Illusory self-location in virtual reality: The interplay of vestibular function, aging, and gaming experience.
Zoé Dary, Paul Kobliska, Jacques Léonard, Michel Toupet, Charlotte Hautefort, Jean-Marie Pergandi, Pierre Denise, Christophe Lopez
Brain research June 19, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2025.149793 via PubMed
Summary
The vestibular system, which governs balance and spatial orientation, contributes to body and self perception, but its role in the immediate, pre-reflective sense of self (the bodily self) is not well understood. This study used a full-body illusion in virtual reality to examine how bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP), a disorder impairing vestibular function, affects the bodily self. Comparing 34 patients with partial or complete BVP, 34 age-matched healthy controls, and 34 younger controls, the results showed that BVP did not significantly alter the bodily self as measured. However, patients with total vestibular loss exhibited a larger drift in illusory self-location, suggesting otolithic signals are important for this aspect.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 102 |
| Population | Patients with partial or complete bilateral vestibulopathy, age-matched healthy controls, and younger healthy controls |
| Keywords | Bodily self Embodiment Presence Self-consciousness Vestibular disorder |
| Key finding | Bilateral vestibulopathy did not significantly affect the bodily self as measured by the full-body illusion, but total vestibular loss increased illusory self-location drift, and age and gaming experience influenced susceptibility to the illusion. |
Abstract
The vestibular system plays a crucial role in body and self perception, as evidenced by the effects of artificial vestibular stimulation in healthy individuals and the depersonalization-like symptoms observed in patients with otoneurological disorders. However, its role in the bodily self-an immediate and pre-reflective form of self-consciousness-remains relatively unexplored. This study investigated the influence of bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) on the bodily self using a full-body illusion (FBI) in virtual reality. We assessed illusory self-location and self-identification in 34 patients with partial or complete BVP, 34 age-matched healthy controls, and 34 younger controls. Our results showed that BVP did not significantly affect the bodily self as measured by the FBI. However, patients with total vestibular loss showed a larger drift in self-location, suggesting that otolithic signals play a key role in illusory self-location. Age emerged as an important factor, with younger participants exhibiting stronger susceptibility to the illusion. Importantly, age interacted with gaming experience to predict illusory self-location, indicating that prior exposure to video games and virtual environments may influence bodily illusions, particularly in younger individuals - a pattern that remained even after controlling for migraine and motion sickness susceptibility. While migraine had no significant effect, higher motion sickness susceptibility was associated to reduced drift in self-location. These findings emphasize the complex interplay between vestibular function, age, prior experience, and sensory integration in shaping the bodily self, and highlight the importance of considering age- and experience-related variables when studying bodily illusions in virtual environments.