The contribution of cutaneous thermal signals to bodily self-awareness
Abstract Thermosensory signals may contribute to the sense of body ownership, but their role remains highly debated. We test this assumption within the framework of pathological body ownership, hypothesising that skin temperature and thermoception differ between right-hemisphere stroke patients with...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-55829-7 |
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| author | Gerardo Salvato Paul Mark Jenkinson Manuela Sellitto Damiano Crivelli Francesco Crottini Teresa Fazia Silvia Amaryllis Claudia Squarza Mariangela Piano Maria Sessa Martina Gandola Aikaterini Fotopoulou Gabriella Bottini |
| author_facet | Gerardo Salvato Paul Mark Jenkinson Manuela Sellitto Damiano Crivelli Francesco Crottini Teresa Fazia Silvia Amaryllis Claudia Squarza Mariangela Piano Maria Sessa Martina Gandola Aikaterini Fotopoulou Gabriella Bottini |
| author_sort | Gerardo Salvato |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Thermosensory signals may contribute to the sense of body ownership, but their role remains highly debated. We test this assumption within the framework of pathological body ownership, hypothesising that skin temperature and thermoception differ between right-hemisphere stroke patients with and without Disturbed Sensation of Ownership (DSO) for the contralesional plegic upper limb. Patients with DSO exhibit lower basal hand temperatures bilaterally and impaired perception of cold and warm stimuli. Lesion mapping reveals associations in the right Rolandic Operculum and Insula, with these regions linked to lower skin temperature located posterior to those associated with thermoception deficits. Disconnections in bilateral parietal regions are associated with lower hand temperature, while disconnections in a right-lateralized thalamus-parietal hub correlate with thermoception deficits. We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings in the context of the ongoing debate on the role of homeostatic signals in shaping a coherent sense of body ownership. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-66872ee8bcbc43f8ae61a9ba26a37fbc |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-66872ee8bcbc43f8ae61a9ba26a37fbc2025-01-12T12:30:39ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111510.1038/s41467-025-55829-7The contribution of cutaneous thermal signals to bodily self-awarenessGerardo Salvato0Paul Mark Jenkinson1Manuela Sellitto2Damiano Crivelli3Francesco Crottini4Teresa Fazia5Silvia Amaryllis Claudia Squarza6Mariangela Piano7Maria Sessa8Martina Gandola9Aikaterini Fotopoulou10Gabriella Bottini11Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of PaviaFaculty of Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy, The Cairnmillar InstituteDepartment of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of PaviaNeuroMi, Milan Center for NeuroscienceNeuroMi, Milan Center for NeuroscienceDepartment of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of PaviaNeuroradiology Unit, ASST “Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda”Neuroradiology Unit, ASST “Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda”Neurology and Stroke Unit, ASST “Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda”Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of PaviaClinical, Educational and Health Psychology Research Department, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College LondonDepartment of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of PaviaAbstract Thermosensory signals may contribute to the sense of body ownership, but their role remains highly debated. We test this assumption within the framework of pathological body ownership, hypothesising that skin temperature and thermoception differ between right-hemisphere stroke patients with and without Disturbed Sensation of Ownership (DSO) for the contralesional plegic upper limb. Patients with DSO exhibit lower basal hand temperatures bilaterally and impaired perception of cold and warm stimuli. Lesion mapping reveals associations in the right Rolandic Operculum and Insula, with these regions linked to lower skin temperature located posterior to those associated with thermoception deficits. Disconnections in bilateral parietal regions are associated with lower hand temperature, while disconnections in a right-lateralized thalamus-parietal hub correlate with thermoception deficits. We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings in the context of the ongoing debate on the role of homeostatic signals in shaping a coherent sense of body ownership.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-55829-7 |
| spellingShingle | Gerardo Salvato Paul Mark Jenkinson Manuela Sellitto Damiano Crivelli Francesco Crottini Teresa Fazia Silvia Amaryllis Claudia Squarza Mariangela Piano Maria Sessa Martina Gandola Aikaterini Fotopoulou Gabriella Bottini The contribution of cutaneous thermal signals to bodily self-awareness Nature Communications |
| title | The contribution of cutaneous thermal signals to bodily self-awareness |
| title_full | The contribution of cutaneous thermal signals to bodily self-awareness |
| title_fullStr | The contribution of cutaneous thermal signals to bodily self-awareness |
| title_full_unstemmed | The contribution of cutaneous thermal signals to bodily self-awareness |
| title_short | The contribution of cutaneous thermal signals to bodily self-awareness |
| title_sort | contribution of cutaneous thermal signals to bodily self awareness |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-55829-7 |
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