The bodily self from psychosis to psychedelics

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Psychology

Background:

• The sense of self is integral to human consciousness and embodiment.
• Altered sense of self is observed in psychosis and psychedelic states.
• The psychotomimetic theory posits psychedelics mimic psychosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of psychedelic and psychiatric experiences on the bodily self.
• To compare bodily self-processing in patients with psychosis, psychedelic users, and controls.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Moving Rubber Hand Illusion.
• Tested 75 participants: patients with psychosis, individuals with psychedelic experience, and controls.

Main Results:

• Psychosis patients exhibited reduced Body Ownership and Sense of Agency.
• Psychedelic users reported long-lasting subjective self changes, but no objective bodily self differences compared to controls.
• Bodily self-processing during volitional action was impaired in psychosis.

Conclusions:

• Psychedelics induce subjective but not objective bodily self alterations.
• Psychosis disrupts the bodily self, especially concerning volitional action.
• Findings contribute to understanding anomalous self-processing in psychiatric and psychedelic contexts.