Trauma can disrupt the sense of self, as reported by individuals with PTSD who describe feeling disconnected from themselves or emotionally numb. These self-related experiences are linked to the default mode network (DMN), a brain network active during rest and self-referential thought. In people with PTSD, the DMN shows reduced resting-state functional connectivity compared to healthy individuals, with greater reductions tied to more severe PTSD symptoms. Trauma may become intertwined with the sense of self through alterations in the DMN. Understanding these changes during rest and in response to trauma-related cues may inform therapies that address past and present experiences in PTSD treatment.
Peripersonal space (PPS) is the area around the body where we can reach or be reached by objects or people, and it is crucial for bodily self-consciousness, action, and protection. Multisensory processing in brain regions such as the ventral intraparietal sulcus and insula underpins PPS, helping to assess approaching threats. Although PPS's defensive role appears in phobias, its relation to altered bodily consciousness in trauma-related disorders is unexplored. This review examines behavioral and neurobiological literature on trauma disorders relevant to PPS and outlines future research directions on altered bodily self-consciousness in these conditions.