Auditory and body perception in microgravity
Résumé
There is an association between altered body ownership/embodiment and dysfunctional vestibular processing. Here, we tested whether the temporary modification of vestibular information linked to gravity is enough to induce modifications in the head-centered frame of reference used to localize sounds in space, and subjective distortions in body representation. Two groups of healthy human participants were asked to indicate the lateralization of auditory sources in different sensory conditions linked to gravity (1G and 0G) and vision (eyes opened and eyes closed). The Flying group (N=12) did the experiment during parabolic flights and the Control group (N=35) did the whole protocol in normogravity. In the eyes opened condition, we manipulated visual perspective, by providing participants with an image of their body as if they would see themselves from an “out-of body” location, i.e. without the apparent left/right reversal inherent to a mirror image. Modifications of localization of the self and distortions in body perception were studied through pre-and post-experiment questionnaires. The percentage of correct responses in the auditory localization task significantly differed according to the gravity and visual condition in the Flying group, as well as the scores of the questionnaires pre- and post-experiment. No significant differences were observed in the Control group across the protocol. The results suggest that the lack of position information from graviceptors is enough to induce distortions in the anchorage of perception that might be the key to bodily illusions. These distortions do not require time for their induction, as previously suggested in normal gravity conditions.
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