Dissociation of the subjective and objective bodies: Out-of-body experiences following the development of a posterior cingulate lesion.
Journal of neuropsychology March 1, 2020 Kentaro Hiromitsu, Nobusada Shinoura, Ryoji Yamada et al. 12 citations
An out-of-body experience (OBE) involves viewing one's body and surroundings from outside the physical self. While prior research linked OBEs to the temporoparietal junction, this case report describes a 46-year-old woman who experienced monthly OBEs before surgery for a brain tumor in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and none afterward. Her OBEs involved a clear separation of the subjective and objective bodies. The case suggests the PCC may play a role in creating spatial unity between self and body, with its removal eliminating the experiences.