Christophe LOPEZ (Researcher)

Principal investigator of the ANR VESTISELF (2020-2023) and the BODILYSELF project “Vestibular and multisensory investigations of bodily self-consciousness” (Career Integration Grant from the FP7 European Union’s Marie Curie program)

My research focuses on multisensory integration and vestibular perception, as well as on sensorimotor adaptations during disorders of the vestibular system (the inner ear).

I study the effects of vestibular stimuli (galvanic and caloric vestibular stimuli, whole-body movement platforms, rotary chairs) on several aspects of body perception and self-awareness (e.g. visual-spatial perspective taking, sense of body ownership, body schema and body image).

These studies are conducted in healthy volunteers, brain-damaged patients, epileptic patients and patients with diseases of the vestibular system, using neuropsychological and functional neuroimaging (electroencephalography, EEG) approaches.

My research combines approaches from cognitive neuroscience, experimental psychology and vestibular physiology. The range of techniques used includes: surface EEG, intracranial EEG (epileptic patients), caloric vestibular stimulation, galvanic vestibular stimulation, VEMPS or vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials, fMRI, psychophysics, videonystagmography, posturography.