It’s often forgotten, but science has confirmed the existence of a sixth sense: proprioception. So, how does it manifest itself? We tell you all about it!
Have you ever had the feeling of « sensing » something? While we often speak of presentiment, intuition or even energy, this sensation is actually linked to our sixth sense.
In scientific parlance, this is « proprioception« , a term that refers to our ability to perceive, consciously or unconsciously, the movements of our own body (or different parts of it) and to detect its position in the surrounding space.
This is what enables us, for example, to move around in a darkened room, or to relieve an itchy part of the body.
How does proprioception work?
« Its role is to gather information from muscles and joints about our movements, posture and position in space, then transmit it to our central nervous system, » explains Prof. Niccolo Zampieri, director of the Laboratory for Neural Circuit Development and Function at Berlin’s Max Delbrück Center.
Even if at first sight it seems less essential than other senses, such as sight or hearing, people who lack it or have difficulty using it can appreciate the importance of this handicap.
Indeed, they will, for example, « barely be able to stand up to walk », as Jürgen Konczak, a professor at the American University of Minnesota, points out in Popular Mechanics. » This is very devastating for people, » he assures us.
Proprioceptive deficit research at a virtual standstill
This is the case for people with Parkinson’s disease or who have suffered a stroke. For example, they find it very difficult to assess the weight of objects around them that they wish to carry, as their ability to weigh them is impaired.
For the time being, these malfunctions remain untreated, as research on the subject is relatively immature.
However, expert Jürgen Konczak, who is currently working on proprioception failure, hopes that therapies tailored to the specific needs of each patient can soon be developed to help them become aware of the different parts of their bodies.