Preprint Review Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

The Homuncular Jigsaw: Investigations of Phantom Limb and Body Awareness Following Brachial Plexus Block or Avulsion

Version 1 : Received: 28 January 2019 / Approved: 29 January 2019 / Online: 29 January 2019 (09:46:09 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Pazzaglia, M.; Leemhuis, E.; Giannini, A.M.; Haggard, P. The Homuncular Jigsaw: Investigations of Phantom Limb and Body Awareness Following Brachial Plexus Block or Avulsion. J. Clin. Med. 2019, 8, 182. Pazzaglia, M.; Leemhuis, E.; Giannini, A.M.; Haggard, P. The Homuncular Jigsaw: Investigations of Phantom Limb and Body Awareness Following Brachial Plexus Block or Avulsion. J. Clin. Med. 2019, 8, 182.

Abstract

Many neuropsychological theories agree that the brain maintains a relatively persistent representation of one’s own body, as indicated by vivid “phantom” experiences. It remains unclear how the loss of sensory and motor information contributes to the presence of this representation. Here, we focus on new empirical and theoretical evidence of phantom sensations following damage to or an anesthetic block of the brachial plexus. We suggest a crucial role of this structure in understanding the interaction between peripheral and central mechanisms in health and in pathology. Studies of brachial plexus function have shed new light on how neuroplasticity enables “somatotopic interferences,” including pain and body awareness. Understanding the relations among clinical disorders, their neural substrate, and behavioral outcomes may enhance methods of sensory rehabilitation for phantom limbs.

Keywords

phantom limb, somatotopy, brachial plexus, deafferentation rehabilitation, anesthetic block.

Subject

Social Sciences, Behavior Sciences

Comments (0)

Comment 1
Received: 2 February 2019
Commenter: Marco Lanzilotto
The commenter has declared there is no conflict of interests.
Comment: Dear Authors,
I found your paper because you cited one paper of mine. I did several studies about ear motor representation in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in monkeys and in particular in BA 9 and area 8B. Usually in the areas where one can find ear motor represantation, one can find also eye movements neurons, head rotation neurons as well as auditory neurons. Finally, we found also the mirroring of head rotation in BA 9.
I think your papers are really interesting. Congrats.
I have some questions:
1) Can you evoke phantom limb sensation even you ask to the subjects to voluntarly move the ears (some subjects can do it)?
2) During phantom limb sensation, have you ever heard of auditory illusion?
3) Can you evoke phantom limb sensation, even you ask to the subject to observe another subject which touch the own ear, thus simply observing?
Waiting a kind answer
I wish good job.
Best Regards
Marco Lanzilotto
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