# Unraveling the Neural Bases of Body Schema

> **NIH NIH DP1** · MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · 2024 · $1,113,000

## Abstract

The brain of an awake, mature human (and other mammals) consciously and subconsciously
“knows” the body’s configuration in 3D space on a moment-by-moment basis. This is often
referred to as the “body schema” representation in the brain. Body schema is critical for self-
awareness and for motor control. For example, we can effortlessly use our hand to touch our
nose or swat a mosquito that has just landed on the back of the neck, regardless of the starting
positions of the hand, because we have an intimate knowledge of the body’s position in 3D
space at any given moment. Yet how the brain generates body schema representation remains
largely unknown. Here we propose to systematically examining the neural circuits and
mechanisms that compute the 3D positions of all body segments (individually or combined) with
egocentric reference frames in the mouse brain. This is achieved by (1) developing an
algorithm, BodySchemeJ, that generates fully parameterized moment-to-moment description of
full body configurations in freely moving mice; (2) performing large-scale multi-electrode array
recordings from multiple brain areas with concurrent tracking of body configurations in free-
moving behaviors; (3) computational analysis of neural data and testing the hierarchical body
schema representation hypothesis; and (4) delineating the presynaptic inputs and output targets
of identified body schema cells. Finally, since body schema representation deficits are observed
in many neurological diseases, we will test how body schema is abnormally encoded in a
mouse model of autism. The pioneering knowledge gained from this research will help to
establish a new conceptual framework to advance our understandings of quintessential
neurobiological processes such as self/body awareness, localizing sensations to body parts in
3D space, action selection and motor control.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10924040
- **Project number:** 5DP1NS137188-02
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
- **Principal Investigator:** Fan Wang
- **Activity code:** DP1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $1,113,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-08 → 2028-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10924040

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10924040, Unraveling the Neural Bases of Body Schema (5DP1NS137188-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10924040. Licensed CC0.

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