The embodied self model posits that the self is a brain representation of bodily-derived signals.

Some pathological conditions and psychedelics disrupt the sense of self that is known as depersonalization.

NDE is a conscious experiences include an out-of-body perspective, a light tunnel, and a sense of peace.

Could disrupted bodily signals contribute to near-death experiences?

A person's heart stops. Seconds later, consciousness disappears. Yet some people later report floating above their bodies or moving through a tunnel of light. What happens to the self when the body suddenly becomes unavailable to the brain?

Some pioneering scientists, particularly Antonio Damasio and Anil Seth, have proposed that afferent signals from bodily organs and tissues such as the heart, veins, and lungs are represented in the brain as a feeling of self. The function of these signals is mainly to help the brain control and keep the inner bodily environment that called homeostasis. However, the brain, in addition to responding to them to maintain stable homeostasis, represents the sense of self as a byproduct of these signals.

This theory is a fascinating explanation of why we know our body is mine and we agent of our behavior. However, direct evidence for this theory is rare, and therefore, there have been some criticisms of this theory. For instance, it becomes more convincing if we observe that the disruption of these signals in certain pathological conditions impairs the sense of self, resembling a mental state known as depersonalization [1].

What is Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder?

Depersonalization is interesting from a psychological and neuroscientific perspective. It is defined as a persistent or recurrent experience of........

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