Cited by 63Schizophrenia research and treatmentMental Health and PsychiatryHallucinations in medical conditions

Anomalous bodily experiences and perceived social isolation in schizophrenia: An extension of the Social Deafferentation Hypothesis

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Michael, Jamie, Park, Sohee·2016·Schizophrenia Research

Abstract

Background Disturbances of the bodily self are fundamental to the phenomenological experience of individuals with schizophrenia, a population at risk for social isolation. Both proprioception and exteroception contribute to a sense of consistent body boundary that contains the self across time and space, and this process is influenced by self-other (social) interactions. However, the relationship between social isolation, exteroception, and in-the-moment changes in body representation has not been elucidated. We investigated susceptibility to anomalous bodily experiences with a phantom nose induction procedure that elicits a sensation that one's nose is changing (Pinocchio Illusion: PI) in relation to exteroceptive awareness and social isolation.Methods 25 individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) and 15 matched controls (CO) participated in a PI induction procedure to quantify susceptibility to bodily aberrations and a tactile discrimination task to assess exteroception. Clinical symptoms in SZ and schizotypy in CO were assessed, in addition to a self-report measure of perceived social isolation.Results Compared to CO, SZ showed increased PI and impaired tactile discriminability. SZ reported greater loneliness than CO. PI scores were correlated with increased loneliness and decreased tactile discriminability.Conclusions Greater susceptibility to anomalous bodily experiences, together with reduced exteroceptive awareness and increased loneliness, is compatible with the framework of Hoffman's Social Deafferentation Hypothesis, which posits that a functional "amputation" from one's social environment could lead to a reorganization of the social brain network, resulting in hallucinations and delusions. These findings underscore the importance of the relationship between social isolation and self-disturbances in schizophrenia.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.schres.2016.06.013

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Authors
Michael, J., & Park, S.
Affiliations
Vanderbilt University (US)
Corresponding author
Park, Sohee
Venue
Schizophrenia Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-10
Volume
176
Issue
2-3
Pages
392-397
ISSN
0920-9964 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2460489516
Cited by
63
References
66
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2
FWCI
4.44
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Schizophrenia Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH073028)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Mental Health and Psychiatry
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Hallucinations in medical conditions
Keywords
schizophrenia, social isolation
MeSH terms
Adult, Awareness, Body Image, Discrimination, Psychological, Female, Humans, Male, Perception, Proprioception, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Schizophrenia, Schizophrenic Psychology, Schizotypal Personality Disorder, Social Isolation, Touch, Self Report

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