title: Multisensory body representation in autoimmune diseases.
abstract: Body representation has been linked to the processing and integration of multisensory signals. An outstanding example of the pivotal role played by multisensory mechanisms in body representation is the Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI). In this paradigm, multisensory stimulation induces a sense of ownership over a fake limb. Previous work has shown high interindividual differences in the susceptibility to the RHI. The origin of this variability remains largely unknown. Given the tight and bidirectional communication between the brain and the immune system, we predicted that the origin of this variability could be traced, in part, to the immune system's functioning, which is altered by several clinical conditions, including Coeliac Disease (CD). Consistent with this prediction, we found that the Rubber Hand Illusion is stronger in CD patients as compared to healthy controls. We propose a biochemical mechanism accounting for the dependency of multisensory body representation upon the Immune system. Our finding has direct implications for a range of neurological, psychiatric and immunological conditions where alterations of multisensory integration, body representation and dysfunction of the immune system co-exist.
authors: Laboratory of Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy &Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies - ITAB, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy.
authors: Gianluca
authors: G
authors: Finotti
authors: Laboratory of Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy &Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies - ITAB, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy.|Centre for Brain Science, Department of Psychology, University of Essex, UK.
authors: Marcello
authors: M
authors: Costantini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans