<p>In the 4<sup>th</sup> century B.C., <strong><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Aristotle</a></strong> identified the heart as the most important organ of the body, and claimed that it was the seat of intelligence and sensation. Aristotle described it as a three-chambered organ that was the center of 'vitality' in the body.  Other organs surrounding it (e.g. brain and lungs) simply existed to cool the heart (source: <a href="https://web.stanford.edu/class/history13/earlysciencelab/body/heartpages/heart.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Stanford University</a>). Since then it has been associated with emotions, although in the middle ages during the Enlightenment it already became clear that he heart was a pump, and not the seat of emotions.</p>

<p>A fact, however, is that intense emotions, such as love, fear and anger have pronounced effects on heart rate, mainly because of the release of adrenaline and other (stress) responses regulated by the <strong><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothalamic%E2%80%93pituitary%E2%80%93adrenal_axis" rel="nofollow noreferrer">hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis</a></strong> (HPA) axis (source: <a href="http://www.personal.psu.edu/afr3/blogs/siowfa12/2012/11/do-you-feel-love-in-your-heart-or-your-brain.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Penn State University</a>). The brain sends signals to the adrenal gland, which then secretes  hormones and then they go to the heart which causes the heart to beat faster.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-28T10:34:48.087Z
2017-11-28T10:34:48.087Z
AliceD
<p>In many religious scriptures, novels, fictions you read about this battle between heart and brain. If till date we are using this in our daily conversations and history is full of these examples then there must be some origin of this concept?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-28T15:17:17.673Z
Related: https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/15775/is-there-any-good-evidence-that-sadness-causes-chest-pain-heart-ache
Arnon Weinberg
<social-psychology><emotion>
What is the origin of the belief that the heart plays a role in influencing the emotions?
Anam Nizami
# What is the origin of the belief that the heart plays a role in influencing the emotions?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-11-28)

In many religious scriptures, novels, fictions you read about this battle between heart and brain. If till date we are using this in our daily conversations and history is full of these examples then there must be some origin of this concept?

**Tags:** social-psychology, emotion

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Related: https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/15775/is-there-any-good-evidence-that-sadness-causes-chest-pain-heart-ache  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-11-28. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

In the 4th century B.C., **[Aristotle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle)** identified the heart as the most important organ of the body, and claimed that it was the seat of intelligence and sensation. Aristotle described it as a three-chambered organ that was the center of 'vitality' in the body. Other organs surrounding it (e.g. brain and lungs) simply existed to cool the heart (source: [Stanford University](https://web.stanford.edu/class/history13/earlysciencelab/body/heartpages/heart.html)). Since then it has been associated with emotions, although in the middle ages during the Enlightenment it already became clear that he heart was a pump, and not the seat of emotions.

A fact, however, is that intense emotions, such as love, fear and anger have pronounced effects on heart rate, mainly because of the release of adrenaline and other (stress) responses regulated by the **[hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothalamic%E2%80%93pituitary%E2%80%93adrenal_axis)** (HPA) axis (source: [Penn State University](http://www.personal.psu.edu/afr3/blogs/siowfa12/2012/11/do-you-feel-love-in-your-heart-or-your-brain.html)). The brain sends signals to the adrenal gland, which then secretes hormones and then they go to the heart which causes the heart to beat faster.


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