Phantom limb pain: The brain retains detailed maps of missing limbs long after amputation, according to new research that could reshape understanding of phantom limb pain and improve the development of brain-controlled prosthetics.
The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, followed three patients who underwent arm amputations for medical reasons. Researchers performed MRI scans before surgery and at intervals of up to five years afterwards. They found that the brain’s somatosensory cortex, the region that processes signals from different parts of the body, continued to represent the missing hand much as it did before the operation.
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The results contradict decades of earlier studies, which suggested that once a limb is removed, the brain reorganises itself by shrinking the affected area and allowing nearby regions, such as those linked to the lips, to expand.
Lead author Hunter Schone, of the University of Pittsburgh, said the findings indicate that the traditional model of dramatic reorganisation “does not hold up” in these cases. Instead, the persistence of these brain maps may help explain why many amputees continue to feel phantom sensations or pain in missing limbs.
The study also highlights potential benefits for brain-computer interface technology, which relies on stable brain circuits to operate robotic or prosthetic limbs. If the neural maps of missing limbs remain intact for years, they may provide a reliable foundation for such devices.
Experts caution that the research was based on a very small group and further studies will be needed to confirm the results and explore their clinical implications.
(Source: Nature Neuroscience)
