Verified by Phantom of the Operation
Unexpected rewiring of the brain may be a reason why amputees feel real pain in missing limbs.
By PT Staff published March 1, 1996 - last reviewed on June 9, 2016
Why do most amputees feel "phantom" sensations, like pain in their missing limbs? It may stem from some unexpected brain rewiring. Scientists have discovered that after amputation, nerve fibers from the stump actually grow new connections—some of which activate brain areas that once monitored the now absent limb. So the brain interprets incoming signals as coming from the missing body part, report Vanderbilt's Sherre Florence and colleagues.
Normally, adult neurons don't grow at all, notes Jon Kaas, Ph.D. If scientists can figure out why they do so after amputation, "we can direct neuronal growth to occur when we want it"—like after a stroke.
