Tohoku University Cognitive Neuroscience Application Center

Using fMRI, this study investigated how the neural processing of visceral expressions of emotion (e.g., 'heart fell apart') differs from that of general emotion labels non-specific to the body (e.g., devastated). We found evidence that visceral language engages central representations of such bodily feelings, with the potential consequence of simulation of those bodily states and their autonomic regulation. 
The findings suggest a possible neural mechanism through which language, that is shaped by our bodily feelings, can reciprocally shape the way we conceptualize such feelings.
This study was presented as a poster by Kim Hyoungsun (Sunny), student of Graduate School of International Cultural Studies at the 15th International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (Porto, Portugal, September 15–20, 2025) and won an Honorable Mention as one of the three Best Poster Awardees out of 540 presentations. (Jeong)

Hyoungsun Kim, Motoaki Sugiura, & Hyeonjeong Jeong
Are You Heartbroken or Devastated? Distinct Neural Substrates of Visceral Expressions of Emotion and General Emotion Labels
International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON 2025), Porto, Portugal, September 15–20, 2025.【 Poster 】
https://icon2025.pt/

(Award received by Supervisor Prof. Jeong, third from the right, on behalf of Sunny.)