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Increased somatic sensations are associated with reduced limb ownership
Kirsten J McKenzie1, Roger Newport2
1School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan 43500, Malaysia.
Journal of Psychosomatic Research
|December 4, 2014
Summary
Individuals prone to medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are more susceptible to illusions suggesting skin sensations, indicating a link between body representation disturbances and symptom development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) may stem from altered interoceptive signal modulation by cognitive processes.
- Understanding the interplay between cognitive top-down processes and sensory input is crucial for MUS research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if individuals with a tendency toward MUS are more susceptible to visual illusions inducing tactile sensations.
- To explore the relationship between somatoform dissociation and susceptibility to illusory somatosensory experiences.
Main Methods:
- Participants viewed real-time video of their hand, with and without a digital 'crawling skin' illusion.
- Sensory experiences were rated, and compared with scores on the Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire (SDQ-20).
Main Results:
- Higher somatoform dissociation correlated with increased susceptibility to somatic sensations, even without actual input.
- Visually induced somatosensory sensations were linked to reduced ownership of the presented hand.
Conclusions:
- Findings support a connection between MUS and disrupted body representation.
- Over-reliance on top-down cognitive processes may impair sensory processing, contributing to MUS in vulnerable individuals.
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