So it turns out that many idioms using the word "heart" may well be true... A British team has shown that processing emotions such as fear greatly depends on the heart's cycle. According to the researchers, fearful images seen during systole (when the heart is pumping) are considered more intense than during diastole (relaxation stage). The level of anxiety felt by the subject also greatly impacts how the heart and the brain interact. The team from the Brighton and Sussex Medical School hopes that their findings will lead to new therapeutic options for very anxious people.