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The Crossmodal Congruency Task as a Means to Obtain an Objective Behavioral Measure in the Rubber Hand Illusion Paradigm
Published on: July 26, 2013
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Mu Rhythm Desynchronization while Observing Rubber Hand Movement in the Mirror: The Interaction of Body
Satoshi Shibuya1, Yukari Ohki1
1Department of Integrative Physiology, School of Medicine, Kyorin University, Tokyo 181-8611, Japan.
Brain Sciences
|June 28, 2023
Summary
The rubber hand illusion (RHI) shows that synchronous touch enhances embodiment. Sensorimotor activation during fake hand movement is greater when the hand feels like one's own, suggesting multisensory integration shapes body ownership.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Psychology
Background:
- The rubber hand illusion (RHI) demonstrates embodiment, where a fake hand is perceived as one's own.
- This illusion can be induced by synchronous visuo-tactile stimulation or visual-proprioceptive congruency.
- Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying RHI provides insights into body representation and multisensory integration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sensorimotor activation during the observation of embodied versus non-embodied rubber hands using electroencephalography (EEG).
- To examine the influence of prior visuo-tactile stimulation on neural responses during the RHI.
- To explore the role of top-down and bottom-up processing in ownership-dependent sensorimotor activations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized electroencephalography (EEG) to measure μ rhythm (8-13 Hz) event-related desynchronization (ERD), an index of sensorimotor activation.
- Employed a mirror setting to create visual-proprioceptive congruency for inducing the RHI.
- Manipulated illusory ownership by including or excluding a fake forearm during visual observation of the rubber hand, with and without synchronous visuo-tactile stimuli.
Main Results:
- An ownership-dependent μ rhythm ERD was observed when synchronous visuo-tactile stimuli were delivered.
- Significantly greater and more persistent μ rhythm ERD occurred during rubber hand movement in the RHI condition compared to the non-RHI condition.
- No significant difference in μ rhythm ERD was found between RHI and non-RHI conditions when observing the fake hand alone, without prior stimulation.
Conclusions:
- Prior multisensory interactions (visuo-tactile stimuli) before movement observation influence sensorimotor activation.
- The findings suggest that self-related multisensory integration, combining top-down body representation and bottom-up sensory input, underlies ownership-dependent sensorimotor activations.
- This research highlights the dynamic interplay between sensory processing and internal body models in creating the sense of embodiment.
