FIGURE 8.

A hierarchical schematic of how somatic sensory systems, mediated by early attachment patterning, provide a foundation for vertical and horizontal integration in the brain. Vestibular, tactile and proprioceptive input drive healthy neurodevelopmental processes and the development of emotion regulation, motor planning, sense of time, agency, and a sense of embodiment when scaffolded by an attuned, secure attachment figure. However, a paucity or lack of safe and nourishing somatic sensory experiences interacting with contexts of abuse and/or neglect results in overwhelmed, fragmented and disintegrated brainstem-level sensory integration, which has cascading effects on higher order capacities of limbic and cortical brain regions.