To interact with the world, we rely on representations of our own body. But what happens when this sense becomes distorted or unfamiliar? Altered body representations are a hallmark of several neuropsychiatric conditions, raising profound questions about the mechanisms that shape bodily self-consciousness and the boundaries between self and other.
For the 8th edition of BRNet, we will explore these questions under the theme “The Uncanny Body.” This meeting will bring together researchers and clinicians to discuss how disruptions in body perception emerge, what they reveal about the mind, and how tools and methods assessing body representation, whether in clinical populations or healthy individuals, can inform new therapeutic approaches.
Topics will include:
• Body representation distortions in psychiatric conditions, such as eating disorders and related syndromes.
• Methods and tools to measure distortions in body representations, from behavioral paradigms to neuroimaging and virtual reality.
• Altered body perception in neurological disorders and other conditions affecting bodily awareness.
🎤Confirmed Keynote Speakers: Olaf Blanke (EPFL, Geneva), Michela Bassolino (HES-SO Valais Wallis, Sion), Jamie Feusner (University of Toronto).
📌Important Dates:
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Poster submission deadline: February 20, 2026
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Registration deadline: March 30, 2026
🎯Abstract Submission
Register and submit your poster via the form via this link
We look forward to welcoming you to Padua. for an exciting journey into one of the most intriguing aspects of human experience: when the body becomes uncanny.
Best regards,
The BRNet 2026 Organizing Committee