The Body across the Lifespan: On the Relation between Interoceptive Sensibility and High-Order Body Representations
Background: Interoceptive information plays a pivotal role in building higher-order cognitive body representations (BR) that neuropsychological and neuroimaging evidence classifies as action-oriented (i.e., body schema) or non-action-oriented (i.e., visuo-spatial body map). This study aimed to explo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/4/493 |
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| author | Simona Raimo Antonella Di Vita Maddalena Boccia Teresa Iona Maria Cropano Mariachiara Gaita Cecilia Guariglia Dario Grossi Liana Palermo |
| author_facet | Simona Raimo Antonella Di Vita Maddalena Boccia Teresa Iona Maria Cropano Mariachiara Gaita Cecilia Guariglia Dario Grossi Liana Palermo |
| author_sort | Simona Raimo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Interoceptive information plays a pivotal role in building higher-order cognitive body representations (BR) that neuropsychological and neuroimaging evidence classifies as action-oriented (i.e., body schema) or non-action-oriented (i.e., visuo-spatial body map). This study aimed to explore the development of BR, considering the association with the interoceptive sensibility throughout the lifespan. Methods: Two hundred thirty-nine healthy participants divided into five age groups (7 to 8 years; 9 to 10 years; 18 to 40 years; 41 to 60 years; over 60 years) completed a self-report measure of interoceptive sensibility (the Self-Awareness Questionnaire; SAQ) and were given tasks assessing the two BR (action-oriented: hand laterality task; non-action-oriented: frontal body evocation task). Results: Both children (7–8 and 9–10 years) and older adults (over 60 years) performed worse than young (18–40 years) and middle-aged adults (41–60 years) in action- and non-action-oriented BR tasks. Moderation analyses showed that the SAQ score significantly moderated the relationship between age and action-oriented BR. Conclusions: The current results are consistent with inverted U-shaped developmental curves for action- and non-action-oriented BR. As an innovative aspect, the ability to mentally represent one’s own body parts in diverse states could be negatively affected by higher interoceptive sensibility levels in childhood and late adulthood. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:21:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-380d370a04cc4f9794d56f034f52acdd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:21:00Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-380d370a04cc4f9794d56f034f52acdd2023-11-21T15:26:17ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252021-04-0111449310.3390/brainsci11040493The Body across the Lifespan: On the Relation between Interoceptive Sensibility and High-Order Body RepresentationsSimona Raimo0Antonella Di Vita1Maddalena Boccia2Teresa Iona3Maria Cropano4Mariachiara Gaita5Cecilia Guariglia6Dario Grossi7Liana Palermo8Department of Psychology, University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, 81100 Caserta, ItalyDepartment of Human Neuroscience, ‘Sapienza’ University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University ‘Magna Graecia’ of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, 81100 Caserta, ItalyDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University ‘Magna Graecia’ of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, 81100 Caserta, ItalyDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University ‘Magna Graecia’ of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyBackground: Interoceptive information plays a pivotal role in building higher-order cognitive body representations (BR) that neuropsychological and neuroimaging evidence classifies as action-oriented (i.e., body schema) or non-action-oriented (i.e., visuo-spatial body map). This study aimed to explore the development of BR, considering the association with the interoceptive sensibility throughout the lifespan. Methods: Two hundred thirty-nine healthy participants divided into five age groups (7 to 8 years; 9 to 10 years; 18 to 40 years; 41 to 60 years; over 60 years) completed a self-report measure of interoceptive sensibility (the Self-Awareness Questionnaire; SAQ) and were given tasks assessing the two BR (action-oriented: hand laterality task; non-action-oriented: frontal body evocation task). Results: Both children (7–8 and 9–10 years) and older adults (over 60 years) performed worse than young (18–40 years) and middle-aged adults (41–60 years) in action- and non-action-oriented BR tasks. Moderation analyses showed that the SAQ score significantly moderated the relationship between age and action-oriented BR. Conclusions: The current results are consistent with inverted U-shaped developmental curves for action- and non-action-oriented BR. As an innovative aspect, the ability to mentally represent one’s own body parts in diverse states could be negatively affected by higher interoceptive sensibility levels in childhood and late adulthood.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/4/493body representationbody schemabody structural representationinteroceptive sensibilitylife spanchildhood |
| spellingShingle | Simona Raimo Antonella Di Vita Maddalena Boccia Teresa Iona Maria Cropano Mariachiara Gaita Cecilia Guariglia Dario Grossi Liana Palermo The Body across the Lifespan: On the Relation between Interoceptive Sensibility and High-Order Body Representations Brain Sciences body representation body schema body structural representation interoceptive sensibility life span childhood |
| title | The Body across the Lifespan: On the Relation between Interoceptive Sensibility and High-Order Body Representations |
| title_full | The Body across the Lifespan: On the Relation between Interoceptive Sensibility and High-Order Body Representations |
| title_fullStr | The Body across the Lifespan: On the Relation between Interoceptive Sensibility and High-Order Body Representations |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Body across the Lifespan: On the Relation between Interoceptive Sensibility and High-Order Body Representations |
| title_short | The Body across the Lifespan: On the Relation between Interoceptive Sensibility and High-Order Body Representations |
| title_sort | body across the lifespan on the relation between interoceptive sensibility and high order body representations |
| topic | body representation body schema body structural representation interoceptive sensibility life span childhood |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/4/493 |
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