Respiration as a dynamic modulator of sensory sampling

Abstract

Abstract Respiration dynamically modulates sensory perception by orchestrating transient states of the brain and the body. Using simultaneous recordings of high-density magneto- encephalography (MEG), respiration, and pupillometry, we show that human perceptual sensitivity to near-threshold visual stimuli was enhanced during inspiration, coinciding with respiration-modulated increases in arousal neuromodulation and cortical excitability. Participants adapted their breathing patterns to align with predictable stimulus onset, and this adaptive respiratory alignment correlated with improved performance. We further reveal that respiration-modulated changes in alpha and beta oscillations reflect distinct shifts in sensory and motor excitability, respectively. Crucially, respiration-resolved multivariate Granger causality analyses demonstrate that the breathing rhythm systematically shapes directed information flow within a widespread interoceptive network. This respiration-brain coupling was flexibly adjusted based on stimulus predictability, highlighting a mechanism for active sensing which integrates internal bodily rhythms with external sensory demands to optimise perception.