Phantom Limbs Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

shade LimbsPhantom Limb distressingness (PLP) is a serious condition that occurs when a person who has lost a rive of their body though amputation, scathe (brachial plexus), or loss of nervous connections in an appendage, perceives that the limb is tranquilize in that location and experiences sensations coming from this area. It was first described in 1866 by S. Weir Mitchell, an American neurologist, by a short story print in Atlantic Monthly. opus Mitchell may then countenance wondered if this was particularized to wounded Civil contend soldiers, it has since been established as quite super acid (1). Over 70% of amputees account statement shadow limb pain for days after amputation (2). Several theories clear been proposed regarding PLP, although there is still much to be learned and understood. Early physicians believed that phantom limb sensations were caused by disunite restiveness that fired randomly, sending signals to the somatosensory cortex re-creating sen sations seemingly coming from the wanting(p) limb. However, this theory was soon disproved when surgeons essay unsuccessfully to eradicate these sensations by acute the nerves leading to the neuromas, preventing the neuromal signals from range the cortex. Researchers then began to concentrate on the intention of the spinal cord in PLP, but realized that paraplegics with completely severed spinal cords still experienced sensations where their limbs had been (5). Focus then turn to the brain and its role. Until the mid 1980s, it was astray believed that once neural pathways were placed during foetal development, these pathways did not change and were not altered in any placeable way (3). However, recent studies have shown that the brain has a high layer of plasticity into adulthood, which allows it to continuall... ...opens the doors to looking at the neuromatrix and corollary discharge signals in the brain and the function that these prewired expectations may have on the body, especially pain. These ideas are the key to providing long-run pain management for PLP patients. flora Cited1. Yang, Tony T., Gallen C., Schwartz, B., Bloom, F.E., Ramachandran, S. Cobb, Sensory Maps in the Human Brain, Nature, vol. 368, 14 April 1994 592-593. http//zygote.swarthmore.edu/axon6.html2. Flor, H., Elbert,T., Knecht, S., Wienbruch, C., Pantev, C., Birbaumer, N., Larbig, W., Taub, E., Phantom Limb Pain as a Perceptual agree of Cortical Reorganization following Arm Amputation, Nature, vol. 375, 8 June 1995 482-483. http//www.bfe.org/protocol/pro05eng.htm3. Grobstein, Paul, segmentation Lecture. Neurobiology and Behavior. Bryn Mawr College. February and April 1998. Phantom Limbs Essay -- biology Essays Research PapersPhantom LimbsPhantom Limb Pain (PLP) is a serious condition that occurs when a person who has lost a part of their body though amputation, trauma (brachial plexus), or loss of nervous connections in an appendage, perceives that the l imb is still there and experiences sensations coming from this area. It was first described in 1866 by S. Weir Mitchell, an American neurologist, through a short story published in Atlantic Monthly. While Mitchell may then have wondered if this was specific to wounded Civil War soldiers, it has since been established as quite common (1). Over 70% of amputees report phantom limb pain for years after amputation (2). Several theories have been proposed regarding PLP, although there is still much to be learned and understood. Early physicians believed that phantom limb sensations were caused by severed nerves that fired randomly, sending signals to the somatosensory cortex re-creating sensations seemingly coming from the missing limb. However, this theory was soon disproved when surgeons tried unsuccessfully to eradicate these sensations by cutting the nerves leading to the neuromas, preventing the neuromal signals from reaching the cortex. Researchers then began to concentrate on the r ole of the spinal cord in PLP, but realized that paraplegics with completely severed spinal cords still experienced sensations where their limbs had been (5). Focus then turned to the brain and its role. Until the mid 1980s, it was widely believed that once neural pathways were placed during fetal development, these pathways did not change and were not altered in any recognizable way (3). However, recent studies have shown that the brain has a high degree of plasticity into adulthood, which allows it to continuall... ...opens the doors to looking at the neuromatrix and corollary discharge signals in the brain and the influence that these prewired expectations may have on the body, especially pain. These ideas are the key to providing long-term pain management for PLP patients. Works Cited1. Yang, Tony T., Gallen C., Schwartz, B., Bloom, F.E., Ramachandran, S. Cobb, Sensory Maps in the Human Brain, Nature, vol. 368, 14 April 1994 592-593. http//zygote.swarthmore.edu/axon6.html2. Flo r, H., Elbert,T., Knecht, S., Wienbruch, C., Pantev, C., Birbaumer, N., Larbig, W., Taub, E., Phantom Limb Pain as a Perceptual Correlate of Cortical Reorganization Following Arm Amputation, Nature, vol. 375, 8 June 1995 482-483. http//www.bfe.org/protocol/pro05eng.htm3. Grobstein, Paul, Class Lecture. Neurobiology and Behavior. Bryn Mawr College. February and April 1998.