Autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia are traditionally viewed as distinct diagnostic
categories. However, evidence increasingly suggests overlapping pathological functioning
at various levels, starting from brain circuitry to behaviour. Notably, both disorders
are characterized by anomalous minimal self-experience (altered body ownership and
agency), which is a trait-like, phenomenological distortion. We propose a conceptual
framework that unites multiple levels, from neural mechanisms to cognitive and phenomenological
correlates, for understanding minimal self-disturbance across diagnostic boundaries.A
comprehensive review of existing literature was conducted, examining phenomenological,
neurocognitive, and neural correlates of minimal self-disturbance in both schizophrenia
and autism spectrum disorder. Assessment tools and scales such as the Examination
of Anomalous Self-Experience Scale, as well as experimental neurocognitive paradigms
like the Rubber-Hand Illusion and self-relevant stimuli tasks, were examined for their
relevance in evaluating self-experience in both conditions.Minimal self-disturbances
were found to be a prominent feature of both schizophrenia and autism, albeit with
different manifestations. Patients with schizophrenia showed heightened susceptibility
to body ownership alterations, while individuals with autism exhibited decreased susceptibility.
Neural markers, particularly within the default mode network and thalamocortical connectivity,
were implicated in self-disturbance in both disorders, suggesting a shared neurobiological
basis.The minimal self- disturbance appears to be a transdiagnostic feature of both
schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder, indicating that these conditions may represent
points along a shared psychopathological continuum. The proposed model integrates
neurobiological, cognitive, and phenomenological aspects of self-disturbance, offering
a comprehensive framework for understanding and assessing disruptions in self-experience
across these conditions. This approach promotes a shift away from rigid diagnostic
classifications towards approaches that highlight the importance of atypical self-experience.
(Neuropsychopharmacol Hung 2024; 26(4): 218-226)
