One key issue when conceiving the body as a multisensory object is how the cognitive
system integrates visible instances of the self and other bodies with one\u2019s own
somatosensory processing, to achieve self-recognition and body ownership. Recent
research has strongly suggested that shadows cast by our own body have a special
status for cognitive processing, directing attention to the body in a fast and highly specific
manner. The aim of the present article is to review the most recent scientific contributions
addressing how body shadows affect both sensory/perceptual and attentional processes.
The review examines three main points: (1) body shadows as a special window to
investigate the construction of multisensory body perception; (2) experimental paradigms
and related findings; (3) open questions and future trajectories. The reviewed literature
suggests that shadows cast by one\u2019s own body promote binding between personal
and extrapersonal space and elicit automatic orienting of attention toward the bodypart
casting the shadow. Future research should address whether the effects exerted
by body shadows are similar to those observed when observers are exposed to other
visual instances of their body. The results will further clarify the processes underlying the
merging of vision and somatosensation when creating body representations