Neural mechanisms underlying the Rubber Hand Illusion: A systematic review of related neurophysiological studies

The rubber hand illusion (RHI) is a well-known experimental technique used to explore body ownership. During RHI, subjects perceive a fake hand as part of their own body through visuotactile stimulation. The RHI paradigm allows researchers to investigate how the brain handles conflicting multisensory information and represents our body as our own. This is achieved through techniques such as TMS, EP, ERP and EEG studies. Neurophysiological studies shed new light on understanding different aspects that contribute to self-awareness. The RHI represents an illusory experience during the mislocalization of one's own hand when correlated visuotactile stimuli are presented to the actual and fake hands.

• 1
  TMS studies indicate that motor cortex excitability decreases when the real hand is disembodied during the RHI, and ownership of the rubber hand correlates with normal parietal-motor communication.
• 2
  EP and ERP studies suggest that pre-existing body representations influence tactile processing and support predictive coding models of multisensory integration.
• 3
  EEG studies show that high-frequency oscillations play a role in integrating stimuli across modalities, with parietal area EEG activity reflecting visuotactile integration, and premotor areas mediating illusory body ownership.