Definition
Interoceptive predictions are the brain’s forecasts about the internal state of the body — heartbeat, breath, hunger, temperature, tension — that construct emotional and physical experience.
Why it matters
This is one of the most exciting frontiers of predictive processing. It explains how emotions are constructed, how anxiety amplifies bodily sensation, and how interoceptive training changes experience.
The Science
Barrett and colleagues have proposed that emotions are, in part, categorized interoceptive predictions. Anxiety disorders, depression, and functional somatic symptoms show altered interoceptive prediction.
The NSI Perspective
NSI holds interoceptive prediction as central to Nervous System Intelligence. Learning to feel the body accurately updates the predictive model.
Clinical Implications
Interoceptive training is a legitimate intervention for anxiety, depression, and functional disorders.
Practical Application
What you feel in your body is partly what your brain predicted. Practices that improve interoceptive accuracy improve life.
References
- 1.Barrett LF, Simmons WK. Interoceptive predictions in the brain. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2015;16(7):419–429.