1
|
Gillmeister H, Šmate I, Savva D, Li H, Parapadakis C, Adler J. Confrontation with others' emotions changes bodily resonance differently in those with low and high levels of depersonalization. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230248. [PMID: 39005042 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
We present novel research on the cortical dynamics of atypical perceptual and emotional processing in people with symptoms of depersonalization-derealization disorder (DP-DR). We used electroencephalography (EEG)/event-related potentials (ERPs) to delineate the early perceptual mechanisms underlying emotional face recognition and mirror touch in adults with low and high levels of DP-DR symptoms (low-DP and high-DP groups). Face-sensitive visual N170 showed markedly less differentiation for emotional versus neutral face-voice stimuli in the high- than in the low-DP group. This effect was related to self-reported bodily symptoms like disembodiment. Emotional face-voice primes altered mirror touch at somatosensory cortical components P45 and P100 differently in the two groups. In the high-DP group, mirror touch occurred only when seeing touch after being confronted with angry face-voice primes. Mirror touch in the low-DP group, however, was unaffected by preceding emotions. Modulation of mirror touch following angry others was related to symptoms of self-other confusion. Results suggest that others' negative emotions affect somatosensory processes in those with an altered sense of bodily self. Our findings are in line with the idea that disconnecting from one's body and self (core symptom of DP-DR) may be a defence mechanism to protect from the threat of negative feelings, which may be exacerbated through self-other confusion. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helge Gillmeister
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Ieva Šmate
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Dimitra Savva
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Haojie Li
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Christina Parapadakis
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Julia Adler
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gwyther MPD, Lenggenhager B, Windt JM, Aspell JE, Ciaunica A. Examining the association between depersonalisation traits and the bodily self in waking and dreaming. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6107. [PMID: 38480797 PMCID: PMC10937666 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56119-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Depersonalisation (DP) is characterized by fundamental alterations to the sense of self that include feelings of detachment and estrangement from one's body. We conducted an online study in healthy participants (n = 514) with DP traits to investigate and quantify the subjective experience of body and self during waking and dreaming, as the vast majority of previous studies focussed on waking experience only. Investigating dreams in people experiencing DP symptoms may help us understand whether the dream state is a 'spared space' where people can temporarily 'retrieve' their sense of self and sense of bodily presence. We found that higher DP traits-i.e. higher scores on the Cambridge Depersonalisation Scale (CDS)-were associated with more frequent dream experiences from an outside observer perspective (r = 0.28) and more frequent dream experiences of distinct bodily sensations (r = 0.23). We also found that people with higher CDS scores had more frequent dream experiences of altered bodily perception (r = 0.24), more frequent nightmares (r = 0.33) and higher dream recall (r = 0.17). CDS scores were negatively correlated with body boundary scores (r = - 0.31) in waking states and there was a negative association between CDS scores and the degree of trust in interoceptive signals (r = - 0.52). Our study elucidates the complex phenomenology of DP in relation to bodily selfhood during waking and dreaming and suggests avenues for potential therapeutic interventions in people with chronic depersonalisation (depersonalisation -derealisation disorder).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matt P D Gwyther
- School of Psychology and Sport Science, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Bigna Lenggenhager
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jennifer M Windt
- Department of Philosophy, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Monash Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jane E Aspell
- School of Psychology and Sport Science, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Anna Ciaunica
- Centre for Philosophy of Science, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, WC1N 3AR, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
An Experimental Study of Subliminal Self-Face Processing in Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12121598. [PMID: 36552058 PMCID: PMC9775423 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12121598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The self-perception or self-experience of patients with depersonalization/derealization disorder (DPD) is altered, leading to a profound disruption in self-awareness. The main aim of the study is to explore the characteristics of subliminal self-face processing in DPD patients. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental study that has measured and evaluated subliminal self-processing in DPD. To better understand this, we examined the ability of patients with DPD and healthy controls (HC) to identify pictures of faces using an experimental paradigm of breaking continuous flash suppression. There were 23 DPD outpatients from Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University and 23 matched HC who participated in this experiment. The time needed for a face to break into awareness was taken as the measure of participants' subliminal processing of that face. The results indicated that there were significant differences between the DPD patients and HC in subliminal reaction times to different faces. Under experimental conditions, the average reaction response of self-face recognition in the HC group was significantly faster than for a famous face. However, this difference was not observed in DPD patients, which means that DPD patients did not show the processing advantage of their own faces as did the HC. The results suggest a deficit in subliminal self-face processing in DPD.
Collapse
|
4
|
Gerrans P. Alienation and identification in addiction. PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/09515089.2022.2067034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Philip Gerrans
- Department of Philosophy, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ciaunica A, McEllin L, Kiverstein J, Gallese V, Hohwy J, Woźniak M. Zoomed out: digital media use and depersonalization experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3888. [PMID: 35273200 PMCID: PMC8913838 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07657-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Depersonalisation is a common dissociative experience characterised by distressing feelings of being detached or 'estranged' from one's self and body and/or the world. The COVID-19 pandemic forcing millions of people to socially distance themselves from others and to change their lifestyle habits. We have conducted an online study of 622 participants worldwide to investigate the relationship between digital media-based activities, distal social interactions and peoples' sense of self during the lockdown as contrasted with before the pandemic. We found that increased use of digital media-based activities and online social e-meetings correlated with higher feelings of depersonalisation. We also found that the participants reporting higher experiences of depersonalisation, also reported enhanced vividness of negative emotions (as opposed to positive emotions). Finally, participants who reported that lockdown influenced their life to a greater extent had higher occurrences of depersonalisation experiences. Our findings may help to address key questions regarding well-being during a lockdown, in the general population. Our study points to potential risks related to overly sedentary, and hyper-digitalised lifestyle habits that may induce feelings of living in one's 'head' (mind), disconnected from one's body, self and the world.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ciaunica
- Centre for Philosophy of Science, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Institute of Philosophy, University of Porto, via Panoramica s/n, 4150-564, Porto, Portugal.
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, WC1N 3AR, UK.
| | - Luke McEllin
- University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Department of Cognitive Science, Social Mind Center, Central European University, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julian Kiverstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 5, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vittorio Gallese
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neuroscience, University of Parma, Via Volturno 39, 43121, Parma, Italy
| | - Jakob Hohwy
- Cognition and Philosophy Lab, Department of Philosophy, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Monash Centre for Consciousness & Contemplative Studies, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mateusz Woźniak
- Department of Cognitive Science, Social Mind Center, Central European University, Vienna, Austria.
- Cognition and Philosophy Lab, Department of Philosophy, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Gatus A, Jamieson G, Stevenson B. Past and Future Explanations for Depersonalization and Derealization Disorder: A Role for Predictive Coding. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:744487. [PMID: 35321264 PMCID: PMC8934883 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.744487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Depersonalization (DP) and derealization (DR) refer to states of dissociation in which one feels a sense of alienation in relation to one's self and environment, respectively. Whilst transient episodes often diminish without treatment, chronic experiences of DP and DR may last for years, with common treatments lacking a strong evidence base for their efficacy. We propose a theoretical explanation of DP and DR based on interoceptive predictive coding, and discuss how transient experiences of DP and DR may be induced in the non-clinical population using virtual reality. Further, we review the use of heartbeat evoked potentials in detecting the neural correlates of DP and DR allowing for an objective measure of these experiences in the non-clinical population. Finally, we discuss how the induction and detection of transient experiences of DP and DR in the non-clinical population could shed light on how the brain constructs one's sense of self and reality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Gatus
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | | | | |
Collapse
|