Multisensory integration in peripersonal space indexes consciousness states in sleep and disorders of consciousness
Reliably detecting consciousness in unresponsive patients remains an urgent ethical and clinical challenge, as no behavior-independent marker is currently accepted in clinical practice. We characterize consciousness as linked to a representation of the embodied subject of experience, mediated by multisensory integration within the peripersonal space (PPS) system. We test whether a neural marker of PPS representation could detect consciousness and predict clinical outcome in disorders of consciousness (DoC) patients. Using high-density electroencephalography (EEG) during a task-free audiotactile task, we derive a PPS index based on high-beta oscillations. In healthy participants, the PPS index is present during wakefulness and dreaming, but absent in dreamless sleep. In 72 DoC patients, the PPS index correlates with behavioral measures of consciousness and predicts recovery at discharge. The index is associated with forebrain mesocircuit integrity. These findings highlight a bedside-compatible electrophysiological marker with potential clinical utility for detecting covert consciousness and predicting outcomes in non-responsive patients.
Authors
- Marzia De Lucia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8792-7885)
- Elisa Magosso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4673-2974)
- Marina Lopes da Silva
- Aurélie Stephan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9900-5607)
- Giulia Ricci (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5248-1625)
- Sandro Lecci (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1740-3194)
- Brunella Donno (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7086-8233)
- Vincent Dunet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9897-4561)
- Jane Jöhr (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4280-9310)
- Andrea Serino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7475-6095)
- Karin Diserens (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3000-7794)
- Jacinthe Cataldi
- Floriane Dauvin
- Tommaso Bertoni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4798-7733)
- Mattia Galigani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5233-7719)
- Julia Fellrath (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0483-8241)
- Polona Pozeg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0403-1982)
- Carolina Foglia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1124-6396)
- Jean-Paul Noel
- Francesca Siclari
Institutions
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NL)
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Azienda-Unita' Sanitaria Locale Di Cesena (IT)
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
- University of Turin (IT)
- University of Lausanne (CH)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cell Reports Medicine
- Published
- 2026-03-31
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2026.102705
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Multisensory perception and integration
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 32.05
Funders
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung