The Bodily Self in Neurotypical and Neurodiverse Populations

The Bodily Self in Neurotypical and Neurodiverse Populations

🎙 Rebecca Böhme 👥 284 📅 November 10, 2025 ⏱ 41 min 👁 21 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-08-16
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

bodily selfinteroceptionself-other distinctiontouchneurodiversity

Summary

In this keynote, Prof. Rebecca Böhme explores the bodily self in neurotypical and neurodiverse populations, focusing on the role of touch and interoception. She begins by defining the self as a hierarchical structure with the bodily self at its foundation, emphasizing that the bodily self is inherently social, as self-other distinction develops through touch in utero. She presents fMRI studies showing that self-touch leads to widespread deactivation in the brain, including the spinal cord, while other-touch activates regions like the insula and temporoparietal junction. This difference correlates with self-concept clarity. Pharmacological alteration with ketamine reduces this neural distinction and is associated with dissociation. In schizophrenia, patients show reduced self-other distinction, with less attenuation of self-touch and impaired interoception, correlating with symptom severity. She also mentions preliminary findings in ADHD, autism, and anorexia, where atypical touch sensitivity is common. The talk concludes that the bodily self is a fundamental, embodied process that is altered in various psychiatric conditions, suggesting a common mechanism.

161 words

Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The talk provides valuable insights into the neural basis of the bodily self, integrating multiple experimental approaches (fMRI, EEG, spinal cord imaging, psychophysics) and linking low-level tactile processing to higher-order self-representation. The argumentation is solid, building from basic neuroscience to clinical applications, and is supported by published studies. The speaker acknowledges limitations, such as correlational findings and the need for further research, which enhances credibility.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The talk demonstrates scientific rigor, referencing peer-reviewed studies, including a recent paper in Nature Neuropsychopharmacology. The sources are appropriately cited, and the title accurately reflects the content. The speaker’s expertise and the inclusion of both neurotypical and neurodiverse populations strengthen the scientific quality. However, as a keynote, some details are simplified, and not all claims are fully referenced in the talk itself.

142 words

Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, which explores the bodily self across neurotypical and neurodiverse populations.

Quality & Reliability

8/10

The talk is based on peer-reviewed research, including studies published in Nature Neuropsychopharmacology, and presents data from fMRI, EEG, and behavioral experiments. The speaker is a recognized expert in the field. However, as a keynote presentation, it lacks detailed methodological descriptions and full data transparency.

Key Moments

Cited Sources

Concurring Sources

  • Nature paper — Supports the findings on touch and self-processing.

Contribution & Novelties

The talk synthesizes existing research and presents novel findings on the neural basis of self-other distinction in touch, particularly in neurodiverse populations. It highlights the role of spinal cord processing and the potential of self-touch as a model for understanding the bodily self. The integration of multiple methodologies and clinical populations provides a comprehensive view.

Pour aller plus loin :

  • Interoception — Foundational concept for understanding bodily self-awareness.
  • Efference copy — Theoretical mechanism underlying sensory prediction.
  • Self-other distinction — Key concept in social cognition and psychopathology.

86 words

Radar Profile

The radar profile shows high scores in information quantity, quality, and reliability, with a slightly lower technical level, reflecting the accessible yet scientifically rigorous nature of the talk.

Reliability 8/10