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    "headline": "The Heart's Smallest Network Kept It Beating",
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    "dek": "Mouse experiments separated two tiny cardiac-neuron populations: one sustaining baseline rhythm, the other coordinating the response to stress.",
    "summary": "Mouse experiments separated two tiny cardiac-neuron populations: one sustaining baseline rhythm, the other coordinating the response to stress.",
    "body_text": "Yale researchers identified two major populations in the heart's intrinsic neural network. Removing Npy-positive neurons caused mouse hearts to stop, while Ddah1-positive neurons proved important when the animals faced physiological stress. Together the cells make up less than 0.01% of heart tissue. The Cell study establishes distinct functions in mice; it does not yet show that manipulating these neurons is a safe treatment in people.",
    "why_it_matters": "Mouse experiments separated two tiny cardiac-neuron populations: one sustaining baseline rhythm, the other coordinating the response to stress.",
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      "The Cell study establishes distinct functions in mice; it does not yet show that manipulating these neurons is a safe treatment in people."
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        "qualification": "The Cell study establishes distinct functions in mice; it does not yet show that manipulating these neurons is a safe treatment in people."
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    "tags": [
      "cardiac neurons",
      "intrinsic cardiac nervous system",
      "Npy",
      "Ddah1"
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      "source_id": "source-2026-07-31-002",
      "title": "Yale School of Medicine via Newswise: Cardiac neurons are essential for heart function",
      "publisher": "Yale School of Medicine",
      "url": "https://www.newswise.com/articles/little-brain-on-the-heart-is-essential-for-cardiac-function",
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    "title": "The Heart's Smallest Network Kept It Beating",
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