Structural and functional cortical abnormalities after upper limb amputation during childhood
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
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 language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 957-962 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | NeuroReport |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 5 |
Publication status | Published - 17 Apr 2001 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- Amputation, fMRI, Functional abnormalities, Motor system, Neuroplasticity, Reorganization, Structural abnormalities, TMS