APA Citation
Berlucchi, G., & Aglioti, S. (2010). The body in the brain revisited. *Experimental Brain Research*, 200(1), 25-35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-009-1970-7
Summary
This influential neuroscience review examines how the brain represents and processes bodily sensations, exploring the neural mechanisms underlying body schema and self-perception. Berlucchi and Aglioti synthesize decades of research on somatosensory processing, body ownership, and the integration of sensory information that creates our sense of physical self. The work demonstrates how neural plasticity allows the brain to continuously update its body representation based on experience, injury, or environmental changes.
Why This Matters for Survivors
Narcissistic abuse often involves boundary violations and attacks on survivors' bodily autonomy, leading to disconnection from physical sensations and self-perception. Understanding how the brain constructs body awareness helps explain why survivors may experience dissociation, hypervigilance to bodily threats, or difficulty trusting their own physical instincts during and after abuse.
What This Research Establishes
The brain continuously constructs our sense of physical self through complex integration of sensory information, creating what neuroscientists call “body schema” - our internal map of where our body begins and ends.
Neural plasticity allows the body representation to adapt based on experience, meaning traumatic experiences can alter how we perceive and inhabit our physical selves, but also that healing and reconnection are possible.
Somatosensory processing involves multiple brain regions working together to create coherent bodily awareness, and disruption in these systems can lead to disconnection from physical sensations and instincts.
The brain’s body representation is foundational to higher-order functions including emotional regulation, decision-making, and social interaction - explaining why bodily disconnection affects so many aspects of survivors’ lives.
Why This Matters for Survivors
If you’ve experienced narcissistic abuse, you may have noticed feeling disconnected from your body or struggling to trust your physical instincts. This research helps explain why - abuse often involves boundary violations that can disrupt your brain’s normal body awareness systems.
Many survivors describe feeling like they’re “floating above” their body or experiencing numbness and disconnection. This isn’t weakness or imagination - it’s your nervous system’s attempt to protect you from overwhelming experiences by dampening bodily awareness.
The encouraging news is that your brain’s remarkable plasticity means these connections can be restored. Understanding that your physical disconnection has a neurobiological basis can be validating and help guide your healing journey.
Your body holds wisdom and protective instincts that abuse may have taught you to ignore. Reconnecting with these physical sensations safely can be a powerful part of reclaiming your authentic self and rebuilding trust in your own perceptions.
Clinical Implications
Therapists working with narcissistic abuse survivors should recognize that cognitive interventions alone may be insufficient when body awareness systems have been disrupted. Incorporating somatic approaches can help clients rebuild the mind-body connection essential for complete healing.
Assessment should include exploring clients’ relationship with their physical sensations, boundaries, and bodily autonomy. Many survivors have learned to override or ignore bodily signals that could provide important information about safety and comfort.
The research supports using therapeutic approaches that gradually help clients reconnect with their bodies in safe, controlled ways. This might include mindfulness practices, breathing exercises, or other somatic interventions that respect the client’s pace and comfort level.
Understanding the neuroscience of body representation can help normalize survivors’ experiences of dissociation or physical disconnection. Explaining these mechanisms can reduce self-blame and provide a framework for understanding why body-based healing approaches are beneficial.
How This Research Is Used in the Book
This foundational neuroscience research informs the book’s exploration of how narcissistic abuse affects survivors’ relationship with their own bodies and physical boundaries. The work provides scientific grounding for understanding why somatic approaches are crucial in recovery.
“When we understand that our sense of physical self is constructed by neural networks that can be disrupted by trauma but also restored through healing, we begin to see why reconnecting with our bodies isn’t just helpful - it’s essential for complete recovery from narcissistic abuse.”
Historical Context
Published in 2010, this review appeared during a crucial period when neuroscience was beginning to recognize the profound importance of embodied cognition and the body-brain connection. The work helped bridge traditional neuroscience with emerging understanding of how bodily awareness influences psychological well-being and trauma recovery.
Further Reading
• Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma - Explores how trauma affects the body and nervous system • Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation - Examines the nervous system’s role in safety and connection • Levine, P. A. (2010). In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness - Describes somatic approaches to trauma healing
About the Author
Giovanni Berlucchi is Professor Emeritus of Physiology at the University of Verona, Italy, renowned for his pioneering research on brain hemispheric specialization and sensory-motor integration. His work has fundamentally shaped our understanding of how the brain processes bodily information.
Salvatore Maria Aglioti is Professor of Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at Sapienza University of Rome, specializing in embodied cognition, social neuroscience, and the neural basis of body perception. His research bridges neuroscience and psychology in understanding human experience.
Historical Context
Published in 2010, this review synthesized emerging neuroscience understanding of embodied cognition just as the field was recognizing the profound connections between bodily awareness, trauma processing, and psychological healing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Narcissistic abuse often involves boundary violations and gaslighting that can disconnect survivors from their bodily sensations, leading to dissociation and difficulty trusting physical instincts.
Body schema refers to the brain's internal representation of the body's position, boundaries, and capabilities, which can be disrupted by trauma and abuse experiences.
Dissociation can occur when the brain's body representation systems become overwhelmed or disconnected as a protective mechanism during traumatic experiences.
During trauma, normal sensory processing can become dysregulated, leading to either hypervigilance to bodily threats or complete disconnection from physical awareness.
Yes, the brain's plasticity allows for restoration of healthy body awareness through therapeutic approaches that focus on reconnecting with physical sensations safely.
Embodied cognition research shows that reconnecting with bodily awareness is crucial for emotional regulation, decision-making, and overall psychological healing.
Repeated boundary violations can disrupt the brain's normal body schema, making it difficult to sense personal boundaries and respond appropriately to threats.
Somatic therapy helps restore the connection between mind and body by working with the nervous system to process trauma and rebuild healthy body awareness.