Interoception in Emotional Processing: From Sensation to Psychopathology

Abstract

The perception of body changes, defined as interoception, is a key element in current research. The present review article aims to characterize the role of interoception in emotional processing. First, we describe the main interoceptive models and their measurement methods. Then, we delimit in a general way the mechanisms of atypical interoception. The results indicate that research in the area has not been systematic, which has led to the widespread practice of extending the definition of interoceptive as “not exteroceptive”. It has also, in a more restricted way, been described as simply a physiological pathway. This has led to the measurement of interoception having certain limitations that must be resolved wherever possible. Finally, it is concluded that atypical interoceptive mechanisms are a common factor related to the symptomatology present in different emotional disorders such as alexithymia, depression, anxiety, and somatic disorders.