Descripción del proyecto
Dilucidar el misterio de la autopercepción
Para comprender la esencia del yo, los investigadores reconocen desde hace tiempo la importancia de la autorrepresentación corporal como elemento central de nuestra identidad. Las investigaciones han demostrado que el daño cerebral puede alterar selectivamente la autorrepresentación corporal. Teniendo esto en cuenta, el proyecto MyFirstBody, financiado por el Consejo Europeo de Investigación, tiene por objeto ofrecer la primera descripción exhaustiva de los aspectos evolutivos de la autorrepresentación corporal. Combinando perspectivas neuropsicológicas y del desarrollo, se pretende descifrar la aparición y maduración de la autorrepresentación corporal desde las etapas prenatales hasta la vida postnatal. Las técnicas avanzadas de neuroimagen proporcionarán información nueva sobre los mecanismos neuronales subyacentes, lo que propiciará avances en la investigación de la autoconciencia. Este trabajo constituye un primer paso para dilucidar las complejidades de nuestra propia existencia corporal y cómo nos percibimos en el mundo.
Objetivo
The representation of one’s own body as a distinct entity from the environment (i.e. bodily-self representation, BSR) is a fundamental component of our sense of self. Neuropsychological literature has provided an important contribution, revealing that brain damage can selectively disrupt BSR. MyFirstBody starts from my well-grounded expertise in BSR pathological alterations, and aims at providing the first comprehensive account of the ontogenetic development of BSR, by translating from a neuropsychological to a developmental perspective. First, I will look for implicit signatures of the BSR emergence in prenatal and postnatal life, by describing the maturation of the crucial components identified through the study of neurological patients (WP1). Then, I will move to a causative level, by challenging i) the neural mechanism that underpins the BSR emergence (WP2) and b) the developmental context that leads to its normal and pathological growth (WP3). I expect to describe a clear picture of BSR development (WP1) and its underlying network dynamics (WP2), starting with a primitive coding of the bodily-self in space, which likely emerges in the maternal womb, and proceeding to further specializations along post-natal life until the maturation of a more abstract knowledge of the bodily-self. From the comparison between congenital and acquired motor deprivations (WP3), I expect to provide the proof that early motor experience represents the crucial context for BSR development. MyFirstBody pioneers a new area of research at the intersection between neuropsychological and developmental research, by addressing different levels of analysis (cognitive and neural) in foetuses, infants, and clinical populations, all while combining advanced neuroimaging techniques (foetal fMRI, EEG, fNIRS). The final outcome will result in original theoretical insights, innovative methods and translational impacts that will represent the optimal foundation for future investigation in the field.
Ámbito científico
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Régimen de financiación
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsInstitución de acogida
10124 Torino
Italia