Descrizione del progetto
Svelare il mistero dell’autopercezione
Per comprendere l’essenza del sé, i ricercatori hanno da tempo riconosciuto l’importanza dell’autorappresentazione corporea (BSR, Bodily Self-Representation) come elemento centrale della nostra identità. La ricerca ha rivelato che un danno cerebrale può alterarla selettivamente. In quest’ottica, il progetto MyFirstBody, finanziato dal CER, si prefigge di fornire la prima descrizione completa degli aspetti evolutivi dell’autorappresentazione corporea. Combinando prospettive neuropsicologiche ed evolutive, il progetto mira a decifrare l’emergere e la maturazione dell’autorappresentazione corporea dalle fasi prenatali fino alla vita postnatale. Tecniche avanzate di neuroimaging faranno luce sui meccanismi neurali di fondo, favorendo progressi nella ricerca sulla consapevolezza di sé. Si tratta di un primo passo per svelare le complessità della nostra esistenza corporea e il modo in cui ci percepiamo nel mondo.
Obiettivo
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.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsIstituzione ospitante
10124 Torino
Italia