Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Human "autotomy".

David Bowsher1

  • 1Pain Research Institute, Clinical Sciences Building, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool L9 7AL, UK. pri@liv.ac.uk

Pain
|January 16, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Two cases show self-injurious behavior: one with central post-stroke pain self-mutilated his nose, while another scratched an anesthetic forehead. These cases highlight complex pain and self-harm phenomena.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

An individual with Sarmatian-related ancestry in Roman Britain.

Current biology : CB·2023
Same author

Absence of pain with hyperhidrosis: a new syndrome where vascular afferents may mediate cutaneous sensation.

Pain·2009
Same author

A case of visceral post-stroke pain.

Journal of pain and symptom management·2006
Same author

The effects of unilateral transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation of the median nerve on bilateral somatosensory thresholds.

Clinical physiology and functional imaging·2006
Same author

Pain activates cortical areas in the preterm newborn brain.

Pain·2006
Same author

Somatic sensation and the insular-opercular cortex: relationship to central pain.

European neurology·2006

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is a complex phenomenon often associated with neurological and psychological conditions.
  • Understanding the underlying mechanisms of SIB is crucial for developing effective interventions.

Observation:

  • Case 1: A man with central post-stroke pain experienced severe nasal pain, leading to self-excavation of the ala nasi, with continued phantom pain post-injury.
  • Case 2: A man with ophthalmic herpes zoster and possible postherpetic neuralgia scratched his anesthetic forehead to the bone, denying any pain sensation.

Findings:

  • The first case exemplifies autotomy, a self-inflicted injury where the individual removes or damages a body part.
  • The second case demonstrates destruction of an anesthetic body part, where pain perception is absent during self-harm.

Implications:

  • These cases suggest distinct pathways for SIB, differentiating between pain-driven and non-pain-driven self-harm.
  • The findings have implications for understanding human and animal physiopathology, particularly concerning pain perception, phantom pain, and self-mutilation.
  • Further research into the neurological and psychological underpinnings of these behaviors is warranted.

Related Experiment Videos