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

Characterising phantom limb phenomena in upper limb amputees.

C M Fraser1, P W Halligan, I H Robertson

  • 1Occupational Therapy Services, Addenbrooke's NHST, Cambridge, England, UK. cf13@cam.ac.uk

Prosthetics and Orthotics International
|February 28, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Most upper limb amputees experience phantom limb phenomena (PLP), with many reporting painful sensations. Understanding these phantom experiences, including trigger points, may reveal insights into brain reorganization after amputation.

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

A Flexible and Responsive Remote Study Design to Assess Gene Expression Changes During Wildfire Smoke Exposure with homeRNA, an At-home Blood Sampling Kit.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2025
Same author

Erratum to: Dietary Tyrosine Intake (FFQ) Is Associated with Locus Coeruleus, Attention and Grey Matter Maintenance: An MRI Structural Study on 398 Healthy Individuals of the Berlin Aging Study-II.

The journal of nutrition, health & aging·2024
Same author

Dietary Tyrosine Intake (FFQ) Is Associated with Locus Coeruleus, Attention and Grey Matter Maintenance: An MRI Structural Study on 398 Healthy Individuals of the Berlin Aging Study-II.

The journal of nutrition, health & aging·2023
Same author

Verbal intelligence is a more robust cross-sectional measure of cognitive reserve than level of education in healthy older adults.

Alzheimer's research & therapy·2021
Same author

Lost in Time: Temporal Monitoring Elicits Clinical Decrements in Sustained Attention Post-Stroke.

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS·2021
Same author

Cognitive rehabilitation for early stage Alzheimer's disease: a pilot study with an Irish population.

Irish journal of psychological medicine·2019

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Rehabilitation Medicine
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Phantom limb phenomena (PLP) are common after amputation.
  • Distinguishing PLP from stump and pre-amputation pain is crucial for understanding the amputee experience.
  • The underlying mechanisms of PLP, potentially involving cortical reorganization, require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically survey clinic patients with acquired upper limb amputations.
  • To differentiate between phantom experiences, pre-amputation pain, and stump pain.
  • To investigate the characteristics and potential correlates of phantom limb phenomena.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic descriptive survey was conducted on 76 participants with acquired upper limb amputations.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Participants were assessed for phantom experiences, pre-amputation pain, and stump pain.
  • Data were analyzed to identify relationships between amputation characteristics and phantom phenomena.

    • Main Results:

    • 96% of participants reported phantom experiences, and 84% currently experienced PLP.
    • 69% of those with current PLP reported painful phantom sensations.
    • Significant associations were found between the frequency of phantom experiences and amputation side/level.
    • The presence of 'trigger' points correlated with the frequency and pain intensity of phantom experiences.

    Conclusions:

    • Phantom limb phenomena are highly prevalent in upper limb amputees, often accompanied by pain.
    • Trigger points may be linked to cortical reorganization following amputation.
    • Detailed profiling of individual phantom experiences is essential for advancing knowledge and clinical practice in amputation rehabilitation.