Illusory Reduplication of One's Own Body: Phenomenology and Classification of Autoscopic Phenomena

Abstract

the self. 10 The investigation of out of body experiences and related mechanisms at the temporo-parietal junction might thus allow us to improve our neuroscientific models of self and corporeal awareness. Although many other cortical areas are involved in self processing, recent neuroimaging studies indicate a key role for the temporo-parietal junction. This is not only true for out of body experiences but also for many aspects of body and self processing, such as the integration of multisensory bodily information, the visual perception of the body, the perception of biological motion, and the distinction between self and other. 3 11 12 The experimental investigations of these multi-sensory and cognitive mechanisms in out of body experiences and related illusions, in combination with neuroimaging and behavioural techniques, will further our understanding of the central mechanisms of self and corporeal awareness-much as previous research was successful with respect to understanding the central mechanisms of phantom limbs. 9

The timing of temporoparietal and frontal activations during mental own body transformations from different visuospatial perspectives

“…Interestingly, data from neurological patients with OBEs show that in most instances of such disembodiment an elevated perspective is experienced visually, whereas a lowered or eye-level perspective is only reported in extremely rare cases Blanke et al, 2004;Brugger et al, 1997;Devinsky et al, 1989]. Based on these data, we hypothesize a preference for an elevated perspective in certain disembodied conditions (like neurological OBEs or disembodied mental imagery) that is open to experimental control and can be characterized using electrical neuroimaging.…”

“…Second, we were in particular interested in the effects of an elevated perspective on brain activity in such transformations. Reports of spontaneous OBEs Blanke et al, 2004;Brugger et al, 1997;Devinsky et al, 1989] suggest a preference for an elevated perspective in disembodied mental states. Thus we tested if this preference expands to OBT which mentally mimic such states.…”

Bodily ownership and self-location: Components of bodily self-consciousness

“…case 6: ''I could see my body in the bed''; case 5: ''she then looked down and saw her body''; case 8: ''drifting outside my body''). Another striking clinical example of dissociation between self-location and ownership is heautoscopy, during which patients experience seeing a double of themselves in the extrapersonal space Blanke et al, 2004;Brugger, Blanke, Regard, Bradford, & Landis, 2006;Brugger, Regard, & Landis, 1997). Most patients report a strong self-identification and affinity with the seen body while their sense of self-location is strongly disturbed (Heydrich & Blanke, 2013).…”

Clonal pluralization, as an interpretative delusion after a hallucinatory form of autoscopy

“…Additionally, in order to differentiate reduplicative paramnesia and autoscopic experience, we should bear in mind that in reduplicative paramnesia there is a co-existence of the double; the patient does not see the double, nor experience the double simultaneously in the same space as himself. In autoscopic phenomenon the double is mainly seen or felt, while in RP the double is claimed or assumed 13 . Finally, there is a major difference between clonal pluralization of the Self following a hallucinatory form of autoscopic experience (presented in our case) and the delusional form of autoscopy.…”

“…Concerning the complex psychopathology of the 'double' phenomenon, autoscopy should be mentioned, which is mainly defined as a perceptional disturbance, involving the boundaries of the Self [11][12][13] . During autoscopic experience subjects see an image of themselves in the external space, which is viewed from within their own physical body.…”