linking the prefrontal cortex and hypothalamus that directly controls heart rate in monkeys. This circuit, found in a small ventral region of the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex called area 47/12, can both increase and decrease heart rate. Electrical stimulation of this area causes heart rate to drop quickly and heart rate variability to increase, while neighboring areas have a weaker or nonexistent effect. Neurons in area 47/12 appear to be directly linked to heart rate.\n\nTracing data show these neurons send projections to a specific region of the lateral hypothalamus. Stimulation of this hypothalamic target reproduces the cardiac effects seen with prefrontal activation. The scientists further demonstrate that stimulating the hypothalamus can cause faster, stronger heart rate changes than stimulating the prefrontal cortex, especially when the heart rate is not influenced by other factors.\n\nIn contrast, chemically blocking the prefrontal region or its projections to the hypothalamus causes heart rate to rise. This finding reveals the circuit can provide a steady inhibitory control over heart function. To test whether they could use this circuit in a more targeted way, the researchers developed a primate sonogenetic technique that uses ultrasound to activate a specific type of neuron in the prefrontal cortex. Stimulation of these CaMKII+ neurons led to increased heart rate variability. However, blocking the connection to the hypothalamus reduced the effects of sonogenetic stimulation.\n\nFinally, the scientists found that disrupting the prefrontal circuit during a decision-making task that involves weighing risks had effects on the risk-taking behavior. These findings not only reveal how the prefrontal cortex and hypothalamus interact to regulate heart rate and cognition, but also suggest this circuit could be a target for treating disorders where cognitive and autonomic systems are out of balance.",
  "summary": "Humans exhibit changes in heart rate during cognitive and emotional events, and dysregulation of this brain-heart coupling is a hallmark of many psychiatric disorders. Yet, how circuits that regulate cognition exert direct control over heart physiology remains poorly understood, particularly in primates. Here, we identify a prefrontal-hypothalamic circuit that exerts powerful, bidirectional…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}