MGH Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging 2017 | Page 31

The Neuroscience
of Personal Space
A study of the brain mechanisms associated with the
regulation of personal space has led to deeper understandings of
social dysfunction in schizophrenia—and pointed toward
possible new treatments.
We all have a need for personal space, the comfort zone we maintain around
our bodies, implicitly entreating others not to encroach upon it.
In recent years researchers have been probing the ways in which we regulate
this space, looking at how and why our brains tell us when someone is
simply too close. These studies have meaningful, real-world implications.
Not least, they are showing promise for helping those suffering from mental
illness. As well as giving us better understandings of how our brains work
generally, they are now also shedding light on the mechanisms of social
dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia.
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