Phenomenology and neurobiology of self disorder in schizophrenia: Secondary factors.
Schizophrenia research December 1, 2015 Louis A Sass, Juan P Borda 44 citations
Schizophrenia involves a core disturbance in the sense of self (disturbed ipseity), which can be traced to a primary disruption in how the brain integrates perceptions from different senses (perceptual dys-integration). This article describes secondary phenomenological alterations that arise either as downstream consequences of that primary disruption or as defensive compensations. These include heightened self-consciousness (hyperreflexivity), a diminished sense of self-presence, and a weakened grip on one's field of awareness. These secondary experiences vary greatly between individuals and over time, and they become more pronounced in adolescence due to developing prefrontal lobe capacities. This variability may explain much of the clinical diversity in schizophrenia while still pointing to a common underlying disturbance.