Understanding the role of alpha brain waves in self-perception could impact treatment for psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, as well as improve the sensory experience of those living with artificial limbs. For example, how does our body know what our body is in relation to the outside world? “The findings may provide new insights into psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia, where the sense of self is disturbed.”The human brain generates different kinds of brain waves, each associated with specific mental states. Interestingly, the study finds a positive correlation among those with faster alpha brain waves and the sensitivity to timing differences between sensations felt by the real hand and the rubber hand. Related Story Consciousness May Emerge From a Quantum FieldTo confirm this finding, researchers used a non-invasive method for adjusting the speed of alpha brain waves, and found that these changes also impact a subject’s precision of body ownership.