Monochannel Preference in Autism Spectrum Conditions Revealed by a Non-Visual Variant of Rubber Hand Illusion

J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 Oct;52(10):4252-4260. doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-05299-9. Epub 2021 Sep 30.

Abstract

Individuals with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) are less susceptible to multisensory delusions, such as rubber hand illusion (RHI). Here, we investigate whether a monochannel variant of RHI is more effective in inducing an illusory feeling of ownership in ASC. To this aim, we exploit a non-visual variant of the RHI that, excluding vision, leverages only on the somatosensory channel. While the visual-tactile RHI does not alter the perceived hand position in ASC individuals, the tacto-tactile RHI effectively modulates proprioception to a similar extent as that found in typical development individuals. These findings suggest a more effective integration of multiple inputs originating from the same sensory channel in ASC, revealing a monochannel preference in this population.

Keywords: Autism spectrum conditions; Multisensory integration; Rubber hand illusion; Touch; bOdy ownership.

MeSH terms

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder*
  • Autistic Disorder*
  • Body Image
  • Hand
  • Humans
  • Illusions*
  • Proprioception
  • Touch Perception*
  • Visual Perception