A recent study by Tamar Makin at the University of Cambridge has challenged the long-held idea that the brain can rewire itself after an amputation, which could have significant implications for treating phantom limb pain. Researchers compared brain activity before and after amputation using MRI scans and found no evidence of brain reorganization.
The study used brain scans to measure the activity of a specific part of the brain called the somatosensory cortex, which processes sensory information from different parts of the body. Previous studies have shown that this area of the brain is mapped to specific parts of the body, such as hands or toes. However, in macaques where arm nerves were severed, neurons in the somatosensory cortex showed a surprising ability to adapt and respond to touch on other areas of the body.
The Cambridge researchers applied similar logic to three people before their arms were amputated for medical reasons. They used MRI scans to observe brain activity while the participants pursed their lips and tapped their fingers. But unlike previous studies, they found no significant changes in brain activity after the amputation. The results suggest that the brain may not be able to rewire itself as previously thought, which has important implications for treating phantom limb pain.
Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2493367-our-brain-doesnt-actually-reorganise-itself-after-an-amputation