The heart accelerates, respiration gets shallow, and the stomach tightens: these are biological signals that can be interpreted as either energy or danger. This is the focus of a theoretical contribution published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, which includes academics from the University of Padua and researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark. The research suggests the concept of Interoceptive Self-Appraisal (ISA), which is the process by which we assign significance to signals from our bodies, assessing them in relation to our capacity to cope and perceived threats. The authors argue that the accuracy with which we perceive physical sensations is significant, but so is the manner in which we interpret them. This is especially true during adolescence, when physical changes and new emotional experiences might impair our ability to manage uncertainty and avoid psychological suffering.