Disturbances of the body schema: A neuropsychological approach

The terms 'body schema' and 'body image' are often considered equivalent and used in neurologic, pshychiatric and psychological fields with reference to a complex of sensations, perceptions and ideas about the organization of one's own body. The interaction between the central nervous system and peripheral inputs (tactile, proprioceptive, visual and vestibular) and self consciousness are the basic components of this theoretical construct. The disturbances of body schema include a variety of symptoms such as disorders of depersonalization, perception and localization of the whole body or body parts, phantom hand, somatoparaphrenia and personal neglect. This review will describe, after a theoretical introduction, the most relevant disturbances of body schema in a neuropsychological perspective.