Hands off and on in schizophrenia

Appendage illusion points to disturbed body sense in psychotic ailment

People with schizophrenia rapidly and intensely perceive phony replicas of hands as their own, possibly contributing to this mental ailment’s signature hallucinations, a new study suggests.

HAND-Y SWITCH Simultaneous stroking of a visible rubber hand (left) and the unseen actual hand (right) of this graduate student caused him to perceive the fake appendage as his own.