Dyadic vs. triadic taxonomy of body representation: A scoping review of brain mapping studies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62741/ahrj.v2i1.33Keywords:
body cognition, Body image, Body schema, Body semantics, Structural description of the bodyAbstract
Introduction: Body representation refers to how the brain processes information about the body, traditionally categorised by the dyadic taxonomy into body schema and body image. However, the triadic taxonomy proposes the inclusion of the body structural description and body semantics.
Objectives: This scoping review retrospectively mapped existing neuroimaging studies to the dimensions proposed by dyadic taxonomy and triadic taxonomy, aiming to identify neural activation patterns, conceptual alignments, and methodological challenges in the literature.
Methodology: Following Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, studies published between 2005 and 2023 investigating body representation through neuroimaging in healthy adults were systematically searched across PubMed, EBSCO, and CENTRAL databases.
Results: Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings indicated predominant activation of the parietal cortex, fusiform gyrus, and premotor cortex, with notable overlap between body schema and body structural description. No study explicitly adopted dyadic taxonomy or triadic taxonomy frameworks. Methodological heterogeneity, particularly variability in experimental paradigms and exclusive use of functional magnetic resonance imaging, limited comparability and temporal analysis of body representation processes.
Conclusion: Current neuroimaging evidence does not yet consolidate triadic taxonomy constructs, highlighting the need for theoretical standardisation and the integration of multimodal approaches to better delineate the neurobiological bases of body representation.References
Sattin D, Parma C, Lunetta C, et al. An Overview of the Body Schema and Body Image: Theoretical Models, Methodological Settings and Pitfalls for Rehabilitation of Persons with Neurologi-cal Disorders. Brain Sci. 2023;13(10). doi:10.3390/brainsci13101410 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13101410
Repetto C, Riva G. The neuroscience of body memory: Recent findings and conceptual advances. EXCLI J. 2023;22:191-206. doi:10.17179/excli2023-5877
Florio TM. Emergent Aspects of the Integration of Sensory and Motor Functions. Brain Sci. 2025;15(2). doi:10.3390/brainsci15020162 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15020162
Möllmann A, Heinrichs N, Herwig A. A conceptual framework on body representations and their relevance for mental disorders. Front Psychol. 2024;14:1231640. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1231640 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1231640
Boccia M, Raimo S, Di Vita A, et al. Topological and hodological aspects of body representation in right brain damaged patients. Neuropsychologia. 2020;148:107637. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107637 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107637
Rodrigues M. A New Definition of Body Schema with Respect to Body-Centered Vs External Frames of Reference. Act Scie Neuro. 2020;3(11):92-100. doi:10.31080/ASNE.2020.03.0277 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31080/ASNE.2020.03.0277
Cruz TKF, Souto DO, Moeller K, Fontes PLB, Haase VG. Body experience influences lexical-semantic knowledge of body parts in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Front Psychol. 2022;13:955939. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.955939 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.955939
Fontes PLB, Cruz TKF, Souto DO, Moura R, Haase VG. Body representation in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Child Neuropsychology. 2017;23(7):838-863. doi:10.1080/09297049.2016.1191629
Di Vita A, Boccia M, Palermo L, Guariglia C. To move or not to move, that is the question! Body schema and non-action orient-ed body representations: An fMRI meta-analytic study. Neuro-science and biobehavioral reviews. 2016;68:37-46. doi:10.1016/J.NEUBIOREV.2016.05.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.05.005
Yen C, Lin CL, Chiang MC. Exploring the Frontiers of Neu-roimaging: A Review of Recent Advances in Understanding Brain Functioning and Disorders. Life. 2023;13(7):1472. doi:10.3390/life13071472 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/life13071472
Peters MD, Marnie C, Tricco AC, et al. Updated methodologi-cal guidance for the conduct of scoping reviews. JBI evidence implementation. 2021;19(1):3-10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/XEB.0000000000000277
Schwoebel J, Coslett HB. Evidence for multiple, distinct rep-resentations of the human body. J Cogn Neurosci. 2005;17(4):543-553. doi:10.1162/0898929053467587 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1162/0898929053467587
Ehrsson HH, Kito T, Sadato N, Passingham RE, Naito E. Neu-ral Substrate of Body Size: Illusory Feeling of Shrinking of the Waist. Lackner J, ed. PLoS Biol. 2005;3(12):e412. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0030412 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0030412
McCrea SM. A functional magnetic resonance imaging study of the body schema using full human line-drawing figures in an on-line verbal naming and localization task of single body part words. Behav Brain Res. 2007;180(2):235-240. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2007.03.015 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2007.03.015
Corradi-Dell’Acqua C, Tomasino B, Fink GR. What is the posi-tion of an arm relative to the body? Neural correlates of body schema and body structural description. J Neurosci. 2009;29(13):4162-4171. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4861-08.2009 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4861-08.2009
Rusconi E, Tamè L, Furlan M, et al. Neural correlates of finger gnosis. J Neurosci. 2014;34(27):9012-9023. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3119-13.2014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3119-13.2014
Canderan C, Maieron M, Fabbro F, Tomasino B. Understand-ing Body Language Does Not Require Matching the Body’s Ego-centric Map to Body Posture: A Brain Activation fMRI Study. Percept Mot Skills. 2020;127(1):8-35. doi:10.1177/0031512519876741 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0031512519876741
Matsumoto N, Nakai R, Ino T, Mitani A. Brain activity associ-ated with the rubber foot illusion. Neuroscience Letters. 2020;721:N.PAG-N.PAG. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2020.134820
Moayedi M, Noroozbahari N, Hadjis G, et al. The structural and functional connectivity neural underpinnings of body im-age. Human Brain Mapping. 2021;42(11):3608-3619. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.25457
Cardini F, Longo MR. Congruency of body-related infor-mation induces somatosensory reorganization. Neuropsycholo-gia. 2016;84:213-221. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.02.013 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.02.013
de Haan EHF, Dijkerman HC. Somatosensation in the Brain: A Theoretical Re-evaluation and a New Model. Trends Cogn Sci. 2020;24(7):529-541. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2020.04.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2020.04.003
Gallagher S. How the Body Shapes the Mind. Clarendon Press; 2005. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/0199271941.001.0001
Riva G. The neuroscience of body memory: From the self through the space to the others. Cortex. 2018;104:241-260. doi:10.1016/J.CORTEX.2017.07.013 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2017.07.013
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
After the final approval, authors must send the copyright transfer agreement signed by the first author representing each additional author. This agreement must state any conflicts of interest.
Athena - Health & Research Journal https://localhost/athena is licensed under a License Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.