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Cardiac-sympathetic state predicts action restraint, gated by demonstrated agency

Dundon, N. M.; Rizor, E. J.; Stasiak, J.; Wang, J.; Babenko, V.; Lapate, R. C.; Grafton, S. T.

2025-12-31 physiology
10.64898/2025.12.29.696920 bioRxiv
Show abstract

Withholding action until the appropriate moment is a core challenge of motivated behavior. Using beat-to-beat cardiac contractility during an incentivized reaching task, we show that cardiac-sympathetic outflow predicts action restraint. Under high-reward conditions that induce a speed-accuracy tradeoff, reduced contractility at the time of instruction preceded premature responses (false starts). Under high-loss-avoidance conditions, elevated pre-movement contractility predicted slower, more controlled initiation, but only among participants with above-median task success. These findings suggest cardiac-sympathetic engagement does not simply serve mobilization but flexibly supports context-appropriate action regulation, with recruitment for restraint gated by demonstrated agency.

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