Prosthesis embodiment and attenuation of prosthetic touch in upper limb amputees – A proof-of-concept study

Sensory attenuation of self-touch, that is, the perceptual reduction self-generated tactile stimuli, is considered a neurocognitive basis for self-other distinction. However, whether this effect can also be found in upper limb amputees using prosthesis unknown. Thirteen participants were asked to touch their foot sole with a) intact hand (self-touch), b) (prosthesis-touch), or c) let it touched by another person (other-touch). Intensity was assessed questionnaire. In addition, embodiment nine participants. Self-touch as well prosthesis-touch characterized significant compared other-touch, while self- and did not differ. The more embodied was, similar its elicited perception actual self-touch. These findings – although preliminary suggest perceptually prostheses represented an users’ sensorimotor system.