The following is a summary of “Virtual embodiment in fibromyalgia,” published in the July 2023 issue of Rheumatology by Swidrak et al.
Altered body ownership and disrupted bodily perception result from chronic pain. Researchers performed a retrospective study to investigate the receptiveness of women with fibromyalgia (FM) to bodily illusions in immersive virtual reality (VR) and their influencing factors. The virtual embodiment was observed in patients with FM across two experimental sessions, supporting their ability to experience it. Sentiment analysis showed significantly higher positive responses to the progressively invisible body, despite twice as many patients expressing a preference for the visible virtual body illusion.
A linear mixed model indicated that stronger embodiment was linked to greater disturbances in body perception and lower intensity of FM symptoms. The experience of pain during the VR session and interoception awareness did not significantly impact embodiment.
Study concluded that FM patients are receptive to virtual bodily illusions, with embodiment impact influenced by affective reactions, cognitive body distortions, and symptom intensity. Consider patient variability in future VR interventions.