Distinct patterns of visuo-tactile and visuo-motor body-related integration in Parkinson’s disease

Abstract Multisensory integration (MSI) deficits in patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) have recently attracted growing interest in both clinical and research realms, MSI being crucial in maintaining well-coordinated responses to external stimuli. In this framework, we exploited the Rubber Hand I...

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Main Authors: Francesca Genovese, Marcella Romeo, Francesco Paolo Terrenzio, Nadia Esposito, Cristina Destefanis, Patrizia Gindri, Francesca Garbarini, Alice Rossi Sebastiano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08965-5
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author Francesca Genovese
Marcella Romeo
Francesco Paolo Terrenzio
Nadia Esposito
Cristina Destefanis
Patrizia Gindri
Francesca Garbarini
Alice Rossi Sebastiano
author_facet Francesca Genovese
Marcella Romeo
Francesco Paolo Terrenzio
Nadia Esposito
Cristina Destefanis
Patrizia Gindri
Francesca Garbarini
Alice Rossi Sebastiano
author_sort Francesca Genovese
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Multisensory integration (MSI) deficits in patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) have recently attracted growing interest in both clinical and research realms, MSI being crucial in maintaining well-coordinated responses to external stimuli. In this framework, we exploited the Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI), an experimental procedure that induces healthy individuals to embody a fake hand by integrating multisensory body-related cues, to address potential alterations of the embodiment phenomenon in PD. Specifically, we leveraged a visuo-tactile (VT; Experiment 1) and a visuo-motor (VM; Experiment 2) RHI version and applied it to 32 PD patients and age-matched controls. Classical RHI measures (i.e., ownership and agency questionnaires, proprioceptive drift) were collected. Questionnaires revealed typical VT- and VM-RHI patterns in patients, although diminished as compared to controls. Crucially, proprioceptive drift showed an abolishment of VM- (but not VT-) RHI effect in patients, advocating for a channel-specific embodiment abnormality that emerged only when the motor system, involved in the pathology, was challenged by the RHI. Interestingly, such a deficit emerged specifically when proprioceptive drift, engaging a motor response, was considered as a measure. We speculatively interpret this finding in light of the neural degeneration of basal ganglia in PD, being these structures engaged in visuo-motor integration.
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spelling doaj-art-b38526262f5e404c882832ad3b137cdd2025-08-20T04:03:00ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-08965-5Distinct patterns of visuo-tactile and visuo-motor body-related integration in Parkinson’s diseaseFrancesca Genovese0Marcella Romeo1Francesco Paolo Terrenzio2Nadia Esposito3Cristina Destefanis4Patrizia Gindri5Francesca Garbarini6Alice Rossi Sebastiano7MANIBUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of TurinMANIBUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of TurinSan Camillo Hospital of TurinSan Camillo Hospital of TurinSan Camillo Hospital of TurinSan Camillo Hospital of TurinMANIBUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of TurinMANIBUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of TurinAbstract Multisensory integration (MSI) deficits in patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) have recently attracted growing interest in both clinical and research realms, MSI being crucial in maintaining well-coordinated responses to external stimuli. In this framework, we exploited the Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI), an experimental procedure that induces healthy individuals to embody a fake hand by integrating multisensory body-related cues, to address potential alterations of the embodiment phenomenon in PD. Specifically, we leveraged a visuo-tactile (VT; Experiment 1) and a visuo-motor (VM; Experiment 2) RHI version and applied it to 32 PD patients and age-matched controls. Classical RHI measures (i.e., ownership and agency questionnaires, proprioceptive drift) were collected. Questionnaires revealed typical VT- and VM-RHI patterns in patients, although diminished as compared to controls. Crucially, proprioceptive drift showed an abolishment of VM- (but not VT-) RHI effect in patients, advocating for a channel-specific embodiment abnormality that emerged only when the motor system, involved in the pathology, was challenged by the RHI. Interestingly, such a deficit emerged specifically when proprioceptive drift, engaging a motor response, was considered as a measure. We speculatively interpret this finding in light of the neural degeneration of basal ganglia in PD, being these structures engaged in visuo-motor integration.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08965-5Multisensory integrationParkinson’s diseaseVisuo-tactileVisuo-motorRubber hand illusion
spellingShingle Francesca Genovese
Marcella Romeo
Francesco Paolo Terrenzio
Nadia Esposito
Cristina Destefanis
Patrizia Gindri
Francesca Garbarini
Alice Rossi Sebastiano
Distinct patterns of visuo-tactile and visuo-motor body-related integration in Parkinson’s disease
Scientific Reports
Multisensory integration
Parkinson’s disease
Visuo-tactile
Visuo-motor
Rubber hand illusion
title Distinct patterns of visuo-tactile and visuo-motor body-related integration in Parkinson’s disease
title_full Distinct patterns of visuo-tactile and visuo-motor body-related integration in Parkinson’s disease
title_fullStr Distinct patterns of visuo-tactile and visuo-motor body-related integration in Parkinson’s disease
title_full_unstemmed Distinct patterns of visuo-tactile and visuo-motor body-related integration in Parkinson’s disease
title_short Distinct patterns of visuo-tactile and visuo-motor body-related integration in Parkinson’s disease
title_sort distinct patterns of visuo tactile and visuo motor body related integration in parkinson s disease
topic Multisensory integration
Parkinson’s disease
Visuo-tactile
Visuo-motor
Rubber hand illusion
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08965-5
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