Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Does use of a myoelectric prosthesis prevent cortical reorganization and phantom limb pain?

  • Scientific Correspondence
  • Published:

From Nature Neuroscience

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

Injury, stimulation or training can induce changes in the homuncular organization of primary somatosensory (S1) and motor cortex (M1)1,2,3,4,5,6. Phantom limb pain was identified as a perceptual correlate of this cortical reorganization2,7. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we found that enhanced use of a myoelectric prosthesis in upper extremity amputees was associated with reduced phantom limb pain and reduced cortical reorganization. Extensive use of a myoelectric prosthesis might have beneficial effects on phantom limb pain.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1: Procedure used to determine fMRI displacement in M1 and S1.
Figure 2: Lip representation in controls and upper limb amputated patients.

References

  1. Pons, T. P. et al. Science 252, 1857–1860 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Flor, H. et al. Nature 375, 482–484 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Elbert, T., Pantev, C., Wienbruch, C., Rockstroh, B. & Taub, E. Science 270, 305–307 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Cohen, L. G., Bandinelli, S., Findley, T. W. & Hallett, M. Brain 114, 615–627 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Jenkins, W. M., Merzenich, M. M., Ochs, M. T., Allard, T. & Guic-Robles, E. J. Neurophysiol. 63, 82–104 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Recanzone, G. H., Merzenich, M. M., Jenkins, W. M., Grajski, K. A. & Dinse, H. R. J Neurophysiol. 67, 1031–1056 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Birbaumer, N. et al. J. Neurosci. 17, 5503–5508 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ramachandran, V. S., Rogers-Ramachandran, D. & Cobb, S. Nature 377, 489–490 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Sherman, R. Phantom Pain (Plenum, New York, 1997).

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by BMBF, DFG and the Volkswagen-Stiftung.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroradiology, Section Experimental NMR of the CNS, University of Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 3, Tübingen, D-72076, Germany

    M. Lotze, W. Grodd & M. Erb

  2. Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Gartenstraβe 29, Tübingen, D-72074, Germany

    M. Lotze, N. Birbaumer & E. Huse

  3. Dipartimento di Psicologia, University of Padova, Italy

    N. Birbaumer

  4. Department of Psychology, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany

    H. Flor

Authors
  1. M. Lotze
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. W. Grodd
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. N. Birbaumer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Erb
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. E. Huse
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. H. Flor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Lotze.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lotze, M., Grodd, W., Birbaumer, N. et al. Does use of a myoelectric prosthesis prevent cortical reorganization and phantom limb pain?. Nat Neurosci 2, 501–502 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/9145

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/9145

  • Springer Nature America, Inc.

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation