Brain–heart interactions may predict recovery from oxygen loss

Low oxygen levels in the brain, or cerebral anoxia, is a leading cause of death worldwide. Patients who recover from cerebral anoxia deal with persistent neurological issues that worsen their quality of life. Building off previous work showing that brain–heart interactions can predict the severity of symptoms and survival, Diego Candia-Rivera, Sofia Carrion-Falgarona, and colleagues, from the Paris Brain Institute, assessed whether brain–heart interactions in a rat model of severe oxygen loss can predict survival after resuscitation. This work is published in eNeuro.   

After near death from oxygen loss, rat brain activity was largely dampened, and heart rate variability was high. Of particular note, heart activity coupled with brain activity in the somatosensory cortex and hippocampus accurately predicted rat survival.  

According to the researchers, this work reveals brain–heart interactions that have a relationship with resilience after a near-death episode. The research team hopes these findings will pave the way for work in humans, informing future explorations on predictors in patient populations that can be leveraged as a means of gauging recovery outcomes. 

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These findings will be presented at Neuroscience 2026, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.  

Sunday, November 15, 2026 

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About eNeuro  

eNeuro is an online, open-access journal published by the Society for Neuroscience. Established in 2014, eNeuro publishes a wide variety of content, including research articles, short reports, reviews, commentaries, and opinions.  

About The Society for Neuroscience  

The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. The nonprofit organization, founded in 1969, now has nearly 35,000 members in more than 95 countries.