Interoceptive Modulation of Mirror-Induced Dissociation

The sense of self arises from the integration of interoceptive and exteroceptive signals that support bodily awareness and self-recognition. Disruptions in this integration have been linked to dissociative phenomena, including depersonalization and altered self-perception. The Mirror Gazing Task (MGT) reliably induces transient dissociative-like experiences in healthy individuals, providing an experimental model to investigate self-representation. Prior research shows that auditory cardiac feedback enhances interoceptive processing and neural markers of bodily awareness, suggesting that temporally congruent interoceptive signals help stabilize the sense of self. This study tested whether synchronous versus asynchronous heartbeat feedback modulates dissociative experiences, self-perception, and emotional responses during MGT. Thirty-seven healthy participants completed three counterbalanced MGT conditions: synchronous heartbeat feedback, asynchronous heartbeat feedback, and an exteroceptive control condition (footstep sounds). Dissociative experiences were assessed through behavioral indices (button presses marking anomalous perceptions) and self-report measures, including the Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale, selected self-face perception items, and the Strange Face Questionnaire. Emotional valence and arousal were measured, and trait dissociation, interoceptive sensibility, and interoceptive accuracy were assessed using the DIS-Q, MAIA-II, and Heartbeat Discrimination Task respectively. Illusion-related responses were significantly more frequent during asynchronous compared to synchronous heartbeat feedback and footstep sounds, indicating that interoceptive asynchrony increases susceptibility to dissociative-like perceptual alterations. However, the type of auditory feedback did not affect illusion onset, duration, self-reported dissociation, or emotional responses. Trait dissociation was negatively associated with awareness of bodily sensations. Overall, findings highlight the role of interoception in maintaining bodily self-coherence and shaping dissociative perception mechanisms.