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Brizzi G, Frisone F, Rossi C, Riva G. Gender differences in bodily experience: Insights from virtual reality body illusion. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2024:104386. [PMID: 39174407 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104386] [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: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Virtual Reality has significantly improved the understanding of body experience, through techniques such as Body Illusion. Body Illusion allows individuals to perceive an artificial body as their own, changing body perceptual and affective components. Prior research has predominantly focused on female participants, leaving the impact of Body Illusion on males less understood. This study seeks to fill this gap by examining the nuanced bodily experiences of men in comparison to women. 40 participants (20 females and 20 males) were proposed with visuo-tactile synchronous and asynchronous Body Illusion to explore changes in body satisfaction and body size estimation across three critical areas: shoulders, hips, and waist. Results revealed significant initial disparities, with females displaying greater body dissatisfaction and a tendency to overestimate body size. After Body Illusion, females adjusted the hips perceived body size closer to that of the virtual body and reported increased body satisfaction independent of the condition. Conversely, males showed changes only in waist size estimation only after synchronous stimulation without significant shifts in body satisfaction. These results suggest a higher sensitivity of women to embodied experiences, potentially due to societal influences and a greater inclination towards self-objectification. These insights pave the way for creating more refined and effective interventions for body image issues, highlighting the importance of incorporating gender-specific considerations in VR-based prevention and therapeutical programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Brizzi
- Humane Technology Laboratory, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20121 Milan, Italy.
| | - Fabio Frisone
- Humane Technology Laboratory, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20121 Milan, Italy; Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20121 Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Rossi
- Humane Technology Laboratory, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20121 Milan, Italy; Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20121 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Riva
- Humane Technology Laboratory, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20121 Milan, Italy; Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20121 Milan, Italy
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2
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Parma C, Doria F, Zulueta A, Boscarino M, Giani L, Lunetta C, Parati EA, Picozzi M, Sattin D. Does Body Memory Exist? A Review of Models, Approaches and Recent Findings Useful for Neurorehabilitation. Brain Sci 2024; 14:542. [PMID: 38928542 PMCID: PMC11201876 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14060542] [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: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the past twenty years, scientific research on body representations has grown significantly, with Body Memory (BM) emerging as a prominent area of interest in neurorehabilitation. Compared to other body representations, BM stands out as one of the most obscure due to the multifaceted nature of the concept of "memory" itself, which includes various aspects (such as implicit vs. explicit, conscious vs. unconscious). The concept of body memory originates from the field of phenomenology and has been developed by research groups studying embodied cognition. In this narrative review, we aim to present compelling evidence from recent studies that explore various definitions and explanatory models of BM. Additionally, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the empirical settings used to examine BM. The results can be categorized into two main areas: (i) how the body influences our memories, and (ii) how memories, in their broadest sense, could generate and/or influence metarepresentations-the ability to reflect on or make inferences about one's own cognitive representations or those of others. We present studies that emphasize the significance of BM in experimental settings involving patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders, ultimately analyzing these findings from an ontogenic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Parma
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Health Directorate, Via Camaldoli 64, 20138 Milan, Italy; (C.P.); (F.D.)
- PhD. Program, Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale e Medical Humanities, Insubria University, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Federica Doria
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Health Directorate, Via Camaldoli 64, 20138 Milan, Italy; (C.P.); (F.D.)
| | - Aida Zulueta
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Labion, Via Camaldoli 64, 20138 Milan, Italy;
| | - Marilisa Boscarino
- Neurorehabilitation Department, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Via Camaldoli 64, 20138 Milan, Italy; (M.B.); (L.G.); (E.A.P.)
| | - Luca Giani
- Neurorehabilitation Department, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Via Camaldoli 64, 20138 Milan, Italy; (M.B.); (L.G.); (E.A.P.)
| | - Christian Lunetta
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Unit, Neurorehabilitation Department, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Via Camaldoli 64, 20138 Milan, Italy;
| | - Eugenio Agostino Parati
- Neurorehabilitation Department, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Via Camaldoli 64, 20138 Milan, Italy; (M.B.); (L.G.); (E.A.P.)
| | - Mario Picozzi
- Center for Clinical Ethics, Biotechnology and Life Sciences Department, Insubria University, 21100 Varese, Italy;
| | - Davide Sattin
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Health Directorate, Via Camaldoli 64, 20138 Milan, Italy; (C.P.); (F.D.)
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3
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Tagini S, Scacchi M, Mauro A, Scarpina F. The perception of affective touch in women affected by obesity. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1171070. [PMID: 37701865 PMCID: PMC10493281 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1171070] [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: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pleasant and comforting bodily contacts characterized intimate and affective interactions. Affective touch informs us about others' emotions and intentions, sustains intimacy and closeness, protecting from loneliness and psychological distress. Previous evidence points to an altered experience of affective touch in clinical populations reporting interpersonal difficulties. However, there is no investigation of affective touch in obesity, which is often associated with negative affective-relational experiences since childhood. Methods This study aimed to provide the first evidence about the experience of affective touch in obesity by comparing 14 women with obesity with 14 women with healthy weight. Participants rated the pleasantness of both imagined and actual tactile stimuli, which consisted of (i) soft-brush strokes, (ii) touches of the experimenter's hand, and (iii) of a plastic stick (as control, non-affective, stimulation). Participants should report the pleasantness of each kind of touch. Moreover, we explored lifespan experiences of affective touch and interpersonal pleasure in social contexts through self-report questionnaires. Results No differences emerged for the pleasantness of affective touch (in both the real and imagery task) between the two groups. However, participants with obesity reported less frequent and less satisfying early experiences of affective touch when compared with the controls. Discussion Our results spoke in favor of a preserved experience of affective touch when experimentally probed in obesity, despite a limited early exposure to bodily affective contacts. We interpreted our results in the light of the social reconnection hypothesis. Nevertheless, we provided crucial methodological considerations for future research, considering that both the experimenter's and the brush touch may not resemble adequately real-life experiences, in which affective touch involves intimate people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Tagini
- “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, I.R.C.C.S., U.O. di Neurologia e Neuroriabilitazione, Ospedale San Giuseppe, Piancavallo, Italy
| | - Massimo Scacchi
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, I.R.C.C.S., U.O. Medicina Generale, Ospedale San Giuseppe, Piancavallo, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Mauro
- “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, I.R.C.C.S., U.O. di Neurologia e Neuroriabilitazione, Ospedale San Giuseppe, Piancavallo, Italy
| | - Federica Scarpina
- “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, I.R.C.C.S., U.O. di Neurologia e Neuroriabilitazione, Ospedale San Giuseppe, Piancavallo, Italy
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4
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Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Patients with Overweight and Obesity: A Systematic Review. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14063324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Obesity is one of the world’s most serious health issues. Therefore, therapists have looked for methods to fight obesity. Currently, technology-based intervention options in medical settings are very common. One such technology is virtual reality (VR) which has been used in the treatment of obesity since the late 1990s. The main objective of this study is to review the literature on the use of VR in the treatment of obesity and overweight to better understand the role of VR-based interventions in this field. To this end, four databases (PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched for related publications from 2000 to 2022 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). From the 645 articles identified, 24 were selected. The main strength of this study is that it is the first systematic review to focus completely on the use of VR in the treatment of obesity. It includes most research in which VR was utilized to carry out the intervention. Although several limitations were detected in the reviewed studies, the findings of this review suggest that employing VR for self-monitoring of diet, physical activity, and/or weight is effective in supporting weight loss as well as improving satisfaction of body image and promoting health self-efficacy in overweight or obese persons.
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Riva G. Virtual Reality in Clinical Psychology. COMPREHENSIVE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [PMCID: PMC7500920 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-818697-8.00006-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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6
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Matamala-Gomez M, Bottiroli S, Realdon O, Riva G, Galvagni L, Platz T, Sandrini G, De Icco R, Tassorelli C. Telemedicine and Virtual Reality at Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: An Overview for Future Perspectives in Neurorehabilitation. Front Neurol 2021; 12:646902. [PMID: 33841313 PMCID: PMC8027250 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.646902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In catastrophic situations such as pandemics, patients' healthcare including admissions to hospitals and emergency services are challenged by the risk of infection and by limitations of healthcare resources. In such a setting, the use of telemedicine interventions has become extremely important. New technologies have proved helpful in pandemics as a solution to improve the quality of life in vulnerable patients such as persons with neurological diseases. Moreover, telemedicine interventions provide at-home solutions allowing clinicians to telemonitor and assess patients remotely, thus minimizing risk of infection. After a review of different studies using telemedicine in neurological patients, we propose a telemedicine process flow for healthcare of subjects with chronic neurological disease to respond to the new challenges for delivering quality healthcare during the transformation of public and private healthcare organizations around the world forced by COVID-19 pandemic contingency. This telemedicine process flow represents a replacement for in-person treatment and thereby the provision equitable access to the care of vulnerable people. It is conceptualized as comprehensive service including (1) teleassistance with patient counseling and medical treatment, (2) telemonitoring of patients' health conditions and any changes over time, as well as (3) telerehabilitation, i.e., interventions to assess and promote body functions, activities, and consecutively participation. The hereby proposed telemedicine process flow could be adopted on a large scale to improve the public health response during healthcare crises like the COVID-19 pandemic but could equally promote equitable health care independent of people's mobility or location with respect to the specialized health care center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Matamala-Gomez
- Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa," Center for Studies in Communication Sciences "Luigi Anolli" (CESCOM), University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Bottiroli
- Faculty of Law, Giustino Fortunato University, Benevento, Italy.,Headache Science and Neurorehabilitation Center, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Olivia Realdon
- Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa," Center for Studies in Communication Sciences "Luigi Anolli" (CESCOM), University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Riva
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Milan, Italy
| | - Lucia Galvagni
- Center for Religious Studies, Bruno Kessler, Foundation, Trento, Italy
| | - Thomas Platz
- BDH-Klinik Greifswald, Institute for Neurorehabilitation and Evidence-Based Practice, "An-Institut,#x0201D; University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Neurorehabilitation Research Group, University Medical Centre Greifswald (UMG), Greifswald, Germany
| | - Giorgio Sandrini
- Headache Science and Neurorehabilitation Center, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.,Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Roberto De Icco
- Headache Science and Neurorehabilitation Center, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.,Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Cristina Tassorelli
- Headache Science and Neurorehabilitation Center, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.,Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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7
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Virtual Body Ownership Illusions for Mental Health: A Narrative Review. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10010139. [PMID: 33401596 PMCID: PMC7796179 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10010139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last 20 years, virtual reality (VR) has been widely used to promote mental health in populations presenting different clinical conditions. Mental health does not refer only to the absence of psychiatric disorders but to the absence of a wide range of clinical conditions that influence people’s general and social well-being such as chronic pain, neurological disorders that lead to motor o perceptual impairments, psychological disorders that alter behaviour and social cognition, or physical conditions like eating disorders or present in amputees. It is known that an accurate perception of oneself and of the surrounding environment are both key elements to enjoy mental health and well-being, and that both can be distorted in patients suffering from the clinical conditions mentioned above. In the past few years, multiple studies have shown the effectiveness of VR to modulate such perceptual distortions of oneself and of the surrounding environment through virtual body ownership illusions. This narrative review aims to review clinical studies that have explored the manipulation of embodied virtual bodies in VR for improving mental health, and to discuss the current state of the art and the challenges for future research in the context of clinical care.
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8
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Parsons TD, Gaggioli A, Riva G. Extended Reality for the Clinical, Affective, and Social Neurosciences. Brain Sci 2020; 10:E922. [PMID: 33265932 PMCID: PMC7761460 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10120922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain science research often involves the use of low-dimensional tools and stimuli that lack several of the potentially valuable features of everyday activities and interactions. Although this research has provided important information about cognitive, affective, and social processes for both clinical and nonclinical populations, there is growing interest in high-dimensional simulations that extend reality. These high-dimensional simulations involve dynamic stimuli presented serially or concurrently to permit the assessment and training of perceivers' integrative processes over time. Moreover, high-dimensional simulation platforms can contextually restrain interpretations of cues about a target's internal states. Extended reality environments extend assessment and training platforms that balance experimental control with emotionally engaging background narratives aimed at extending the affective experience and social interactions. Herein, we highlight the promise of extended reality platforms for greater ecological validity in the clinical, affective, and social neurosciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D. Parsons
- iCenter for Affective Neurotechnologies (iCAN), Denton, TX 76203, USA
- Computational Neuropsychology and Simulation (CNS) Laboratory, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA
- College of Information, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | - Andrea Gaggioli
- Humane Technology Lab, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy; (A.G.); (G.R.)
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20145 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Riva
- Humane Technology Lab, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy; (A.G.); (G.R.)
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20145 Milan, Italy
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9
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Navarro J, Cebolla A, Llorens R, Borrego A, Baños RM. Manipulating Self-Avatar Body Dimensions in Virtual Worlds to Complement an Internet-Delivered Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Overweight Women. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17114045. [PMID: 32517117 PMCID: PMC7312466 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17114045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Virtual reality has been found to be a useful tool for positively influencing relevant psychological variables in order to increase physical activity (PA), especially in the overweight population. This study investigates the use of avatars and their physical variations to extend the effectiveness of existing interventions to promote PA. The main objective is to analyze the influence of the avatars' body dimensions on the efficacy of an Internet intervention to increase PA levels and improve other relevant variables (motivation toward PA, enjoyment, anxiety, self-efficacy, and PA goals). A total of 42 overweight women received a brief online intervention, and they were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: the "Ideal avatar" (IAC: participants are represented by avatars with ideal body dimensions); the "Real avatar" (RAC: participants are represented by avatars with participants' current body dimensions); and the "Non avatar" (NAC: participants are not represented by avatars). Results showed that the online intervention was effective in increasing PA practice and self-efficacy expectations. However, manipulating the body dimensions of avatars did not improve this intervention, although ideal avatars helped to reduce the anxiety experienced during PA in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Navarro
- Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (A.C.); (R.M.B.)
- CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), Carlos III Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-96-386-44-12
| | - Ausiàs Cebolla
- Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (A.C.); (R.M.B.)
- CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), Carlos III Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Roberto Llorens
- Neurorehabilitation and Brain Research Group, Instituto de investigación e Innovación en Bioingenieria, Universitat Politécnica de Valencia, 46022 Valencia, Spain; (R.L.); (A.B.)
- NEURORHB, Servicio de Neurorrehabilitación de Hospitales Vithas, 46007 Valencia, Spain
| | - Adrián Borrego
- Neurorehabilitation and Brain Research Group, Instituto de investigación e Innovación en Bioingenieria, Universitat Politécnica de Valencia, 46022 Valencia, Spain; (R.L.); (A.B.)
| | - Rosa M. Baños
- Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (A.C.); (R.M.B.)
- CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), Carlos III Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Polibienestar Institute, 46022 Valencia, Spain
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10
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Viceconti A, Camerone EM, Luzzi D, Pentassuglia D, Pardini M, Ristori D, Rossettini G, Gallace A, Longo MR, Testa M. Explicit and Implicit Own's Body and Space Perception in Painful Musculoskeletal Disorders and Rheumatic Diseases: A Systematic Scoping Review. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:83. [PMID: 32327984 PMCID: PMC7161420 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Pain and body perception are essentially two subjective mutually influencing experiences. However, in the field of musculoskeletal disorders and rheumatic diseases we lack of a comprehensive knowledge about the relationship between body perception dysfunctions and pain or disability. We systematically mapped the literature published about the topics of: (a) somatoperception; (b) body ownership; and (c) perception of space, analysing the relationship with pain and disability. The results were organized around the two main topics of the assessment and treatment of perceptual dysfunctions. Methods: This scoping review followed the six-stage methodology suggested by Arksey and O'Malley. Ten electronic databases and grey literature were systematically searched. The PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews was used for reporting results. Two reviewers with different background, independently performed study screening and selection, and one author performed data extraction, that was checked by a second reviewer. Results: Thirty-seven studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The majority of studies (68%) concerned the assessment methodology, and the remaining 32% investigated the effects of therapeutic interventions. Research designs, methodologies adopted, and settings varied considerably across studies. Evidence of distorted body experience were found mainly for explicit somatoperception, especially in studies adopting self-administered questionnaire and subjective measures, highlighting in some cases the presence of sub-groups with different perceptual features. Almost half of the intervention studies (42%) provided therapeutic approaches combining more than one perceptual task, or sensory-motor tasks together with perceptual strategies, thus it was difficult to estimate the relative effectiveness of each single therapeutic component. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to systematically map and summarize this research area in the field of musculoskeletal disorders and rheumatic diseases. Although methodological limitations limit the validity of the evidence obtained, some strategies of assessment tested and therapeutic strategies proposed represent useful starting points for future research. This review highlights preliminary evidence, strengths, and limitations of the literature published about the research questions, identifying key points that remain opened to be addressed, and make suggestions for future research studies. Body representation, as well as pain perception and treatment, can be better understood if an enlarged perspective including body and space perception is considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonello Viceconti
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Savona, Italy
| | - Eleonora Maria Camerone
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Savona, Italy
| | - Deborah Luzzi
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Savona, Italy
| | - Debora Pentassuglia
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Savona, Italy
| | - Matteo Pardini
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy.,Policlinico S. Martino IRCCS, Genova, Italy
| | - Diego Ristori
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Savona, Italy
| | - Giacomo Rossettini
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Savona, Italy
| | - Alberto Gallace
- Neuromi, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Mind and Behavior Technological Center- Mibtec, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Matthew R Longo
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marco Testa
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genova, Savona, Italy
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11
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The Effect of a Virtual-Reality Full-Body Illusion on Body Representation in Obesity. J Clin Med 2019; 8:jcm8091330. [PMID: 31466376 PMCID: PMC6780081 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8091330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background. The effective illusory ownership over an artificial body in modulating body representations in healthy and eating disorders population has been repeatedly reported in recent literature. In this study, we extended this research in the field of obesity: specifically, we investigated whether ownership over a virtual body with a skinny abdomen might be successfully experienced by participants affected by obesity. Methods. Fifteen participants with obesity and fifteen healthy-weight participants took part at this study in which the VR-Full-Body Illusion was adopted. The strength of illusion was investigated through the traditional Embodiment Questionnaire, while changes in bodily experience were measured through a body size estimation task. Results. Participants with obesity as well as healthy-weight participants reported to experience the illusion. About the body size estimation task, both groups reported changes only in the estimation of the abdomen’s circumference after the experimental condition, in absence of any another difference. Discussion. Participants with obesity reported to experience the illusion over a skinny avatar, but the modulation of the bodily experience seems controversial. Future lines of research exploiting this technique for modulating body representations in obesity, specifically in terms of potential therapeutic use, were discussed.
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12
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Gadsby S. Manipulating body representations with virtual reality: Clinical implications for anorexia nervosa. PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/09515089.2019.1632425] [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: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Gadsby
- Cognition and Philosophy Lab, School of Philosophical, Historical, and International Studies, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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13
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Riva G, Gutiérrez-Maldonado J, Dakanalis A, Ferrer-García M. Virtual Reality in the Assessment and Treatment of Weight-Related Disorders. VIRTUAL REALITY FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL AND NEUROCOGNITIVE INTERVENTIONS 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9482-3_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
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14
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Serino S, Scarpina F, Dakanalis A, Keizer A, Pedroli E, Castelnuovo G, Chirico A, Catallo V, di Lernia D, Riva G. The Role of Age on Multisensory Bodily Experience: An Experimental Study with a Virtual Reality Full-Body Illusion. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2018; 21:304-310. [PMID: 29762066 PMCID: PMC5961744 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2017.0674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence demonstrated that it is feasible to induce ownership over an artificial body to alter bodily experience. However, several uncharted aspects about full-body illusion applications need to be tackled before a complete exploitation of these methods in clinical practice. This work is devoted to explore possible individual age-related differences in shaping changes in body representations induced with a full-body illusion. A total of 40 women were divided into two different age groups according to the median of the variable age. Participants estimated the width of three different body parts (i.e., shoulders, abdomen, and hips) before the entire illusion was induced (baseline), and after the synchronous and the asynchronous conditions. Results revealed that 26-to-55-year-old participants were more resistant to changes induced by the bodily illusion, whereas 19-to-25-year-old participants underestimated their bodies after both conditions. The findings were discussed in terms of the literature exploring age differences in responses to bodily illusion, which could suggest a Bayesian mechanism underlying these individual differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Serino
- 1 Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore , Milan, Italy .,2 Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano , Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Scarpina
- 3 Psychology Research Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano , Ospedale San Giuseppe, Piancavallo, Italy
| | - Antonios Dakanalis
- 4 Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia , Pavia, Italy .,5 Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca , Monza, Italy
| | - Anouk Keizer
- 6 Department of Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University , Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Elisa Pedroli
- 2 Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano , Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluca Castelnuovo
- 1 Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore , Milan, Italy .,3 Psychology Research Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano , Ospedale San Giuseppe, Piancavallo, Italy
| | - Alice Chirico
- 1 Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore , Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Catallo
- 2 Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano , Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele di Lernia
- 1 Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore , Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Riva
- 1 Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore , Milan, Italy .,2 Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano , Milan, Italy
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15
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Riva G, Wiederhold BK, Mantovani F. Neuroscience of Virtual Reality: From Virtual Exposure to Embodied Medicine. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2018; 22:82-96. [PMID: 30183347 PMCID: PMC6354552 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2017.29099.gri] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Is virtual reality (VR) already a reality in behavioral health? To answer this question, a meta-review was conducted to assess the meta-analyses and systematic and narrative reviews published in this field in the last twenty-two months. Twenty-five different articles demonstrated the clinical potential of this technology in both the diagnosis and the treatment of mental health disorders: VR compares favorably to existing treatments in anxiety disorders, eating and weight disorders, and pain management, with long-term effects that generalize to the real world. But why is VR so effective? Here, the following answer is suggested: VR shares with the brain the same basic mechanism: embodied simulations. According to neuroscience, to regulate and control the body in the world effectively, the brain creates an embodied simulation of the body in the world used to represent and predict actions, concepts, and emotions. VR works in a similar way: the VR experience tries to predict the sensory consequences of an individual's movements, providing to him/her the same scene he/she will see in the real world. To achieve this, the VR system, like the brain, maintains a model (simulation) of the body and the space around it. If the presence in the body is the outcome of different embodied simulations, concepts are embodied simulations, and VR is an embodied technology, this suggests a new clinical approach discussed in this article: the possibility of altering the experience of the body and facilitating cognitive modeling/change by designing targeted virtual environments able to simulate both the external and the internal world/body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Riva
- 1 Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.,2 Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | - Brenda K Wiederhold
- 3 Virtual Reality Medical Center, La Jolla, California.,4 Virtual Reality Medical Institute, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Fabrizia Mantovani
- 5 Department of Human Sciences for Education, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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16
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Preston C, Ehrsson HH. Implicit and explicit changes in body satisfaction evoked by body size illusions: Implications for eating disorder vulnerability in women. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199426. [PMID: 29928005 PMCID: PMC6013093 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dissatisfaction with one's body is a widespread issue in modern society and has been linked to vulnerability for developing eating disorders. Recent studies have demonstrated a direct relationship between body perception and body satisfaction by manipulating perceived body size using multisensory body illusions. However, how these body size illusions influence implicit affective experience has not previously been examined. The current experiment used an established full-body ownership illusion paradigm to induce feelings of illusory obesity in male and female participants. The effects of illusory obesity on explicit and implicit body satisfaction were measured in naïve participants across two separate experiments. In terms of explicit measures, owning an obese body decreased body satisfaction, and owning a slimmer body increased body satisfaction in females but not in males. However, implicit feelings regarding the body were only influenced by the synchrony of the touch and not the size of the body in the illusion. These results suggest that implicit and explicit affective experiences of the body may be mediated by different factors. In addition, these findings may have clinical implications because both implicit and explicit changes in affective experience of the body were related to behaviours and thoughts associated with disordered eating in a non-clinical sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Preston
- Psychology Department, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - H. Henrik Ehrsson
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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17
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Clus D, Larsen ME, Lemey C, Berrouiguet S. The Use of Virtual Reality in Patients with Eating Disorders: Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res 2018; 20:e157. [PMID: 29703715 PMCID: PMC5948410 DOI: 10.2196/jmir.7898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Patients with eating disorders are characterized by pathological eating habits and a tendency to overestimate their weight and body shape. Virtual reality shows promise for the evaluation and management of patients with eating disorders. This technology, when accepted by this population, allows immersion in virtual environments, assessment, and therapeutic approaches, by exposing users to high-calorie foods or changes in body shape. Objective To better understand the value of virtual reality, we conducted a review of the literature, including clinical studies proposing the use of virtual reality for the evaluation and management of patients with eating disorders. Methods We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science up to April 2017. We created the list of keywords based on two domains: virtual reality and eating disorders. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses to identify, select, and critically appraise relevant research while minimizing bias. Results The initial database searches identified 311 articles, 149 of which we removed as duplicates. We analyzed the resulting set of 26 unique studies that met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 8 studies were randomized controlled trials, 13 were nonrandomized studies, and 5 were clinical trials with only 1 participant. Most articles focused on clinical populations (19/26, 73%), with the remainder reporting case-control studies (7/26, 27%). Most of the studies used visual immersive equipment (16/26, 62%) with a head-mounted display (15/16, 94%). Two main areas of interest emerged from these studies: virtual work on patients’ body image (7/26, 27%) and exposure to virtual food stimuli (10/26, 38%). Conclusions We conducted a broad analysis of studies on the use of virtual reality in patients with eating disorders. This review of the literature showed that virtual reality is an acceptable and promising therapeutic tool for patients with eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Clus
- Department of Mental Health, University Hospital of Brest, Brest, France
| | - Mark Erik Larsen
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Christophe Lemey
- Department of Mental Health, University Hospital of Brest, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Brest, France
| | - Sofian Berrouiguet
- UMR CNRS 6285 Lab-STICC, Institut Mines Télécom Atlantique, Université Bretagne Loire F-29238 Brest, Brest, France.,EA 7479 Soins Primaires, Santé Publique et Registre des cancers de Bretagne Occidentale, Department of Mental Health, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Brest, France
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18
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Riva G, Dakanalis A. Altered Processing and Integration of Multisensory Bodily Representations and Signals in Eating Disorders: A Possible Path Toward the Understanding of Their Underlying Causes. Front Hum Neurosci 2018; 12:49. [PMID: 29483865 PMCID: PMC5816057 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM V) eating problems are the clinical core of eating disorders (EDs). However, the importance of shape and weight overvaluation symptoms in these disorders underlines the critical role of the experience of the body in the etiology of EDs. This article suggests that the transdiagnostic centrality of these symptoms in individuals with EDs may reflect a deficit in the processing and integration of multisensory bodily representations and signals. Multisensory body integration is a critical cognitive and perceptual process, allowing the individual to protect and extend her/his boundaries at both the homeostatic and psychological levels. To achieve this goal the brain integrates sensory data arriving from real-time multiple sensory modalities and internal bodily information with predictions made using the stored information about the body from conceptual, perceptual, and episodic memory. In this view the emotional, visual, tactile, proprioceptive and interoceptive deficits reported by many authors in individuals with EDs may reflect a broader impairment in multisensory body integration that affects the individual's abilities: (a) to identify the relevant interoceptive signals that predict potential pleasant (or aversive) consequences; and (b) to modify/correct the autobiographical allocentric (observer view) memories of body related events (self-objectified memories). Based on this view, the article also proposes a strategy, based on new technologies (i.e., virtual reality and brain/body stimulation), for using crossmodal associations to reactivate and correct the multisensory body integration processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Riva
- Centro Studi e Ricerche di Psicologia della Comunicazione, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
| | - Antonios Dakanalis
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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19
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Chirico A, Ferrise F, Cordella L, Gaggioli A. Designing Awe in Virtual Reality: An Experimental Study. Front Psychol 2018; 8:2351. [PMID: 29403409 PMCID: PMC5786556 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Awe is a little-studied emotion with a great transformative potential. Therefore, the interest toward the study of awe's underlying mechanisms has been increased. Specifically, researchers have been interested in how to reproduce intense feelings of awe within laboratory conditions. It has been proposed that the use of virtual reality (VR) could be an effective way to induce awe in controlled experimental settings, thanks to its ability of providing participants with a sense of "presence," that is, the subjective feeling of being displaced in another physical or imaginary place. However, the potential of VR as awe-inducing medium has not been fully tested yet. In the present study, we provided an evidence-based design and a validation of four immersive virtual environments (VEs) involving 36 participants in a within-subject design. Of these, three VEs were designed to induce awe, whereas the fourth VE was targeted as an emotionally neutral stimulus. Participants self-reported the extent to which they felt awe, general affect and sense of presence related to each environment. As expected, results showed that awe-VEs could induce significantly higher levels of awe and presence as compared to the neutral VE. Furthermore, these VEs induced significantly more positive than negative affect. These findings supported the potential of immersive VR for inducing awe and provide useful indications for the design of awe-inspiring virtual environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Chirico
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferrise
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Gaggioli
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
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20
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Riva G. The neuroscience of body memory: From the self through the space to the others. Cortex 2017; 104:241-260. [PMID: 28826604 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Our experience of the body is not direct; rather, it is mediated by perceptual information, influenced by internal information, and recalibrated through stored implicit and explicit body representation (body memory). This paper presents an overview of the current investigations related to body memory by bringing together recent studies from neuropsychology, neuroscience, and evolutionary and cognitive psychology. To do so, in the paper, I explore the origin of representations of human body to elucidate their developmental process and, in particular, their relationship with more explicit concepts of self. First, it is suggested that our bodily experience is constructed from early development through the continuous integration of sensory and cultural data from six different representations of the body, i.e., the Sentient Body (Minimal Selfhood), the Spatial Body (Self Location), the Active Body (Agency), the Personal Body (Whole Body Ownership - Me); the Objectified Body (Objectified Self - Mine), and the Social Body (Body Satisfaction - Ideal Me). Then, it is suggested that these six representations can be combined in a coherent supramodal representation, i.e. the "body matrix", through a predictive, multisensory processing activated by central, top-down, attentional processes. From an evolutionary perspective, the main goal of the body matrix is to allow the self to protect and extend its boundaries at both the homeostatic and psychological levels. From one perspective, the self extends its boundaries (peripersonal space) through the enactment and recognition of motor schemas. From another perspective, the body matrix, by defining the boundaries of the body, also defines where the self is present, i.e., in the body that is processed by the body matrix as the most likely to be its one, and in the space surrounding it. In the paper I also introduce and discuss the concept of "embodied medicine": the use of advanced technology for altering the body matrix with the goal of improving our health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Riva
- Centro Studi e Ricerche di Psicologia Della Comunicazione, Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy; Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.
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21
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Castelnuovo G, Pietrabissa G, Manzoni GM, Cattivelli R, Rossi A, Novelli M, Varallo G, Molinari E. Cognitive behavioral therapy to aid weight loss in obese patients: current perspectives. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2017; 10:165-173. [PMID: 28652832 PMCID: PMC5476722 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s113278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a chronic condition associated with risk factors for many medical complications and comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases, some types of cancer, osteoarthritis, hypertension, dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, type-2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, and different psychosocial issues and psychopathological disorders. Obesity is a highly complex, multifactorial disease: genetic, biological, psychological, behavioral, familial, social, cultural, and environmental factors can influence in different ways. Evidence-based strategies to improve weight loss, maintain a healthy weight, and reduce related comorbidities typically integrate different interventions: dietetic, nutritional, physical, behavioral, psychological, and if necessary, pharmacological and surgical ones. Such treatments are implemented in a multidisciplinary context with a clinical team composed of endocrinologists, nutritionists, dietitians, physiotherapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and sometimes surgeons. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is traditionally recognized as the best established treatment for binge eating disorder and the most preferred intervention for obesity, and could be considered as the first-line treatment among psychological approaches, especially in a long-term perspective; however, it does not necessarily produce a successful weight loss. Traditional CBT for weight loss and other protocols, such as enhanced CBT, enhanced focused CBT, behavioral weight loss treatment, therapeutic education, acceptance and commitment therapy, and sequential binge, are discussed in this review. The issue of long-term weight management of obesity, the real challenge in outpatient settings and in lifestyle modification, is discussed taking into account the possible contribution of mHealth and the stepped-care approach in health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Castelnuovo
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, San Giuseppe Hospital, Verbania
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan
| | - Giada Pietrabissa
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, San Giuseppe Hospital, Verbania
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan
| | - Gian Mauro Manzoni
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, San Giuseppe Hospital, Verbania
- Faculty of Psychology, eCampus University, Novedrate, Italy
| | - Roberto Cattivelli
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, San Giuseppe Hospital, Verbania
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan
| | - Alessandro Rossi
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, San Giuseppe Hospital, Verbania
| | - Margherita Novelli
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, San Giuseppe Hospital, Verbania
| | - Giorgia Varallo
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, San Giuseppe Hospital, Verbania
| | - Enrico Molinari
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, San Giuseppe Hospital, Verbania
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan
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22
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Dakanalis A, Manzoni GM, Castelnuovo G, Riva G, Clerici M. Towards novel paradigms for treating dysfunctional bodily experience in eating disorders. Eat Weight Disord 2017; 22:373-375. [PMID: 28271458 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-017-0361-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Antonios Dakanalis
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, 20900, Monza, Italy. .,Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Gian Mauro Manzoni
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Ospedale San Giuseppe, IRCSS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Verbania, Italy.,Faculty of Psychology, eCampus University, Novedrate, Como, Italy
| | - Gianluca Castelnuovo
- Psychology Research Laboratory, Ospedale San Giuseppe, IRCSS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Verbania, Italy.,Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Riva
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Laboratory, IRCSS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Clerici
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, 20900, Monza, Italy
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23
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Riva G, Serino S, Di Lernia D, Pavone EF, Dakanalis A. Embodied Medicine: Mens Sana in Corpore Virtuale Sano. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:120. [PMID: 28360849 PMCID: PMC5352908 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Progress in medical science and technology drastically improved physicians’ ability to interact with patient’s physical body. Nevertheless, medicine still addresses the human body from a Hippocratic point of view, considering the organism and its processes just as a matter of mechanics and fluids. However, the interaction between the cognitive neuroscience of bodily self-consciousness (BSC), fundamentally rooted in the integration of multisensory bodily inputs, with virtual reality (VR), haptic technologies and robotics is giving a new meaning to the classic Juvenal’s latin dictum “Mens sana in corpore sano” (a healthy mind in a healthy body). This vision provides the basis for a new research field, “Embodied Medicine”: the use of advanced technologies for altering the experience of being in a body with the goal of improving health and well-being. Up to now, most of the research efforts in the field have been focused upon how external bodily information is processed and integrated. Despite the important results, we believe that existing bodily illusions still need to be improved to enhance their capability to effectively correct pathological dysfunctions. First, they do not follow the suggestions provided by the free-energy and predictive coding approaches. More, they lacked to consider a peculiar feature of the human body, the multisensory integration of internal inputs (interoceptive, proprioceptive and vestibular) that constitute our inner body dimension. So, a future challenge is the integration of simulation/stimulation technologies also able to measure and modulate this internal/inner experience of the body. Finally, we also proposed the concept of “Sonoception” as an extension of this approach. The core idea is to exploit recent technological advances in the acoustic field to use sound and vibrations to modify the internal/inner body experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Riva
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreMilan, Italy; Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico ItalianoMilan, Italy
| | - Silvia Serino
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreMilan, Italy; Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico ItalianoMilan, Italy
| | - Daniele Di Lernia
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Milan, Italy
| | - Enea Francesco Pavone
- Fondazione Santa Lucia, Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere ScientificoRome, Italy; Braintrends Ltd, Applied NeuroscienceRome, Italy
| | - Antonios Dakanalis
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of PaviaPavia, Italy; Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-BicoccaMilan, Italy
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24
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Serino S, Dakanalis A. Bodily illusions and weight-related disorders: Clinical insights from experimental research. Ann Phys Rehabil Med 2016; 60:217-219. [PMID: 27887907 DOI: 10.1016/j.rehab.2016.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Revised: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Serino
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Department of Psychology, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20100 Milan, Italy; IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, Via Magnasco, 2, 20149 Milan, Italy.
| | - Antonios Dakanalis
- University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza, Italy; University of Pavia, Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, Piazza Botta, 6, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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25
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Riva G, Baños RM, Botella C, Mantovani F, Gaggioli A. Transforming Experience: The Potential of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality for Enhancing Personal and Clinical Change. Front Psychiatry 2016; 7:164. [PMID: 27746747 PMCID: PMC5043228 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
During life, many personal changes occur. These include changing house, school, work, and even friends and partners. However, the daily experience shows clearly that, in some situations, subjects are unable to change even if they want to. The recent advances in psychology and neuroscience are now providing a better view of personal change, the change affecting our assumptive world: (a) the focus of personal change is reducing the distance between self and reality (conflict); (b) this reduction is achieved through (1) an intense focus on the particular experience creating the conflict or (2) an internal or external reorganization of this experience; (c) personal change requires a progression through a series of different stages that however happen in discontinuous and non-linear ways; and (d) clinical psychology is often used to facilitate personal change when subjects are unable to move forward. Starting from these premises, the aim of this paper is to review the potential of virtuality for enhancing the processes of personal and clinical change. First, the paper focuses on the two leading virtual technologies - augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) - exploring their current uses in behavioral health and the outcomes of the 28 available systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Then the paper discusses the added value provided by VR and AR in transforming our external experience by focusing on the high level of personal efficacy and self-reflectiveness generated by their sense of presence and emotional engagement. Finally, it outlines the potential future use of virtuality for transforming our inner experience by structuring, altering, and/or replacing our bodily self-consciousness. The final outcome may be a new generation of transformative experiences that provide knowledge that is epistemically inaccessible to the individual until he or she has that experience, while at the same time transforming the individual's worldview.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Riva
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy; Centro Studi e Ricerche di Psicologia della Comunicazione, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, Italy
| | - Rosa M Baños
- Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Instituto Salud Carlos III, Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Madrid, Spain; Red de Excelencia PROMOSAM, Mineco, Spain
| | - Cristina Botella
- Instituto Salud Carlos III, Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Madrid, Spain; Red de Excelencia PROMOSAM, Mineco, Spain; Universitat Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - Fabrizia Mantovani
- Università degli Studi Milano Bicocca, Dipartimento di Scienze Umane per la Formazione "Riccardo Massa" , Milan , Italy
| | - Andrea Gaggioli
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Laboratory, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy; Centro Studi e Ricerche di Psicologia della Comunicazione, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, Italy
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