Vicarious body maps bridge vision and touch in the human brain.
1 December 2025Tomas Knapen and team published a new article published in Nature: “Vicarious body maps bridge vision and touch in the human brain.”
This study reveals that the human visual cortex is organized in a far more multisensory way than previously recognized. Using ultra-high-field (7T) fMRI and a new dual-source connective-field model, we show that visual cortex contains structured, map-like representations of the body — somatotopic maps traditionally associated with touch.
Key insight: When you watch another person being touched, your visual system transforms that input into first-person, body-referenced codes. Visual and somatosensory maps are aligned across large portions of dorsolateral cortex, providing a neural substrate for vicarious and embodied experiences.
Why this matters:
• Reveals a fundamental cross-modal computational motif in the brain
• Links visual perception with body-based simulation and social understanding
• Offers new avenues for studying conditions involving atypical visuo-tactile integration
• Provides a biologically grounded template for more embodied AI systems
The paper is available fully open access from here.