The perception of pain in phantom limbs essay
By far the most well-known treatment for phantom limb pain is known as the mirror box. 1998. The perception of phantom limbs: the DO hebb lecture. Brain, 121 9, 1603-1630. By Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc. Reviewed by Yolanda Smith, B.Pharm. A phantom limb is a vivid perception that a limb that has been removed or amputated is still present in the body and performing its functions. The four most influential theories of pain perception include the specificity or labeled line, intensity, pattern, and gate control theories of pain, Fig. 1 Fig. 1. Schematic diagrams of pain theories. A: Based on the Specificity Theory of Pain, each modality, touch and pain, is encoded into separate pathways. Phantom perception refers to the conscious awareness of a perception in the absence of an external stimulus. Drawing on basic neuroscience of perception and clinical research on phantom pain and phantom sound, we propose a working model for their origins. Sensory deafferentation results in high frequency gamma band. In the experimental task, pairs of images were presented sequentially, with each stimulus pair comprising one image with the target limb in front of a fixed object and another with the limb behind the same object. See Figure There was a total number of stimulus pairs with arms n, 16 or legs n, 16 and threatening n, 16 or neutral. Phantom limb pain PLP is a common phenomenon that occurs after the amputation of a limb and can be associated with severe suffering. Psychological factors have been shown to play an important role in other types of chronic pain, being critical in the acquisition and maintenance of pain symptoms. For PLP, however, phantom limb pain is a curious phenomenon. We find it interesting because it raises challenging questions relevant to what it means for us to live in our bodies, and has therefore been a source of wonder and curiosity throughout modern culture. . Ren Descartes liked to use PLP as a cautionary example of why the human senses are abstract. Phantom limb pain PLP is a complicated condition with several clinical challenges. It consists of pain perception of a previously amputated limb. The exact mechanism of pain is disputed and includes mechanisms involving cerebral, peripheral, and spinal origins. Such controversy limits the development capacity of researchers and physicians. Bell used phantom sensation to support his view that the seat of sensation is in the brain. Essays on Physiognomy, Designed to Advance the Knowledge and Love of Mankind, vol. 4. The perception of phantom limbs. The DO Hebb lecture. Brain, 121 1998, pp. 1603-1630. The mechanism of phantom limb pain has not been elucidated, and current studies believe that it mainly involves the central mechanism and the peripheral mechanism. 5, 19, risk factors for PLP in.