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Related Concept Videos

Somatosensation01:33

Somatosensation

The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.
Major Somatic Sensory Pathways01:28

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the posterior columns...
Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways01:29

Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways

Somatic sensory or somatosensory pathways refer to the neural pathways that carry information related to touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and proprioception from the skin, muscles, tendons, and joints to the brain. These pathways involve several stages of processing and integration of sensory information.
The somatosensory system is divided into three main pathways: the dorsal (or posterior) column-medial lemniscus, spinothalamic (or anterolateral), and spinocerebellar pathways.
The dorsal...
Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System01:11

Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System

The somatosensory system is the central and peripheral nervous system component that senses and processes touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and body position or proprioception. The process of sensation takes place at three levels:
The receptor level:
The receptor level is the first stage of sensation. It involves the detection of a stimulus by specialized sensory receptors. The stimulus must arrive within the receptor's receptive field. Next, the receptor converts the energy of the stimulus...
Introduction to Special Senses01:26

Introduction to Special Senses

Sensory receptors play an integral part in comprehending our external and internal environments. They receive diverse stimuli, converting them into the nervous system's electrochemical signals. This conversion occurs as the stimulus alters the sensory neuron's cell membrane potential, instigating the generation of an action potential. This action potential is subsequently transmitted to the central nervous system (CNS), which integrates with other sensory data or higher cognitive functions.
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...

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Related Experiment Video

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Real-time Video Projection in an MRI for Characterization of Neural Correlates Associated with Mirror Therapy for Phantom Limb Pain
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Real-time Video Projection in an MRI for Characterization of Neural Correlates Associated with Mirror Therapy for Phantom Limb Pain

Published on: April 20, 2019

Central mechanisms in phantom limb perception: the past, present and future.

Melita J Giummarra1, Stephen J Gibson, Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis

  • 1Experimental Neuropsychology Research Unit, School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Australia. melita.giummarra@med.monash.edu.au

Brain Research Reviews
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Phantom limbs offer insights into bodily awareness. A "normal" phantom limb may be adaptive, while phantom pain could signal a failure in the brain

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Body Schema Research
  • Phantom Limb Phenomena

Background:

  • Phantom limbs are crucial for understanding bodily awareness and ownership.
  • Existing theories like body schema and neuromatrix theory explain some aspects.
  • Limited research exists on prosthesis embodiment and mirror neuron involvement.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the complexity of phantom limb phenomena.
  • To explore under-researched areas like prosthesis embodiment and mirror neurons.
  • To propose future research directions in phantom limb studies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of phantom limb phenomena.
  • Analysis of body schema and neuromatrix theory contributions.
  • Identification of under-explored research areas.

Main Results:

  • Phantom limb phenomena include proprioception, form, position, posture, and telescoping.
  • Mirror neurons and cross-referencing between limbs are key factors.
  • A non-painful phantom limb may be an adaptive function of the neuromatrix.

Conclusions:

  • Perception of a normal phantom limb is likely an epiphenomenon of normal functioning, action understanding, and empathy.
  • It may be evolutionarily adaptive and necessary for certain functions.
  • Phantom pain might represent a maladaptive failure of the neuromatrix.