Your body, your brain, your selfYour body, your brain, your self
All In The Mind
From phantom limbs to Alice in Wonderland syndrome — why does the brain sometimes mess up its awareness and understanding of the body it belongs to? Neuroscientist and author of Body Am I, Moheb Costandi explains.
30:00•10 Feb 2023
Mind Games: When Your Brain Misplaces Your Body
Episode Overview
- The rubber hand illusion demonstrates the brain's fragile sense of body ownership.
- Phantom limb syndrome reveals how the brain retains memory of lost limbs.
- Anorexia nervosa affects sensory processing, potentially linked to gut signals.
- Alice in Wonderland syndrome causes visual hallucinations similar to migraine auras.
- Potential treatments could involve manipulating external signals to alter body perception.
“The brain doesn't like discrepancies, and when there's a mismatch, it can be very easily tricked.”
Curious about how the brain sometimes misjudges its own body? This episode of 'All In The Mind' takes you on a fascinating journey through the quirks and mysteries of bodily awareness. Neuroscientist Moheb Costandi, author of 'Body Am I', reveals how the brain can play tricks on us, from the famous rubber hand illusion to phantom limb syndrome. Imagine feeling a limb that no longer exists or thinking a rubber hand is your own – wild, right?
These odd phenomena highlight the fragile nature of our brain's understanding of body ownership and agency. Moheb dives into how damage, disease, and mental illness can warp these processes, affecting conditions like anorexia nervosa and even Alice in Wonderland syndrome. He shares insights into how these disruptions occur and what potential treatments could look like. Moheb also explores how our perceptions can be manipulated through external signals, such as the sounds our bodies make.
It's a compelling discussion that will make you rethink how you perceive your own body and consciousness. So, grab a cuppa and get ready to question everything you thought you knew about your brain's relationship with your body. How do you think your brain would react to losing track of your hand?
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