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Published on: February 19, 2018
From maps to form to space: touch and the body schema
Jared Medina1, H Branch Coslett
1Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. jared.medina@uphs.upenn.edu
Neuropsychologia
|August 25, 2009
Summary
The body schema, crucial for sensory processing, is proposed to have three distinct components. These include dynamic somatosensory maps, body form, and postural representations for tactile localization.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Somatosensory research
- Body schema plasticity
Background:
- Primary somatosensory representations are adaptable to bodily changes and experiences.
- Altering body posture affects tactile sensation and localization.
- The traditional body schema concept requires refinement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a tripartite model of the body schema.
- To differentiate between somatosensory, body form, and postural representations.
- To integrate evidence from behavioral and neuroimaging studies.
Main Methods:
- Review of behavioral studies with brain-damaged and healthy subjects.
- Analysis of functional imaging data.
- Examination of evidence for dynamic somatosensory representations.
Main Results:
- Primary somatosensory representations are somatotopically organized and plastic.
- A secondary body form representation maps primary representations to body size/shape.
- Postural representations encode limb position using external frames for tactile localization.
Conclusions:
- The body schema comprises three distinct, interacting representational systems.
- Understanding these components advances knowledge of sensory processing and body awareness.
- This framework aids in interpreting neurological conditions affecting body representation.
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