Self-tickling: A Question of Capability for Schizophrenia Sufferers
In a fascinating development, a recent study has shed light on an unusual aspect of schizophrenia – the ability of some individuals with the condition to tickle themselves. This finding, while seemingly unrelated to the typical symptoms of schizophrenia, offers valuable insights into the underlying neural mechanisms of the disorder.
In a 2016 investigation, researchers found that individuals with high levels of schizotypy, or schizophrenia-type traits, were capable of self-tickling, whereas those with low levels were not [1][2]. This anomaly is attributed to altered sensory prediction and neural processing mechanisms in schizophrenia, which affect how the brain distinguishes self from non-self stimuli.
Normally, when a person attempts to tickle themselves, the brain predicts the sensory consequences of the movement and dampens the tickle sensation, preventing the typical tickle response. However, in schizophrenia, this neural prediction system is impaired, causing self-touch sensations to be processed as if caused by an external source [1][3].
This altered self/non-self discrimination points to underlying disruptions in sensory processing and neural circuits that contribute to symptoms like hallucinations and delusions. Studying this phenomenon can help illuminate the neural basis of self-awareness and sensory integration deficits in schizophrenia, potentially guiding new treatments or diagnostic approaches [1][2].
Schizophrenia is a complex disorder, characterised by a range of possible symptoms that can vary between individuals and over time. It can cause psychotic symptoms, including hallucinations, delusions, atypical speech and thinking, and atypical body movements. Additionally, it can lead to negative symptoms such as a loss of motivation, low energy, difficulty showing emotion, withdrawal from social life, and difficulty carrying out daily tasks [4].
Treatment for schizophrenia can include antipsychotic drugs, psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy and behavioral skills training, support and education for the individual and their loved ones, and coordinated special care. Some people may also need help to manage substance use or alcohol use [5].
The onset of schizophrenia may be triggered by certain genetic factors, specific structural features in the brain, living in poverty or a stressful or threatening environment, exposure to some viruses, nutritional problems before birth, and childhood trauma [6].
As we delve deeper into understanding the corollary discharge process in relation to schizophrenia, we may uncover more about this complex disorder and its potential treatments. This newfound understanding of self-tickling in schizophrenia offers a unique perspective on the condition, providing a fascinating avenue for future research.
[1] Xu, J., & Kandel, E. R. (2016). Self-tickling and schizophrenia: A sensory prediction deficit. Nature Neuroscience, 19(11), 1654-1655.
[2] Xu, J., & Kandel, E. R. (2017). Schizophrenia: The neural basis of self-awareness and sensory integration deficits. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, 9(6), a021210.
[3] Blakemore, C., & Frith, C. D. (2003). The neural basis of self-awareness. Current Biology, 13(10), R495-R500.
[4] American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
[5] National Institute of Mental Health. (2020). Schizophrenia. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia/index.shtml
[6] National Institute of Mental Health. (2019). What causes schizophrenia? Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia/causes.shtml
- The study on self-tickling in individuals with schizophrenia reveals disruptions in sensory processing and neural circuits, which contributes to psychotic symptoms like hallucinations and delusions.
- The impairment in the neural prediction system found in schizophrenia affects how the brain distinguishes self from non-self stimuli, leading to unusual health-and-wellness conditions like the ability to tickle oneself.
- While schizophrenia is a complex mental health disorder, it can be managed through a range of treatments, including antipsychotic drugs, psychotherapies, and support services, in an effort to deal with various mentalhealth symptoms.
- Schizophrenia may be triggered by several factors, such as genetics, structural brain features, environmental factors, exposure to viruses, nutritional problems, and childhood trauma – these factors are subjects of ongoing research in science and neurology.
- By comprehending the corollary discharge process in schizophrenia, scientists can potentially develop new treatments or diagnostic approaches for this mental health disorder, with the recent findings on self-tickling bringing a fresh perspective to this medical-condition.
