The neurobiology of aesthetic chills: How bodily sensations shape emotional experiences.

The phenomenon of aesthetic chills—shivers and goosebumps associated with either rewarding or threatening stimuli—offers a unique window into the brain basis of conscious reward because of their universal nature and simultaneous subjective and physical counterparts. Elucidating the neural mechanisms...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 617 - 631
Autores principales: Schoeller, Felix, Jain, Abhinandan, Pizzagalli, Diego A., Reggente, Nicco
Formato: Journal Article
Publicado: Springer Nature Aug2024
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:The phenomenon of aesthetic chills—shivers and goosebumps associated with either rewarding or threatening stimuli—offers a unique window into the brain basis of conscious reward because of their universal nature and simultaneous subjective and physical counterparts. Elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying aesthetic chills can reveal fundamental insights about emotion, consciousness, and the embodied mind. What is the precise timing and mechanism of bodily feedback in emotional experience? How are conscious feelings and motivations generated from interoceptive predictions? What is the role of uncertainty and precision signaling in shaping emotions? How does the brain distinguish and balance processing of rewards versus threats? We review neuroimaging evidence and highlight key questions for understanding how bodily sensations shape conscious feelings. This research stands to advance models of brain-body interactions shaping affect and may lead to novel nonpharmacological interventions for disorders of motivation and pleasure.