Prof. Francesca Ferri | Breathing as a mechanism of adaptive Brain–Body communication

Zoom Link: https://gwdg.zoom.us/j/82855697786?pwd=iABbntJ0GU4m6FLOGfq2iedOuDwfth.1

Meeting ID: 828 5569 7786 | Passcode: 470724

Breathing is increasingly recognized as more than a physiological process supporting metabolic demands. Growing evidence suggests that respiration actively shapes neural activity, perception, cognition, and behaviour, placing it at the centre of brain–body communication. Drawing on recent work from our laboratory, I will present a framework in which breathing acts as a flexible mechanism for coordinating internal bodily signals with changing environmental demands. Within this perspective, respiratory rhythms may influence how sensory and interoceptive information is weighted, how the organism adapts to stress, and how physiological processes support interpersonal attunement. By integrating evidence across perception, interoception, stress physiology, and social neuroscience, I will argue that respiration

provides a unique window into the mechanisms through which the brain continuously monitors, predicts, and regulates bodily states. Understanding these processes may offer new insights into adaptive functioning in both health and clinical conditions.