Thermosensory signals in bodily self-awareness

Skin temperature and the ability to perceive warm and cold thermal stimuli (i.e., thermoception) are fundamental to human survival, influencing both our evolutionary history and early individual development. Beyond their role in homeostasis, recent research has begun to uncover the contribution of thermosensory signals to cognition and self-representation. In particular, thermoception may play a key role in the construction of bodily self-awareness, including the sense of body ownership—the feeling that the body and its parts belong to us. In this joint talk, Gerardo Salvato will introduce the theoretical and empirical foundations linking thermosensory processing to bodily self-awareness, drawing on evidence from experimental studies in healthy humans. Then he will also discuss objective thermosensory alterations across neurological and neuropsychiatric populations and their relevance for understanding disorders of the self. Michela Bassolino will then present findings on subjective thermosensory alterations in patients with stroke and multiple sclerosis, highlighting how changes in thermal experience may relate to bodily awareness. Finally, Gerardo Salvato will outline the clinical implications of this emerging field and discuss how thermosensory measures may contribute to translational applications.

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