When the Body Confuses the Brain: Could Loose Connective Tissue Be Slowing Our Signals?
- Catherine Sophia Cooper
- May 30
- 3 min read
In the world of hypermobility, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), and POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), there are plenty of symptoms — but not always enough explanations.
People with these conditions often describe feeling like their bodies “aren’t wired quite right”: heart rates that spike unexpectedly, dizziness on standing, crushing fatigue, anxiety that doesn’t feel emotional, and brains that fog over as if a fuse has blown.
But what if these symptoms aren’t just about the heart or the brain… but about the messy messaging between them?
🧩 A Dot-Connecting Theory
As someone who lives and works in this space — and yes, who loves connecting the dots — I’ve found myself wondering:
Could looser connective tissue in hypermobility be physically altering the way messages travel through the body? And could this slowed or disrupted signalling be leading to the brain getting “confused,” creating the symptoms we associate with dysautonomia, like POTS?
It’s not a proven theory — yet — but when you zoom out and look at what science has shown us so far, the idea doesn’t seem that far-fetched.
🔗 Connective Tissue: The Unsung Framework
Our nerves aren’t just floating in space. They’re protected, insulated, and supported by layers of connective tissue. In people with hypermobility or hEDS, that tissue tends to be more stretchy, less supportive, and more prone to mechanical strain.
This could affect:
Nerve conduction (how fast and clearly signals travel)
Proprioception (the sense of body position)
Vascular tone (the strength and tightness of blood vessels)
Baroreceptors (blood pressure sensors)
If these systems become unstable or send unreliable signals, the brain’s control centres (especially the autonomic nervous system) may start overcorrecting or under-responding — which could explain the lightheadedness, racing heart, poor temperature control, and even digestive issues so many of us live with daily.
🧠 A Brain Getting Mixed Messages?
Think of your brain like a high-powered computer. If the keyboard is sticky, the internet patchy, and the mouse glitchy, even the best machine starts lagging and freezing.
That’s what this feels like.
It’s not that the brain is “broken” — it’s just overwhelmed by inconsistent, confusing, or delayed input. And in trying to make sense of that, it sometimes responds in ways that don’t seem to make sense at all.
🧬 What the Research Shows (So Far)
There isn’t yet a single study tying all these dots together, but the pieces exist:
Dysautonomia is common in people with hypermobility and hEDS.
Many experience nerve-related symptoms, like tingling or altered sensation.
Some have signs of small fibre neuropathy (damage to the tiny nerves that control autonomic functions).
Brain fog and sensory overload are common, especially in POTS.
The connective tissue around nerves and vessels is known to influence their function.
What’s missing is a unified theory — and the testing to back it up.
🤔 Why This Matters
For people with these conditions, this isn’t just an interesting theory — it’s a lifeline. Too often, symptoms are dismissed as psychological or "just part of the condition," when in fact, they may be explainable through a systems-based lens: structure affects function.
If looser connective tissue is interfering with the messages between body and brain, then understanding that could:
Reduce shame or self-doubt about symptoms
Change how treatments are targeted
Encourage more supportive rehab strategies (nervous system education, pacing, proprioceptive training)
💬 Let’s Talk About It
Have you experienced that sense of your body sending your brain into confusion — or your brain sending out instructions that don’t seem to match the moment?
Let’s open this up. The more we share, the more dots we connect — and maybe, the more questions researchers will start asking.
😊 A Smile and a Thought 🤔
With hypermobility and POTS, it’s like your body’s playing Chinese whispers… except the message started as ‘sit down calmly’ and ends up as ‘launch into space, panic, and maybe faint.’
“In hypermobile individuals, the scaffolding that supports nerves and vessels is more flexible — and that flexibility can compromise function. It’s not just a joint issue, it’s a signalling issue.” - Dr. Alan Hakim, Consultant Rheumatologist & EDS Specialist
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