New insights into cause of phantom limb pain may have therapeutic benefits

(Osaka University) Osaka University-led researchers showed that phantom limb pain can be reduced by changes in cortical plasticity and not by reconstruction of motor function, as previously thought. BMI training of phantom hand movement increased pain and patients reported reduced pain when instructed to move the phantom hand based on brain signals decoded from movement of the intact hand. The findings indicate that BMI training may be a clinically useful treatment for phantom limb pain.

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2fUe3r1