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An Experimental Study of Subliminal Self-Face Processing in Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder
Shanshan Liu1,2, Yuan Jia1,2, Sisi Zheng1,2
1The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100088, China.
Brain Sciences
|December 23, 2022
Summary
Patients with depersonalization/derealization disorder (DPD) show altered self-perception. This study reveals DPD patients have a deficit in subliminal self-face processing, unlike healthy controls.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Depersonalization/derealization disorder (DPD) is characterized by altered self-perception and disrupted self-awareness.
- Subliminal processing of self-related stimuli is crucial for understanding self-experience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the characteristics of subliminal self-face processing in individuals with DPD.
- To compare subliminal self-face processing between DPD patients and healthy controls (HC).
Main Methods:
- Utilized a continuous flash suppression paradigm to assess face identification.
- Measured reaction times for faces to emerge into awareness in 23 DPD patients and 23 matched HC.
- Assessed subliminal processing of self-faces versus famous faces.
Main Results:
- DPD patients exhibited significant differences in subliminal reaction times compared to HC.
- Healthy controls showed a faster recognition advantage for self-faces over famous faces.
- DPD patients did not display this self-face recognition advantage.
Conclusions:
- DPD is associated with a deficit in subliminal self-face processing.
- This finding suggests an altered self-processing mechanism in depersonalization/derealization disorder.
- This is the first experimental study to evaluate subliminal self-processing in DPD.
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