Multisensory Integration, Bodily Self-Consciousness and disorders of the immune system

Abstract

The ability of the brain in synthesizing information from cross-modal stimuli (i.e. Multisensory Integration), is highly adaptive and fundamental for our Bodily Self-Consciousness (the feeling that the body belongs to us). Despite their role, Multisensory Integration and Bodily Self-Consciousness are variable across individuals. Considering the role of immune molecules in the Central Nervous System development and normal activity, we predicted that the immune system functioning can account, at least in part, for this variability. In a series of experiments, we investigated Multisensory Integration and Bodily Self-Consciousness in subjects affected by dysregulations of the Immune System. In a first study, we tested the ability of Multisensory Integration in allergic patients using a Simultaneity Judgment task. Results show that the range of time in which cross-modal stimuli are likely to be perceived as concurrent (i.e. Temporal Binding Window), is narrower in allergic patients as compared to healthy controls. In line with these results, we found that the Rubber hand illusion, an experimental quantification of Bodily Self-Consciousness, is altered in subjects suffering from Allergic Disease as compared to healthy controls. We proposed a biochemical mechanism accounting for the dependency of Multisensory Integration and Bodily Self-Consciousness upon the Immune System. Our finding has direct implications for a range of neurological, psychiatric and immunological conditions where Multisensory Integration, Bodily-Self Consciousness deficits and alterations of the immune system functioning co-exist.