Construction of a qualification scale of interoceptive experiences

• Grant number: 19/14534-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2019
• End date: August 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Daniel Ciampi Araujo de Andrade
• Grantee: Vinicius Deniz de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP (HCFMUSP). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Interoception is defined as the perception of internal bodily sensations. It is described as a complex phenomenon and includes any bodily information sent through the fibers of slow conduction of the peripheral nerves to the cerebral nerve centers, mainly to the insula and to the anterior cingulate cortex. Few are the instruments that evaluate interoception in the various physiological systems. This study proposes the construction of a scale of interoceptive experiences based on the correlation of the self-reported interoceptive experiences of daily life, the perception of an interoceptive stimulus and the recording of biological or quantitative measures. The construction of a scale of interoceptive experiences of easy applicability, interpretation of the results and cost could be used as a clinical tool in the screening for several diseases associated with the perception of atypical internal body signals and the responsiveness to treatments. In addition, it may contribute to a better understanding of sensory symptoms, such as chronic pain and to be adopted in the study of psychopathology and cognitive domains, such as difficulties related to emotion (from its regulation, expression, recognition, empathy and emotional lability), deficits in learning and decision making.