Phantom Limbs, Neuroprosthetics, and the Developmental Origins of Embodiment

Mark S Blumberg; James C Dooley

doi:10.1016/j.tins.2017.07.003

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Phantom Limbs, Neuroprosthetics, and the Developmental Origins of Embodiment

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Phantom Limbs, Neuroprosthetics, and the Developmental Origins of Embodiment

Mark S Blumberg and James C Dooley

Trends in neurosciences (Regular ed.), Vol.40(10), pp.603-612

10/2017

DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2017.07.003

PMCID: PMC5623093

PMID: 28843655

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2017.07.003View

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Abstract

Amputees who wish to rid themselves of a phantom limb must weaken the neural representation of the absent limb. Conversely, amputees who wish to replace a lost limb must assimilate a neuroprosthetic with the existing neural representation. Whether we wish to remove a phantom limb or assimilate a synthetic one, we will benefit from knowing more about the developmental process that enables embodiment. A potentially critical contributor to that process is the spontaneous activity - in the form of limb twitches - that occurs exclusively and abundantly during active (REM) sleep, a particularly prominent state in early development. The sensorimotor circuits activated by twitching limbs, and the developmental context in which activation occurs, could provide a roadmap for creating neuroprosthetics that feel as if they are part of the body.

Phantom Limb - rehabilitation

Animals

Movement - physiology

Humans

Neural Prostheses

Sleep - physiology

Extremities - growth & development

Extremities - physiopathology

Phantom Limb - physiopathology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Phantom Limbs, Neuroprosthetics, and the Developmental Origins of Embodiment
Creators: Mark S Blumberg - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA; Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA; DeLTA Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA. Electronic address: mark-blumberg@uiowa.edu
James C Dooley - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA; DeLTA Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Trends in neurosciences (Regular ed.), Vol.40(10), pp.603-612
DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2017.07.003
PMID: 28843655
PMCID: PMC5623093
NLM abbreviation: Trends Neurosci
ISSN: 0166-2236
eISSN: 1878-108X
Publisher: England
Grant note: R37 HD081168 / NICHD NIH HHS F32 NS101858 / NINDS NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 10/2017
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biology
Record Identifier: 9984002371302771

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