Body Ownership in Youth at Risk of Developing Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder and Healthy Controls using the Rubber Hand Illusion

Abstract

Previous research has indicated a more flexible sense of body ownership in schizophrenia patients, as measured with the Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI) paradigm. To assess whether a disturbance in body ownership may be a vulnerability marker for the development of schizophrenia, the current study compared the effects of the RHI between three groups: children with high familial risk of schizophrenia (SZ), children with high familial risk of bipolar disorder (BD), and a control group (HC). Furthermore, the RHI was compared between children with and without psychotic symptoms. Results indicated no differences in the RHI between the SZ, BD and HC group. However, the current study does suggest a stronger subjective RHI in children with subclinical psychotic symptoms. Hence, disturbances in body ownership may be related to clinical instead of familial risk. Due to the small sample size, these results have to be interpreted carefully.