A5043359884- Multisensory perception and integration
- Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
- Tactile and Sensory Interactions
- Action Observation and Synchronization
- Pain Management and Placebo Effect
- Face Recognition and Perception
- Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
- Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies
- Traumatic Brain Injury Research
- Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Color perception and design
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Motor Control and Adaptation
- Media Influence and Health
- Seismology and Earthquake Studies
- Seismic Waves and Analysis
- Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
- Pain Management and Treatment
- Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research
Anglia Ruskin University
2015-2024
Royal Holloway University of London
2012-2017
Birkbeck, University of London
2016
University of Bologna
2010-2015
University College London
2011-2013
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
2013
The magnitude of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) elicited by simultaneous electrical stimulation adjacent digits is generally less than the sum each digit individually. This under-additivity suggests suppression between representations skin regions and may reflect a process lateral inhibition interneurons in cortex. Given that simply viewing body enhances tactile acuity depends on cortical inhibition, we investigated how modulates suppressive interactions afferent volleys from...
"The handbook of touch: Neuroscience, behavioral, and health perspectives." Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 23(1), pp. 159–160
Abstract The perception of tactile stimuli on the face is modulated if subjects concurrently observe a being touched; this effect, termed visual remapping touch (VRT), maximum for observing one's own face. In present fMRI study, we investigated neural basis VRT effect. Participants in scanner received stimuli, near perceptual threshold, their right, left, or both cheeks. Concurrently, they watched movies depicting face, another person's ball that could be touched only approached by human...
We come to understand other people's physical and mental states by re-mapping their bodily onto our sensorimotor system. This process, also called somatosensory resonance, is an essential ability for social cognition stronger when observing ingroup than outgroup members. Here we investigated, first, whether implicit racial bias constrains second, increasing the ingroup/outgroup perceived similarity results in increase resonance used Visual Remapping of Touch effect as index individuals'...
There is some evidence that disordered self-processing in autism spectrum disorders linked to the social impairments characteristic of condition. To investigate whether bodily self-consciousness altered as a result multisensory processing differences, we tested responses full body illusion and measured peripersonal space 22 adults with 29 neurotypical adults. In set-up, participants wore head-mounted display showing view their ‘virtual body’ being stroked synchronously or asynchronously...
Processing in one sensory modality may modulate processing another. Here we investigate how simply viewing the hand can influence sense of touch. Previous studies showed that non-informative vision enhances tactile acuity, relative to an object at same location. However, it remains unclear whether this Visual Enhancement Touch (VET) involves a phasic enhancement circuits triggered by visual event seeing hand, or more prolonged, tonic neuroplastic changes, such as recruitment additional...
Understanding other people's feelings in social interactions depends on the ability to map onto our body sensory experiences we observed bodies. It has been shown that perception of tactile stimuli face is improved when concurrently viewing a being touched. This Visual Remapping Touch (VRT) enhanced more similar others are perceived be self and strongest one's face. Here, ask whether altering self-other boundaries can turn change VRT effect. We used enfacement illusion, which relies...
The distance individuals maintain between themselves and others can be defined as 'interpersonal space'. This modulated both by situational factors individual characteristics. Here we investigated the influence that interpretation of other people interaction, in which one is not directly involved, may have on a person's interpersonal space. In current study measured, for first time, whether size space changes after listening to conversations with neutral or aggressive content. results showed...
The perception of tactile stimuli on the face is modulated if subjects concurrently observe a being touched; this effect termed "visual remapping touch" or VRT effect. Given high social value mechanism, we investigated whether it might be by specific key information processed in face-to-face interactions: facial emotional expression. In two separate experiments, participants received stimuli, near perceptual threshold, either their right, left, both cheeks. Concurrently, they watched several...
Abstract Our ability to maintain a coherent bodily self despite continuous changes within and outside our body relies on the highly flexible multisensory representation of body, space surrounding it: peripersonal (PPS). The aim study was investigate whether during pregnancy - when extremely rapid in size shape occur likewise plastic reorganization neural PPS occurs. We used an audio-tactile integration task measure boundary at different stages pregnancy. found that second trimester...
The effect of food substances on emotional states has been widely investigated, showing, for example, that eating chocolate is able to reduce negative mood. Here, the first time, we have shown consumption specific not only induce particular states, but more importantly, facilitate recognition corresponding facial expressions in others. Participants were asked perform an emotion task before and after either a piece or small amount fish sauce—which expected happiness disgust, respectively. Our...
Enfacement is an illusion wherein synchronous visual and tactile inputs update the mental representation of one's own face to assimilate another person's face. Emotional facial expressions, serving as communicative signals, may influence enfacement by increasing observer's motivation understand state expresser. Fearful in particular, might increase because they are valuable for adaptive behavior more strongly represented somatosensory cortex than other emotions. In present study, a was seen...
Abstract Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a complex sensory-perceptual phenomenon characterised by relaxing and pleasurable scalp-tingling sensations. The ASMR trait nonuniversal, thought to have developmental origins, prevalence rate of 20%. Previous theory research suggest that may be underlined atypical multisensory perception from both interoceptive exteroceptive modalities. In this study, we examined whether responders differed nonresponders in accuracy processing style....
Interoception – the processing of physiological states entire body, communicated to brain and integrated influence behaviour - has been a an area interest in various domains. Previous research using behavioural measure interoception demonstrated higher interoceptive accuracy musicians comparison non-musicians. The present study extends this by comparing additional measures between two groups. In addition previously assessed heartbeat discrimination task, we used tracking task (IAcc). We also...
The Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a sensory-emotional phenomenon characterized by tingling sensations, typically felt across the scalp and neck. Scepticism around this still widespread, keeping question of whether it genuine not mere result conditioning, open. Therefore, aim current study to partially answer question, investigating physiological correlates sensory feelings reported during ASMR. In study, we investigated time course somatosensory activity ASMR, measuring...
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a multisensory experience most often associated with feelings of relaxation and altered consciousness, elicited by stimuli which include whispering, repetitive movements, close personal attention. Since 2015, ASMR research has grown rapidly, spanning disciplines from neuroscience to media studies but lacking collaborative or interdisciplinary approach. To build cohesive connected structure for moving forwards, modified Delphi study was conducted...
We constantly feel, see and move our body, have no doubt that it is own, distinct from the body of other people. At same time, understanding people’s feelings in social interactions depends on ability to map onto one’s own observed experiences bodies others. It has been shown more similar others are perceived be self, stronger this mapping is. While previous studies focused existing similarities or differences between self other, we ask whether experimental change self-other boundaries can...