The Remapping of Peripersonal Space in a Real but Not in a Virtual Environment

One of the most surprising features of our brain is the fact that it is extremely plastic. Among the various plastic processes supported by our brain, there is the neural representation of the space surrounding our body, the peripersonal space (PPS). The effects of real-world tool use on the PPS are well known in cognitive neuroscience, but little is still known whether similar mechanisms also govern virtual tool use. To this purpose, the present study investigated the plasticity of the PPS before and after a real (Experiment 1) or virtual motor training with a tool (Experiment 2). The results show the expansion of the PPS only following real-world tool use but not virtual use, highlighting how the two types of training potentially rely on different processes. This study enriches the current state of the art on the plasticity of PPS in real and virtual environments. We discuss our data with respect to the relevance for the development of effective immersive environment for trainings, learning and rehabilitation.

Automated summary

This study investigates the effects of real and virtual tool use on the perception of peripersonal space (PPS). The results show that only real-world tool use leads to an expansion of PPS, highlighting the potential differences between the two types of training. This study enriches the understanding of PPS plasticity in real and virtual environments and has relevance for the development of effective immersive environments.