Pain and Reorganization after Amputation: Is Interoceptive Prediction a Key?

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Thomas Weiss - , Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Author)
  • Hanna Koehler - , Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Author)
  • Ilona Croy - , Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Author)

Abstract

There is an ongoing discussion on the relevance of brain reorganization following amputation for phantom limb pain. Recent attempts to provide explanations for seemingly controversial findings-specifically, maladaptive plasticity versus persistent functional representation as a complementary process-acknowledged that reorganization in the primary somatosensory cortex is not sufficient to explain phantom limb pain satisfactorily. Here we provide theoretical considerations that might help integrate the data reviewed and suppose a possible additional driver of the development of phantom limb pain-namely, an error in interoceptive predictions to somatosensory sensations and movements of the missing limb. Finally, we derive empirically testable consequences based on our considerations to guide future research.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)665–675
Number of pages11
JournalThe Neuroscientist : a review journal bringing neurobiology, neurology and psychiatry
Volume2023
Issue number29(6)
Early online date11 Aug 2022
Publication statusPublished - 6 Dec 2023
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85135783540
unpaywall 10.1177/10738584221112591
Mendeley 3304ed29-0292-33de-a756-3f2ede52186d

Keywords

Keywords

  • interoception, cortical reorganization, predictive coding, phantom limb pain, prediction error

Library keywords