Inhale deeply, exhale slowly. This gesture, so instinctive, could well be the key to a therapeutic revolution. Researchers are gradually discovering how our breathing directly influences our emotions, paving the way for innovative treatments againstanxiety.
For millennia, practices such as yoga or meditation have highlighted the calming power of slow breathing. But this link between breathing and calming, although obvious to many, remained largely unexplained on a neurological level. A recent scientific advance finally provides answers, by linking breathing patterns to the precise functioning of the brain.
At the heart of this discovery is a cerebral circuit connecting the anterior cingulate cortex, the seat of many cognitive functions, to the brainstem, where regulation takes place. automatic of breathing. By observing mouseresearchers have highlighted how this link makes it possible to synchronize the breath with various emotional states, whether it is a rediscovered tranquility or a stress growing.
The experiments, published in Nature Neuroscienceshow that when this circuit is activated, mice slow down their breathing and adopt calm behavior, even in the face of anxiety-provoking situations. This mechanism acts by slowing down theactivity of the spinal cordthe main conductor of automatic respiratory rhythms.
To isolate this process, the team used optogenetics, a technique that manipulates neuronal activity with great precision using light. By activating or inhibiting this circuit, the researchers were able to directly influence the animals’ respiratory and emotional behaviors. The results demonstrate a significant reduction in anxiety when the circuit is stimulated.
The researchers’ objective goes beyond the study of mice. They are considering concrete applications for humans. Such mastery of respiratory mechanisms could lead to treatments aimed at preventing hyperventilation or relieving post-traumatic stress disorders.
One of the lead authors, Sung Han, sees this advancement as a unique opportunity to integrate the benefits of conscious breathing into pharmacological therapies. The concept of a “yoga pill,” as he calls it, seems promising. According to him, it could induce a state of calm similar to that of a meditation session.
This discovery is not limited to slowing breathing. It also opens the door to a better understanding of the links between our emotions and our vital functions. Researchers continue to explore this circuit, seeking to identify other brain areas responsible for rapid rhythms, also influenced by our emotions.
One day, this type of research could revolutionize the way we treat stress and anxiety, not only by better understanding their origin, but by acting directly on their neural mechanisms.
What is optogenetics?
Optogenetics is a technique used in neuroscience to control the activity of neurons using light. It is based on the use of light-sensitive proteins, such as channelrhodopsin, inserted into neuronal cells by viral vectors.
In response to light of a certain wavelength, these proteins activate or inhibit neurons, making it possible to analyze their role in brain circuits in real time. Unlike chemical or electrical methods, optogenetics offers exceptional precision.
Researchers can thus study the link between specific groups of neurons and behaviors, emotions or bodily functions, paving the way for targeted treatments for disorders such as anxiety or epilepsy.
