After Amputation, the Brain's Hand Map Stays Intact, New Human Study Finds

Our brain doesn't actually reorganise itself after an amputation

Previous research in macaques suggests that part of the brain reorganises itself when a limb is removed, but now a study in people has turned that idea on its head

Gone but not forgotten: New research shows the brain's map of the body remains unchanged after amputation

The brain holds a "map" of the body that remains unchanged even after a limb has been amputated, contrary to the prevailing view that it rearranges itself to compensate for the loss, according to new research from scientists in the UK and US.

Phantom limb pain treatment could change thanks to brain study

Experts had thought the brain rewires after an amputation, but researchers say this is not the case.

Brain map does not change following amputation, new study finds, upending assumptions

Neuroscientists have long held that the brain reorganizes itself when a body part is amputated. A new study says that’s not the case. The study analyzed the brain activation of three individuals before and after they underwent amputation of one of their hands. Images of participants’ brains were very similar prior to and following surgery, suggesting that the brain’s map of the body is highly preserved following limb loss. The findings, publishe…

The brain’s map of the body is surprisingly stable — even after a limb is lost

Study challenges the textbook idea that the brain region that processes body sensations reorganizes itself after limb amputation.

Our Brains Don't Change Structure After Amputation

Before entering the MRI scanner, Emily Weldon practiced moving a lost finger from her amputated arm, accompanied by a researcher. Tamar Makin/Hunter Schone Research suggests our brains may not reconfigure as much as previously believed following an amputation. The somatosensory cortex, which processes sensory data like touch and temperature from the entire body, has been [...] The post Our Brains Don’t Change Structure After Amputation appeared …