Signaling of Kinesthetic Information by Peripheral Sensory Receptors

Burgess, P. R.; Wei, Jiann-Wu; Clark, F. J.; Simón, José Luis Múñoz de Baena y

doi:10.1146/annurev.ne.05.030182.001131

Cited by 238 publications

(98 citation statements)

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“…Together with efferent signals from the motor system specifying movements, these describe the configuration of the body in terms of the degree of flexion or extension of each joint (Burgess, Wei, Clark, & Simon, 1982). There is, however, no afferent signal, or combination of afferent signals, analogous to a global-positioning system (GPS) signal, specifying the absolute location of body parts in external space.…”

Section: Proprioceptive Localisation Of Body Parts In External Spacementioning

confidence: 99%

More than skin deep: Body representation beyond primary somatosensory cortex

2010

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The neural circuits underlying initial sensory processing of somatic information are relatively well understood. In contrast, the processes that go beyond primary somatosensation to create more abstract representations related to the body are less clear. In this review, we focus on two classes of higher-order processing beyond somatosensation. Somatoperception refers to the process of perceiving the body itself, and particularly of ensuring somatic perceptual constancy.We review three key elements of somatoperception: (a) remapping information from the body surface into an egocentric reference frame (b) exteroceptive perception of objects in the external world through their contact with the body and (c) interoceptive percepts about the nature and state of the body itself. Somatorepresentation, in contrast, refers to the essentially cognitive process of constructing semantic knowledge and attitudes about the body, including: (d) lexicalsemantic knowledge about bodies generally and one's own body specifically, (e) configural knowledge about the structure of bodies, (f) emotions and attitudes directed towards one's own body, and (g) the link between physical body and psychological self. We review a wide range of neuropsychological, neuroimaging and neurophysiological data to explore the dissociation between these different aspects of higher somatosensory function.Body Beyond SI 3

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Section: Proprioceptive Localisation Of Body Parts In External Spacementioning

confidence: 99%

More than skin deep: Body representation beyond primary somatosensory cortex

2010

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“…Together with efferent copies of motor comments, these signals provide a specification of the postural configuration of the body (Burgess, Wei, Clark, & Simon, 1982).…”

Section: Position Sensementioning

confidence: 99%

Implicit and Explicit Body Representations

Longo

2015

European Psychologist

128

127

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Several forms of perception require that sensory information be referenced to representations of the size and shape of the body. This requirement is especially acute in somatosensation in which the main receptor surface (i.e., the skin) is itself coextensive with the body. In this paper I will review recent research investigating the body representations underlying somatosensory information processing, including abilities such as tactile localisation, tactile size perception, and position sense. These representations show remarkably large and stereotyped distortions of represented body size and shape. Intriguingly, these distortions appear to mirror distortions characteristic of somatosensory maps, though in attenuated form.In contrast, when asked to make overt judgments about perceived body form, participants are generally quite accurate. This pattern of results suggests that higher-level somatosensory processing relies on a class of implicit body representation, distinct from the conscious body image. I discuss the implications of these results for understanding the nature of body representation and the factors which influence it. Implicit Body Representations 3Our body is ubiquitous in perceptual experience, and is central to our sense of self and personal identity. As William James (1890) observed, our body is not ours, it is us. Thus, how we mentally represent our body has profound implications for our sense of identity, selfesteem, and overall mental health. Indeed, disordered body representation is central to several serious and debilitating diseases, including eating disorders (Treasure, Claudino, & Zucker, 2010), body dysmorphic disorder (Phillips, Didie, Feusner, & Wilhelm, 2008), and phantom limb pain (Flor, Nikolajsen, & Staehelin Jensen, 2006).The subjective, conscious experience of embodiment, however, is only one way in which the brain represents the body. Many forms of perception also require referencing to representations of the body, such as its size and shape. The use of binocular vision for depth perception, for example, requires that information about the spacing between the eyes be known (Banks, 1988). Similarly, the use of temporal differences in when sounds reach the two ears for auditory localisation requires that the distance between the ears be known (Aslin, Pisoni, & Jusczyk, 1983;Clifton et al., 1988). Other studies have shown that other types of body representations inform perception, such as eye-height which affects the perceived passability of doorways (Warren & Whang, 1987), hand size which affects the perceived size of seen objects (Linkenauger, Ramenzoni, & Proffitt, 2010), and arm length which affects the extent of the 'near space' immediately surrounding the body (Longo & Lourenco, 2007).While information about the body is used in perceptual modalities like vision and audition, it is for the most part secondary. In somatosensation, in contrast, representations of the body are central, since the primary receptor surface -the skin -is physically co-extensive with the bo...

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“…Proprioceptive signals from afferents in muscles, joints, and skin provide information about joint flexion or extension (1,2), contributing to a representation of body posture, the postural schema (3). To perceive the absolute position of body parts in external space, however, this postural information must be combined with information about the size and shape of the body segments connecting the joints (4)(5)(6)(7)(8) (Fig.…”

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confidence: 99%

An implicit body representation underlying human position sense

Longo

Haggard

2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

322

378

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Knowing the body's location in external space is a fundamental perceptual task. Perceiving the location of body parts through proprioception requires that information about the angles of each joint (i.e., body posture) be combined with information about the size and shape of the body segments between joints. Although information about body posture is specified by on-line afferent signals, no sensory signals are directly informative about body size and shape. Thus, human position sense must refer to a stored body model of the body's metric properties, such as body part size and shape. The need for such a model has long been recognized; however, the properties of this model have never been systematically investigated. We developed a technique to isolate and measure this body model. Participants judged the location in external space of 10 landmarks on the hand. By analyzing the internal configuration of the locations of these points, we produced implicit maps of the mental representation of hand size and shape. We show that this part of the body model is massively distorted, in a reliable and characteristic fashion, featuring shortened fingers and broadened hands. Intriguingly, these distortions appear to retain several characteristics of primary somatosensory representations, such as the Penfield homunculus.body image | proprioception | postural schema | body representation P erceiving the body's location in external space is essential for interacting with our environment and for constructing a coherent sense of self. Proprioceptive signals from afferents in muscles, joints, and skin provide information about joint flexion or extension (1, 2), contributing to a representation of body posture, the postural schema (3). To perceive the absolute position of body parts in external space, however, this postural information must be combined with information about the size and shape of the body segments connecting the joints (4-8) (Fig. 1A). No sensory signal, however, directly informs the brain about the metric properties of body parts. Thus, localization of the body in external space requires that on-line afferent signals specifying joint angles be informed by a stored body model. Although several researchers have identified the need for such a body model (4,6,8), no attempt has been made to measure this model, and its properties are unknown. Here, we systematically investigate the body model mediating position sense of the human hand, showing that it is massively distorted, and appears to retain distortions characteristic of the somatosensory homunculus.The essential contribution of the body model to position sense is specifying the relative locations of body parts. The overall "localization error" for a single landmark (i.e., the distance between actual and judged locations) depends on several factors. In contrast, the distance between the judged locations of two adjacent landmarks (e.g., the tip and knuckle of a single finger) depends only on the represented length of the body segment connecting them. Other sources o...

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Signaling of Kinesthetic Information by Peripheral Sensory Receptors

Cited by 238 publications

References 25 publications

More than skin deep: Body representation beyond primary somatosensory cortex

More than skin deep: Body representation beyond primary somatosensory cortex

Implicit and Explicit Body Representations

An implicit body representation underlying human position sense

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