Xenomelia: A Social Neuroscience View of Altered Bodily Self-Consciousness
Frontiers in Psychology March 12, 2013 P. Brugger, B. Lenggenhager, M. Giummarra
Xenomelia, or 'foreign limb syndrome,' involves a person's persistent non-acceptance of a limb and desire for its amputation or paralysis. Originally viewed as a psychological disorder, recent emphasis on brain mechanisms has shifted focus to neural circuits. This article critiques both purely psychological and purely neurological accounts, arguing that neither fully explains the condition. The authors propose a 'xenomelia spectrum disorder' model that integrates social context, brain plasticity, and individual history shaped by culture. This approach respects the neuroanatomy of body awareness while acknowledging how lived experience and cultural background influence symptoms, advancing research on the unity of body and self.