h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.h2g2.com/A285301

Phantom limbs are the feelings of limbs which have been surgically removed, or lost, etc.

I submitted this entry a while back, but was told that there wasn't enough of it. Thing is, that's about all I know on the subject, and I can find no more..

Try looking in the back issues of science magazines, like Discover, Popular Science, etc. But I agree. There must be more info.

I've read once that with a certain kind of photography, one can actually get an outline of the limb. Unfurtunately I can't remember more

ZOE ya round

Thats Kirlian Photography I think.
It certainly works with leaves that have had a chunk chopped out, and I have heard anecdotal evidence of it doing similar with bits of animals.

- Adam

The phantom limb phenomenon comes, as you say, from having an image of the body mapped out in the sensory region of the brain. This body image is called a homunculus (there is also a less well-defined homunculus for position [proprioception], movement, etc.)
If a limb is removed, the homunculus is still intact, and so the brain tries to 'fill in' the missing gaps, hence the phantom limb experience. This can manifest itself as a feeling of heat, pressure or intense pain. Relief is difficult to acheive by normal means with painkillers, etc. Sometimes the phantom limb phenomenon can manifest itself as a feeling that the missing limb is gripping something (eg a missing hand relentlessly crushes itself into a fist). This is because the brain uses a combination of visual stimulus and a built-in positioning sensor mechanism (called proprioception) to work out where a normal limb is. When a limb is missing, these mechanisms fail, and so again the brain 'fills in' the missing information, often doing a very bad job of it. There is a new and devilishly simple way of easing this problem: Position your limbs so both your hand and your missing hand rest would the table in front of you. Place a mirror vertically between the hand and missing hand, so the reflection of your existing hand looks like it is where your missing hand is. This tricks the brain into seeing the visual feedback for the missing hand, allowing you to mentally straighten it and release it from its grip, so to speak.

I'm in a bit of a rush, so I hope that lot makes sense. Hope it helps with your article

- Adam

Another useful bit of info from The Doc
BCNU - Crescent

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