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Köteles F. Vague sensations. About the background and consequences of discordance between actual and perceived physiological changes. Clin Psychol Rev 2024; 108:102382. [PMID: 38218123 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2024.102382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Empirical evidence consistently shows that discordance, also called dissociation or discrepancy, between actual physiological (mainly visceral) events and their perceived counterparts is substantial. On the one hand, we typically do not perceive actual visceral events occurring in our bodies; on the other hand, sometimes we do perceive bodily changes that do not really take place. This narrative review presents the available empirical findings on the discordance, and summarizes possible explanations that approach the phenomenon from the viewpoint of evolution, cognitive development, and predictive processing. Also, the role of top-down factors, such as expectations and experiences is discussed. Finally, practically relevant consequences of the discordance are presented using the examples of mind-body practices, the placebo and nocebo phenomenon, and medically unexplained symptoms. It is concluded that the discordance between actual and perceived body changes can have a negative impact on health, mainly through issues with adherence and other behavioral factors. The existence of actual-perceived discordance should be taught and demonstrated in the elementary and high school, as well as in many areas of higher education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferenc Köteles
- Institute of Psychology, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary, Budapest, Hungary; Ádám György Psychophysiology Research Group, Budapest, Hungary.
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Symptom Perception in Pathological Illness Anxiety: Tactile Sensitivity and Bias. Psychosom Med 2023; 85:79-88. [PMID: 36516317 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Symptom perception in pathological illness anxiety (PIA) might be biased so that somatic signals are overreported. In the somatic signal detection task (SSDT), performance in detecting weak tactile stimuli gives information on overreporting or underreporting of stimuli. This task has not yet been applied in PIA. METHODS Participants with PIA (n = 44) and healthy controls (n = 40) underwent two versions of the SSDT in randomized order. In the original version, tactile and auxiliary light-emitting diode (LED) stimuli were each presented in half of the trials. In the adapted version, illness or neutral words were presented alongside tactile stimuli. Participants also conducted a heartbeat mental tracking task. RESULTS We found significantly higher sensitivity and a more liberal response bias in LED versus no-LED trials, but no significant differences between word types. An interaction effect showed a more pronounced increase of sensitivity from no LED to LED trials in participants with PIA when compared with the adapted SSDT and control group (F(1,76) = 5.34, p = .024, η2 = 0.066). Heartbeat perception scores did not differ between groups (BF01 of 3.63). CONCLUSIONS The increase in sensitivity from no LED to LED trials in participants with PIA suggests stronger multisensory integration. Low sensitivity in the adapted SSDT indicates that attentional resources were exhausted by processing word stimuli. Word effects on response bias might have carried over to the original SSDT when the word version was presented first, compromising group effects regarding bias. TRIAL REGISTRATION The study was preregistered on OSF (https://osf.io/sna5v/).
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Sacchetti S, McGlone F, Cazzato V, Mirams L. The off-line effect of affective touch on multisensory integration and tactile perceptual accuracy during the somatic signal detection task. PLoS One 2022; 16:e0261060. [PMID: 34972120 PMCID: PMC8719696 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Affective touch refers to the emotional and motivational facets of tactile sensation and has been linked to the activation of a specialised system of mechanosensory afferents (the CT system), that respond optimally to slow caress-like touch. Affective touch has been shown to play an important role in the building of the bodily self: the multisensory integrated global awareness of one’s own body. Here we investigated the effects of affective touch on subsequent tactile awareness and multisensory integration using the Somatic Signal Detection Task (SSDT). During the SSDT, participants were required to detect near-threshold tactile stimulation on their cheek, in the presence/absence of a concomitant light. Participants repeated the SSDT twice, before and after receiving a touch manipulation. Participants were divided into two groups: one received affective touch (CT optimal; n = 32), and the second received non-affective touch (non-CT optimal; n = 34). Levels of arousal (skin conductance levels, SCLs) and mood changes after the touch manipulation were also measured. Affective touch led to an increase in tactile accuracy, as indicated by less false reports of touch and a trend towards higher tactile sensitivity during the subsequent SSDT. Conversely, non-affective touch was found to induce a partial decrease in the correct detection of touch possibly due to a desensitization of skin mechanoreceptors. Both affective and non-affective touch induced a more positive mood and higher SCLs in participants. The increase in SCLs was greater after affective touch. We conclude that receiving affective touch enhances the sense of bodily self therefore increasing perceptual accuracy and awareness. Higher SCLs are suggested to be a possible mediator linking affective touch to a greater tactile accuracy. Clinical implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Sacchetti
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Francis McGlone
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Valentina Cazzato
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Mirams
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Vig L, Ferentzi E, Köteles F. Sustained attention is related to heartbeat counting task performance but not to self-reported aspects of interoception and mindfulness. Conscious Cogn 2021; 95:103209. [PMID: 34534738 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2021.103209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Although association between sustained attention and various aspects of interoception (i.e. the perception of the body state) seems plausible, research on this subject is scarce. In the present study, 74 undergraduate students (41 females; age: 22.3 ± 4.04 yrs) filled out the Body Awareness Questionnaire, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and the Somatosensory Amplification Scale and completed the Heartbeat Counting Task (HCT), a sensory-perceptual measure of cardiac interoception and the PEBL Continuous Performance Test (CPT) assessing sustained attention. The HCT score showed a weak to moderate negative correlation with the number of commission errors shown in CPT, indicating a lack of response inhibition (frequentist analysis: rs = -0.313, p = 0.008; Bayesian analysis: τb = -0.216, BF10 = 5.865). Questionnaire measures did not show any connection with CPT-performance. These findings suggest that the subjective representation of attentiveness to bodily processes is unrelated to the objectively measured sustained attention. Response inhibition, however, is moderately related to HCT performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Vig
- Doctoral School of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Kazinczy utca 23-27., 1075 Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Bogdánfy Ödön utca 10/B, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Ferentzi
- Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Bogdánfy Ödön utca 10/B, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Ferenc Köteles
- Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Bogdánfy Ödön utca 10/B, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
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Körmendi J, Ferentzi E, Köteles F. Expectation predicts performance in the mental heartbeat tracking task. Biol Psychol 2021; 164:108170. [PMID: 34400273 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The mental heartbeat tracking task by Schandry is sensitive to non-interoceptive (top-down) influences, e.g., estimation of heart rate and expectation. The two studies reported here investigated the impact of these factors on the outcome of the task. In Study 1, performance-related expectation was assessed between the training interval and the real trials. Performance was strongly related (β = .595, p < .001) to expectation even after controlling for sex, body fat, resting heart rate and estimation of heart rate. In Study 2, expectation was assessed before and after the training interval for Group 1 and 2, respectively. The strong association (r = 0.78, p < .001) between performance and expectation was replicated for Group 2; however, a moderate association (r = 0.39, p < .01) was also found in Group 1. People with high expectation may be prone to categorize and count vague sensations, such as attention evoked sensations, as heartbeats; this can lead to an inflated Schandry-score.
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Affiliation(s)
- János Körmendi
- Doctoral School of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Ferentzi
- Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Köteles
- Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
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In your eyes: vision of the body alters touch perception in women with eating disorder symptoms. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2021; 86:685-697. [PMID: 33884484 PMCID: PMC8942937 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-021-01478-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the effects of non-informative vision of the body on exteroceptive multisensory integration and touch perception in participants presenting with different levels of eating disorder (ED) symptoms. The study employed a sample of women reporting low (low ED; n = 31) vs high (high ED; n = 34) levels of subclinical ED symptoms who undertook the Somatic Signal Detection task (SSDT). During the SSDT, participants are required to detect near-threshold tactile stimulation at their fingertip with and without a simultaneous light flash next to the stimulated fingertip. Previous research has found that participants have a tendency to erroneously report touch sensations in the absence of the stimulation, and especially when the light flash is presented. In this study, participants completed the SSDT under two conditions: while their hand was visible (non-informative vision), and while their hand was hidden from sight (no vision). Non-informative vision of the hand was found to have a different effect on SSDT performances according to participants’ levels of ED symptoms. High ED participants were better able to correctly detect the touch during the SSDT when their hand was visible. Conversely, for low ED participants, vision of the body was linked to a greater effect of the light in inducing false reports of touch. We suggest that in those with high ED symptoms, vision of the body may exacerbate a predisposition to focusing on external rather than internal bodily information.
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The development of visuotactile congruency effects for sequences of events. J Exp Child Psychol 2021; 207:105094. [PMID: 33714049 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Sensitivity to the temporal coherence of visual and tactile signals increases perceptual reliability and is evident during infancy. However, it is not clear how, or whether, bidirectional visuotactile interactions change across childhood. Furthermore, no study has explored whether viewing a body modulates how children perceive visuotactile sequences of events. Here, children aged 5-7 years (n = 19), 8 and 9 years (n = 21), and 10-12 years (n = 24) and adults (n = 20) discriminated the number of target events (one or two) in a task-relevant modality (touch or vision) and ignored distractors (one or two) in the opposing modality. While participants performed the task, an image of either a hand or an object was presented. Children aged 5-7 years and 8 and 9 years showed larger crossmodal interference from visual distractors when discriminating tactile targets than the converse. Across age groups, this was strongest when two visual distractors were presented with one tactile target, implying a "fission-like" crossmodal effect (perceiving one event as two events). There was no influence of visual context (viewing a hand or non-hand image) on visuotactile interactions for any age group. Our results suggest robust interference from discontinuous visual information on tactile discrimination of sequences of events during early and middle childhood. These findings are discussed with respect to age-related changes in sensory dominance, selective attention, and multisensory processing.
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Wolters C, Harzem J, Witthöft M, Gerlach AL, Pohl A. Somatosensory Illusions Elicited by Sham Electromagnetic Field Exposure: Experimental Evidence for a Predictive Processing Account of Somatic Symptom Perception. Psychosom Med 2021; 83:94-100. [PMID: 33141791 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE According to the predictive processing theory of somatic symptom generation, body sensations are determined by somatosensory input and central nervous predictions about this input. We examined how expectations shape predictions and consequently bodily perceptions in a task eliciting illusory sensations as laboratory analogue of medically unexplained symptoms. METHODS Using the framework of signal detection theory, the influence of sham Wi-Fi on response bias (c) and somatosensory sensitivity (d') for tactile stimuli was examined using the somatic signal detection task (SSDT). A healthy student sample (n = 83) completed the SSDT twice (sham Wi-Fi on/off) in a randomized order after watching a film that promoted adverse health effects of electromagnetic fields. RESULTS When expecting a Wi-Fi signal to be present, participants showed a significantly more liberal response bias c (p = .010, ηp2 = 0.08) for tactile stimuli in the SSDT as evidence of a higher propensity to experience somatosensory illusions. No significant alteration of somatosensory sensitivity d' (p = .76, ηp2 < 0.002) was observed. CONCLUSIONS Negative expectations about the harmfulness of electromagnetic fields may foster the occurrence of illusory symptom perceptions via alterations in the somatosensory decision criterion. The findings are in line with central tenets of the predictive processing account of somatic symptom generation. This account proposes a decoupling of percept and somatosensory input so that perception becomes increasingly dependent on predictions. This biased perception is regarded as a risk factor for somatic symptom disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Wolters
- From the Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy (Wolters, Harzem, Gerlach, Pohl), University of Cologne, Cologne; and Institute of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Experimental Psychopathology (Witthöft), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Sacchetti S, Mirams L, McGlone F, Cazzato V. Self-focused attention enhances tactile sensitivity in women at risk from eating disorders. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11614. [PMID: 32669580 PMCID: PMC7363881 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68500-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined whether alterations in body perception in EDs extend to the integration of exteroceptive visual and tactile information. Moreover, we investigated the effect of self-focused attention on the ability to correctly detect tactile stimuli. Twenty-seven women reporting low ED symptoms, versus 26 women reporting high ED symptoms, undertook a modified version of the Somatic Signal Detection Task (SSDT), which involved detecting tactile stimuli on the cheek in the presence or absence of a concomitant light. The SSDT was completed while looking at a photograph of one’s own face, another female face, and a scrambled face. Heart rate and skin conductance were recorded continuously during the SSDT. Although ED symptoms were not associated with an overall increased tendency to misperceive touch in the presence of a light, High ED participants were differentially affected by self-focused attention. For the High ED group, physiological arousal, and tactile sensitivity (d′) were increased when self-focused attention was augmented. For the Low ED group, sensitivity (d′) and physiological arousal were higher in the control conditions. We suggest that in those with High ED symptoms, attention to the bodily self may exacerbate a predisposition to focusing on external rather than internal bodily information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Sacchetti
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Room 3.13, Tom Reilly Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK.
| | - Laura Mirams
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Room 3.13, Tom Reilly Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - Francis McGlone
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Room 3.13, Tom Reilly Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - Valentina Cazzato
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Room 3.13, Tom Reilly Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
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10
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O' Dowd A, Sorgini F, Newell FN. Seeing an image of the hand affects performance on a crossmodal congruency task for sequences of events. Conscious Cogn 2020; 80:102900. [DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2020.102900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Kalckert A, Perera ATM, Ganesan Y, Tan E. Rubber hands in space: the role of distance and relative position in the rubber hand illusion. Exp Brain Res 2019; 237:1821-1832. [PMID: 31079236 PMCID: PMC6584242 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-019-05539-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The rubber hand illusion (RHI) is a perceptual phenomenon in which participants experience ownership over a fake model hand through synchronous visuotactile stimulation. Several studies have shown that the illusion occurs only when both hands are in close proximity to each other. In the present study, we systematically examined the role of relative position (lateral, distal) and distance (13–75 cm) of the model hand (with respect to participants’ real hand) on illusion experience across both lateral and distal positions. Furthermore, we also compared different facets of the subjective illusion experience; the experience of the model hand being part of one’s body (i.e., ownership) and the perceptual fusion of vision and touch (i.e., referral of touch). In two experiments we observed indications for a stronger illusion experiences in distal compared to lateral positions of identical distances, indicating that the illusory effects may vary as a function of the relative position of the hand. Our results also showed that manipulations of distance differently modulated both facets of the illusion. While ownership was restricted to near distances, referral of touch sensations remained stable at farther distances. These results are interpreted in relation to variations in sensory weighting across different planes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Kalckert
- School of Psychology, University of Reading Malaysia, Iskandar Puteri, Malaysia.
| | | | - Yosindra Ganesan
- School of Psychology, University of Reading Malaysia, Iskandar Puteri, Malaysia.,Faculty of Cognitive Science and Human Development, Cognitive Science Program, University Malaysia Sarawak, Kuching, Malaysia
| | - Erika Tan
- School of Psychology, University of Reading Malaysia, Iskandar Puteri, Malaysia
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Ju Y. The tactile detection threshold changes when a visual stimulus is presented with a short temporal gap. J Phys Ther Sci 2018; 30:92-95. [PMID: 29410574 PMCID: PMC5788783 DOI: 10.1589/jpts.30.92] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
[Purpose] The interaction between the visual and tactile modalities influences on
different levels from neural activity, perception, higher cognition to behavior. The aim
of this study was to examine how a visual stimulus influences tactile sensitivity
depending on temporal asynchrony. [Subjects and Methods] In total, 15 participants took
part in this study. They were required to perform a two-alternative forced-choice task
regarding whether a tactile pulse was felt. The individual participants’ tactile
thresholds were estimated using a repetitive stepwise method. Visual stimuli were
simultaneously presented with various temporal gaps (0 ms, ± 50 ms, ± 100 ms, and ±
300 ms), whereas no visual stimulus was presented in the tactile only condition. The
tactile thresholds in eight conditions were compared using analysis of variance. [Results]
Of the participants, 53.5% showed the most sensitive tactile threshold when presented with
a visual stimulus with a short temporal gap, especially when the visual stimulus preceded
the tactile one by 50 ms. [Conclusion] The preceding visual stimulus facilitates the
perceptual sensitivity of the tactile sensation. Providing sensory stimuli in a
multisensory mode benefits perceptual encoding. A pre-attentional mechanism led by a
particular sensory modality might work as a perceptual advantage for another modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumi Ju
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Medical Health Science College, Far-East University: Wangjang-ri, Kamgok-myun, Eumsung-gun, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
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Tihanyi BT, Köteles F. Physiological and psychological correlates of attention-related body sensations (tingling and warmth). Physiol Int 2017; 104:235-246. [DOI: 10.1556/2060.104.2017.3.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Body sensations play an essential role in the subjective evaluation of our physical health, illness, and healing. They are impacted by peripheral somatic and external processes, but they are also heavily modulated by mental processes, e.g., attention, motor control, and emotion. Body sensations, such as tingling, numbness, pulse, and warmth, can emerge due to simply focusing attention on a body part. It is however an open question, if these sensations are connected with actual peripheral changes or happen “only in the mind.” Here, we first tested whether the intensity of such attention-related body sensations is related to autonomic and somatomotor physiological processes and to psychological traits. In this study, attention-related body sensations were not significantly connected to changes in physiology, except warmth sensation, which was linked to decrease in muscle tension. Overall intensity of tingling significantly correlated with body awareness and tendentiously with body–mind practice. This strengthened the hypothesis that attention-related body sensations are more the result of top–down functions, and the connection with peripheral processes is weak. Here, we suggested a novel protocol to examine the effect of manipulating attention on body sensations, which together with our results and discussion can inspire future researches.
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Affiliation(s)
- BT Tihanyi
- 1 Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- 2 Doctoral School of Psychology, Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - F Köteles
- 1 Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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Spatial limits of visuotactile interactions in the presence and absence of tactile stimulation. Exp Brain Res 2017; 235:2591-2600. [PMID: 28560494 PMCID: PMC5550542 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-017-4998-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The presence of a light flash near to the body not only increases the ability to detect a weak touch but also increases reports of feeling a weak touch that did not occur. The somatic signal detection task (SSDT) provides a behavioural marker by which to clarify the spatial extent of such visuotactile interactions in peripersonal space. Whilst previous evidence suggests a limit to the spatial extent over which visual input can distort the perception of tactile stimulation during the rubber hand illusion, the spatial boundaries of light-induced tactile sensations are not known. In a repeated measures design, 41 participants completed the SSDT with the light positioned 1 cm (near), 17.5 cm (mid) or 40 cm (far) from the tactile stimulation. In the far condition, the light did not affect hit, or false alarm rates during the SSDT. In the near and mid conditions, the light significantly increased hit rates and led to a more liberal response criterion, that is, participants reported feeling the touch more often regardless of whether or not it actually occurred. Our results demonstrate a spatial boundary over which visual input influences veridical and non-veridical touch perception during the SSDT, and provide further behavioural evidence to show that the boundaries of the receptive fields of visuotactile neurons may be limited to reach space.
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Coelho LA, Gonzalez CLR. The visual and haptic contributions to hand perception. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2017; 82:866-875. [DOI: 10.1007/s00426-017-0870-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Hubley S, Uebelacker L, Eaton C. Managing Medically Unexplained Symptoms in Primary Care: A Narrative Review and Treatment Recommendations. Am J Lifestyle Med 2016; 10:109-119. [PMID: 30202265 PMCID: PMC6125096 DOI: 10.1177/1559827614536865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Revised: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are persistent physical symptoms in the absence of identifiable disease. MUS present a major challenge for primary care providers (PCPs) because complex symptom presentations, strained patient-physician relationships, and treatment-resistant symptoms can challenge a PCP's sense of competency. This review is intended to help PCPs understand the burden and theoretical context of MUS and to provide concise recommendations for managing MUS within primary care settings. Based on a narrative review of the literature, these recommendations emphasize in particular the importance of co-creating plausible explanations for MUS, understanding the pitfalls of consultations involving MUS, and developing multimodal treatment plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Hubley
- Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Center for Primary Care and Prevention, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island and Brown University, Pawtucket, Rhode Island
| | - Lisa Uebelacker
- Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Center for Primary Care and Prevention, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island and Brown University, Pawtucket, Rhode Island
| | - Charles Eaton
- Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Center for Primary Care and Prevention, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island and Brown University, Pawtucket, Rhode Island
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Mirams L, Poliakoff E, Zandstra EH, Hoeksma M, Thomas A, El-Deredy W. Good vibrations: Global processing can increase the pleasantness of touch. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2015; 69:2471-2486. [PMID: 26613400 DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2015.1120333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Visual-tactile carry-over effects of global/local processing (attention to the whole, versus the details) have been reported under active touch conditions. We investigated whether carry-over effects of global/local processing also occur for passive touch and whether global/local processing has differential effects on affective and discriminative aspects of touch. Participants completed two tactile tasks involving pleasantness rating and discrimination of a set of tactile vibrations before and after completing a version of the Navon task that encouraged a focus on the global (n = 30), local (n = 30), or both (n = 30) features of a series of visual stimuli. In line with previous research suggesting a link between global processing and positive emotion, global processing increased pleasantness ratings of high-frequency (but not low-frequency) tactile vibrations. Local processing did not improve the ability to discriminate between vibrations of different frequencies, however. There was some evidence of a tactile-visual carry-over effect; prior local processing of tactile vibrations reduced global precedence during the Navon task in the control group. We have shown carry-over effects of global versus local processing on passive touch perception. These findings provide further evidence suggesting that a common perceptual mechanism determines processing level across modalities and show for the first time that prior global processing affects the pleasantness of touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Mirams
- a School of Psychological Sciences , University of Manchester , Manchester , UK
| | - Ellen Poliakoff
- a School of Psychological Sciences , University of Manchester , Manchester , UK
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Treshi-marie Perera A, Newport R, McKenzie KJ. Multisensory distortions of the hand have differential effects on tactile perception. Exp Brain Res 2015. [PMID: 26195170 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-015-4384-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Research has suggested that altering the perceived shape and size of the body image significantly affects perception of somatic events. The current study investigated how multisensory illusions applied to the body altered tactile perception using the somatic signal detection task. Thirty-one healthy volunteers were asked to report the presence or absence of near-threshold tactile stimuli delivered to the index finger under three multisensory illusion conditions: stretched finger, shrunken finger and detached finger, as well as a veridical baseline condition. Both stretching and shrinking the stimulated finger enhanced correct touch detections; however, the mechanisms underlying this increase were found to be different. In contrast, the detached appearance reduced false touch reports-possibly due to reduced tactile noise, as a result of attention being directed to the tip of the finger only. These findings suggest that distorted representations of the body could have different modulatory effects on attention to touch and provide a link between perceived body representation and somatosensory decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Treshi-marie Perera
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Roger Newport
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham UK Campus, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Kirsten J McKenzie
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. .,School of Psychology, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, LN6 7TS, UK.
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Multisensory interactions between vestibular, visual and somatosensory signals. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124573. [PMID: 25875819 PMCID: PMC4395320 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Vestibular inputs are constantly processed and integrated with signals from other sensory modalities, such as vision and touch. The multiply-connected nature of vestibular cortical anatomy led us to investigate whether vestibular signals could participate in a multi-way interaction with visual and somatosensory perception. We used signal detection methods to identify whether vestibular stimulation might interact with both visual and somatosensory events in a detection task. Participants were instructed to detect near-threshold somatosensory stimuli that were delivered to the left index finger in one half of experimental trials. A visual signal occurred close to the finger in half of the trials, independent of somatosensory stimuli. A novel Near infrared caloric vestibular stimulus (NirCVS) was used to artificially activate the vestibular organs. Sham stimulations were used to control for non-specific effects of NirCVS. We found that both visual and vestibular events increased somatosensory sensitivity. Critically, we found no evidence for supra-additive multisensory enhancement when both visual and vestibular signals were administered together: in fact, we found a trend towards sub-additive interaction. The results are compatible with a vestibular role in somatosensory gain regulation.
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Vicarious experiences and detection accuracy while observing pain and touch: The effect of perspective taking. Atten Percept Psychophys 2015; 77:1781-93. [DOI: 10.3758/s13414-015-0889-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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McKenzie KJ, Newport R. Increased somatic sensations are associated with reduced limb ownership. J Psychosom Res 2015; 78:88-90. [PMID: 25466984 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2014] [Revised: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are increasingly being thought of as resulting from dysfunctional modulation of interoceptive sensory signals by top-down cognitive processes. The current study investigated whether individuals with a tendency toward MUS would be more susceptible to visual illusions that suggest tactile sensation on the skin in the absence of any actual somatosensory input. METHOD Participants viewed real-time-mediated reality video images of their own hand, either un-manipulated or digitally altered to display moving pixelated 'static' effect, the crawling skin illusion. The strength of various physical sensations during each condition were rated on a numeric scale and compared to standard measures of somatoform dissociation (Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire 20). RESULTS Participants reporting a higher degree of somatoform dissociation were found to be more susceptible to somatic sensations across all conditions. Interestingly, participants who reported more visually induced somatosensory sensations also felt less ownership over their digitally presented hands. CONCLUSION These findings support the proposed link between MUS and disturbances in body representation, and suggest that an over-reliance on top-down knowledge may interfere with current sensory inputs, contributing to symptom formation and maintenance in susceptible individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten J McKenzie
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan 43500, Malaysia.
| | - Roger Newport
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
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23
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Ackerley R, Saar K, McGlone F, Backlund Wasling H. Quantifying the sensory and emotional perception of touch: differences between glabrous and hairy skin. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:34. [PMID: 24574985 PMCID: PMC3920190 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2013] [Accepted: 01/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The perception of touch is complex and there has been a lack of ways to describe the full tactile experience quantitatively. Guest et al. (2011) developed a Touch Perception Task (TPT) in order to capture such experiences, and here we used the TPT to examine differences in sensory and emotional aspects of touch at different skin sites. We compared touch on three skin sites: the hairy arm and cheek, and the glabrous palm. The hairy skin contains C-tactile (CT) afferents, which play a role in affective touch, whereas glabrous skin does not contain CT afferents and is involved in more discriminative touch. In healthy volunteers, three different materials (soft brush, sandpaper, fur) were stroked across these skin sites during self-touch or experimenter-applied touch. After each stimulus, participants rated the tactile experience using descriptors in the TPT. Sensory and emotional descriptors were analyzed using factor analyses. Five sensory factors were found: Texture, Pile, Moisture, Heat/Sharp and Cold/Slip, and three emotional factors: Positive Affect, Arousal, and Negative Affect. Significant differences were found in the use of descriptors in touch to hairy vs. glabrous skin: this was most evident in touch on forearm skin, which produced higher emotional content. The touch from another was also judged as more emotionally positive then self-touch, and participants readily discriminated between the materials on all factors. The TPT successfully probed sensory and emotional percepts of the touch experience, which aided in identifying skin where emotional touch was more pertinent. It also highlights the potentially important role for CTs in the affective processing of inter-personal touch, in combination with higher-order influences, such as through cultural belonging and previous experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rochelle Ackerley
- Department of Physiology, University of Gothenburg Gothenburg, Sweden ; Clinical Neurophysiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital Gothenburg, Sweden ; School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool, UK
| | - Karin Saar
- Clinical Neurophysiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Francis McGlone
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool, UK
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Wesslein AK, Spence C, Frings C. Vision affects tactile target and distractor processing even when space is task-irrelevant. Front Psychol 2014; 5:84. [PMID: 24567727 PMCID: PMC3915095 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2013] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The human brain is adapted to integrate the information from multiple sensory modalities into coherent, robust representations of the objects and events in the external world. A large body of empirical research has demonstrated the ubiquitous nature of the interactions that take place between vision and touch, with the former typically dominating over the latter. Many studies have investigated the influence of visual stimuli on the processing of tactile stimuli (and vice versa). Other studies, meanwhile, have investigated the effect of directing a participant’s gaze either toward or else away from the body-part receiving the target tactile stimulation. Other studies, by contrast, have compared performance in those conditions in which the participant’s eyes have been open versus closed. We start by reviewing the research that has been published to date demonstrating the influence of vision on the processing of tactile targets, that is, on those stimuli that have to be attended or responded to. We outline that many – but not all – of the visuotactile interactions that have been observed to date may be attributable to the direction of spatial attention. We then move on to focus on the crossmodal influence of vision, as well as of the direction of gaze, on the processing of tactile distractors. We highlight the results of those studies demonstrating the influence of vision, rather than gaze direction (i.e., the direction of overt spatial attention), on tactile distractor processing (e.g., tactile variants of the negative-priming or flanker task). The conclusion is that no matter how vision of a tactile distractor is engaged, the result would appear to be the same, namely that tactile distractors are processed more thoroughly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Katrin Wesslein
- Cognitive Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Trier Trier, Germany ; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford Oxford, UK
| | - Charles Spence
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford Oxford, UK
| | - Christian Frings
- Cognitive Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Trier Trier, Germany
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25
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Abstract
An input (e.g., airplane takeoff sound) to a sensory modality can suppress the percept of another input (e.g., talking voices of neighbors) of the same modality. This perceptual suppression effect is evidence that neural responses to different inputs closely interact with each other in the brain. While recent studies suggest that close interactions also occur across sensory modalities, crossmodal perceptual suppression effect has not yet been reported. Here, we demonstrate that tactile stimulation can suppress the percept of visual stimuli: Visual orientation discrimination performance was degraded when a tactile vibration was applied to the observer's index finger of hands. We also demonstrated that this tactile suppression effect on visual perception occurred primarily when the tactile and visual information were spatially and temporally consistent. The current findings would indicate that neural signals could closely and directly interact with each other, sufficient to induce the perceptual suppression effect, even across sensory modalities.
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26
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Visual presentation of hand image modulates visuo–tactile temporal order judgment. Exp Brain Res 2013; 228:43-50. [DOI: 10.1007/s00221-013-3535-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2013] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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27
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Tamè L, Farnè A, Pavani F. Vision of the body and the differentiation of perceived body side in touch. Cortex 2013; 49:1340-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2012.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2011] [Revised: 02/09/2012] [Accepted: 03/21/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Mirams L, Poliakoff E, Brown RJ, Lloyd DM. Brief body-scan meditation practice improves somatosensory perceptual decision making. Conscious Cogn 2013; 22:348-59. [PMID: 22889642 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2012.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2012] [Revised: 07/09/2012] [Accepted: 07/12/2012] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Mirams
- Division of Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, Zochonis Building, University of Manchester, Brunswick Street, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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Mirams L, Poliakoff E, Brown RJ, Lloyd DM. Interoceptive and exteroceptive attention have opposite effects on subsequent somatosensory perceptual decision making. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2012; 65:926-38. [DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2011.636823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that interoceptive and exteroceptive attention might have different perceptual effects. However, the effects of these different types of body-focused attention have never been directly compared. The current research investigated how interoceptive and exteroceptive attention affect subsequent performance on the somatic signal detection task (SSDT). In Experiment 1, 37 participants completed the SSDT under usual testing conditions and after performing an interoceptive heartbeat perception task. This task led to a more liberal response criterion, leading to increased touch reports in the presence and absence of a target vibration. This finding is consistent with suggestions that attending internally contributes to physical symptom reporting in patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). In Experiment 2, 40 participants completed the SSDT before and after an exteroceptive grating orientation task. This task led to a more stringent response criterion, leading to decreased touch reports in the presence and absence of the target, possibly via a reduction in sensory noise. This work demonstrates that internal and external body-focused attention can have opposite effects on subsequent somatic perceptual decision making and suggests that attentional training could be useful for patients reporting MUS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Mirams
- Division of Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Ellen Poliakoff
- Division of Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Richard J. Brown
- Division of Clinical Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Donna M. Lloyd
- Division of Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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30
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Investigating the mechanisms of visually-evoked tactile sensations. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2012; 139:46-53. [PMID: 22018658 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2011.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2011] [Revised: 09/20/2011] [Accepted: 09/22/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
When attempting to detect a near-threshold signal, participants often incorrectly report the presence of a signal, particularly when a stimulus in a different modality is presented. Here we investigated the effect of prior experience of bimodal visuotactile stimuli on the rate of falsely reported touches in the presence of a light. In Experiment 1, participants made more false alarms in light-present than light-absent trials, despite having no experience of the experimental visuotactile pairing. This suggests that light-evoked false alarms are a consequence of an existing association, rather than one learned during the experiment. In Experiment 2, we sought to manipulate the strength of the association through prior training, using supra-threshold tactile stimuli that were given a high or low association with the light. Both groups still exhibited an increased number of false alarms during light-present trials, however, the low association group made significantly fewer false alarms across conditions, and there was no corresponding group difference in the number of tactile stimuli correctly identified. Thus, while training did not affect the boosting of the tactile signal by the visual stimulus, the low association training affected perceptual decision-making more generally, leading to a lower number of illusory touch reports, independent of the light.
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31
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Katzer A, Oberfeld D, Hiller W, Witthöft M. Tactile perceptual processes and their relationship to medically unexplained symptoms and health anxiety. J Psychosom Res 2011; 71:335-41. [PMID: 21999977 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2011.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2010] [Revised: 03/01/2011] [Accepted: 03/24/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The Somatic Signal Detection Task (SSDT; Lloyd, Manson, Brown and Poliakoff, 2008) is an innovative paradigm to study perceptual processes related to physical symptoms. It allows examining touch illusions as a laboratory analog of medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) according to the cognitive model of MUS proposed by Brown (2004). The present study compared psychopathologic measures of MUS and health anxiety with SSDT parameters. Furthermore, we aimed to define a reliable measurement of tactile perception threshold. METHODS 67 participants of a student population reported whether they detected tactile stimuli at their fingertip which were presented in half of the test trials. An additional brief visual stimulus was displayed with a probability of 50%. The rate of false-positive perceptions of the tactile stimulus in its absence, response bias, tactile sensitivity, and tactile perception thresholds was recorded. Questionnaires were used to assess MUS and health anxiety. RESULTS The visual stimulus led to a more liberal response criterion (i.e., the tendency to report tactile perceptions irrespective of whether a stimulus was presented or not) and a non-significant increase in tactile sensitivity. The false-alarm rate when reporting the tactile stimulus was correlated with MUS (r=.26). Tactile perception thresholds were measured reliably (r(tt)=.84). CONCLUSION Some of the SSDT parameters, especially the response criterion (c), were related to self-report-measures of MUS and health anxiety. Previous SSDT results were replicated and extended. Further SSDT studies with clinical samples are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Katzer
- Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany.
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Interacting effects of vision and attention in perceiving spontaneous sensations arising on the hands. Exp Brain Res 2011; 216:21-34. [DOI: 10.1007/s00221-011-2901-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2011] [Accepted: 10/04/2011] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Lloyd DM, McKenzie KJ, Brown RJ, Poliakoff E. Neural correlates of an illusory touch experience investigated with fMRI. Neuropsychologia 2011; 49:3430-8. [PMID: 21889948 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2011.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2011] [Revised: 08/02/2011] [Accepted: 08/18/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
When asked to judge the presence or absence of near-threshold tactile stimuli, participants often report touch experiences when no tactile stimulation has been delivered ('false alarms'). The simultaneous presentation of a light flash during the stimulation period can increase the frequency of touch reports, both when touch is and is not present. Using fMRI, we investigated the BOLD response during both light-present and light-absent false alarms, testing predictions concerning two possible neural mechanisms underlying these illusory touch experiences: activation of a tactile representation in primary somatosensory cortex (SI) and/or activation of a tactile representation in late processing areas outside of sensory-specific cortex, such as medial prefrontal cortex (MPC). Our behavioural results showed that participants made false alarms in light-present and light-absent trials, both of which activated regions of the medial parietal and medial prefrontal cortex including precuneus, posterior cingulate and paracingulate cortex, suggesting the same underlying mechanism. However, only a non-significant increase in SI activity was measured in response to false alarm vs. correct rejection trials. We argue that our results provide evidence for the role of top-down regions in somatic misperception, consistent with findings from studies in humans and non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna M Lloyd
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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Zopf R, Harris JA, Williams MA. The influence of body-ownership cues on tactile sensitivity. Cogn Neurosci 2011; 2:147-54. [PMID: 24168529 DOI: 10.1080/17588928.2011.578208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
To some extent the bodies of others and one's own body are represented differently in the human brain. This study investigates how these different body representations are used during tactile perception. Two types of cues--purely visual cues (pictures of hands) and multisensory cues (equivalent to the rubber hand illusion paradigm)--were used to control whether a seen hand was one's own hand or somebody else's hand. We found that viewing one's own hand improves nonspatial tactile discrimination of supra-threshold stimuli, but attenuates tactile detection performance. Furthermore, when multisensory information signals that the viewed hand is not one's own hand, tactile nonspatial performance seems to be generally sensitized as compared to not viewing a hand. Such body-ownership-specific modulations were present only when multisensory cues signaled body ownership.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regine Zopf
- a Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, Institute of Human Cognition and Brain Science , Macquarie University , Sydney , Australia
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McKenzie KJ, Poliakoff E, Brown RJ, Lloyd DM. Now You Feel it, Now You Don't: How Robust is the Phenomenon of Illusory Tactile Experience? Perception 2010; 39:839-50. [DOI: 10.1068/p6401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have reported that in normal healthy individuals, the perception of illusory sensations in one modality can be induced by the presentation of a stimulus in another modality. These illusory sensations may arise from the activation of a tactile representation in memory induced by the non-target stimulus, in a process mirroring that thought to be responsible for many forms of medically unexplained symptoms. The reliability of illusory-touch reports was investigated here in two experiments with a novel perceptual paradigm designed to simulate the occurrence of somatoform symptoms in the laboratory. A concurrent light significantly increased the number of tactile stimuli reported, and resulted in a higher number of illusory-touch reports, while the modality of the trial start cue did not affect subsequent responses. In addition, a strong relationship was found between the rates of illusory sensations that participants produced in successive sessions, indicating that the tendency to report illusory sensations is a robust phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Richard J Brown
- Division of Clinical Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Zochonis Building, Brunswick Street, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
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