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The vagus nerve as a gateway to body ownership: taVNS reduces susceptibility to a virtual version of the cardiac and tactile rubber hand illusion
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  • Alisha Vabba,
  • Keisuke Suzuki,
  • Milica Doric,
  • Tim Julian Möller,
  • Sarah Garfinkel,
  • hugo critchley
Alisha Vabba
Italian Institute of Technology

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Keisuke Suzuki
Hokkaido University
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Milica Doric
University College London
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Tim Julian Möller
Touro University berlin
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Sarah Garfinkel
Brighton and Sussex Medical School
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hugo critchley
Brighton and Sussex Medical School
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Abstract

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has been shown to influence cognitive and emotional function and enhance interoceptive awareness. This study investigates if taVNS effects extend to the experience of body ownership, as measured via susceptibility to the rubber hand illusion (RHI) in a virtual reality setting. The experiment involved 27 participants who underwent real and sham stimulation in two separate sessions while experiencing synchronous or asynchronous visuo-cardiac and visuo-tactile feedback on a virtual arm in place of their own. Results indicated that active compared to sham taVNS decreased sensitivity to the illusion in both cardiac and tactile trials, suggesting that the stimulation might enhance body ownership, making individuals more attuned to their real bodily signals and less susceptible to bodily illusions. Additionally, physiological measures such as heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and skin sympathetic nervous activity (SKNA) were assessed to explore the autonomic effects of taVNS. The findings contribute to the understanding of the vagus nerve’s role in integrating visceral and somatosensory signals, with implications for clinical applications in conditions characterized by altered interoception and body ownership.
31 Jul 2024Submitted to Psychophysiology
08 Aug 2024Submission Checks Completed
08 Aug 2024Assigned to Editor
08 Aug 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
10 Aug 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
28 Sep 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor