Changes in Brain Plasticity after Amputation

💡Carrick Insight: How does brain plasticity affect amputees? 🧠 Researchers looked at the functional connectivity of those who had experienced phantom limb pain, or the sensation that the amputated limb was still there. They found two major changes: 1️⃣ A decrease in the functional connectivity between homologous sensory and motor cortical regions via the Corpus Callosum 2️⃣ An increase in intra-hemispheric connectivity between the primary and secondary somatosensory regions and the primary and premotor areas contralateral to the side of amputation. Knowing these plastic changes that occur in the brain after amputation allows us to better understand phantom limb pain and the functional impact it has on these individuals. Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-39696-z #carricktrained #carrickinsight #carrickinstitute #amputee #neuroscience #phantomlimb #neurology #research