Structural and functional cortical abnormalities after upper limb amputation during childhood

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Farsin Hamzei - , Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Author)
  • Joachim Liepert - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Christian Dettmers - , Rehabilitation Center Hamburg (Author)
  • Torsten Adler - , Moritz Clinic (Author)
  • Stefan Kiebel - , Chair of cognitive computational neuroscience, University College London (Author)
  • Michel Rijntjes - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Cornelius Weiller - , University of Hamburg (Author)

Abstract

Functional reorganization has been well documented in the human adult brain after amputation of the arm. To assess the effects of amputation on the developing brain, we investigated six patients with upper limb amputation in early childhood and one with right dysmelia. Transcranial magnetic stimulation indicated contralateral cortical disinhibition and enlargement of the excitable area of the stump. FMRI data corroborated these plastic changes and also showed an ipsilateral functional reorganization. In the TI-weighted MRI, we found structural deformities of the contralateral and ipsilateral central sulcus in three patients and a contralateral atrophic parietal lobule in two patients. Therefore, arm amputation in childhood affects functional organization as well as anatomical structure in both hemispheres.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)957-962
Number of pages6
JournalNeuroReport
Volume12
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - 17 Apr 2001
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Amputation, fMRI, Functional abnormalities, Motor system, Neuroplasticity, Reorganization, Structural abnormalities, TMS