title: Cortical focusing is an alternative explanation for improved sensory acuity on an amputation stump.
abstract: The ability to localize a sensory stimulus on the body surface (locognosia) has been investigated in normal subjects in a quest to find an explanation for the reported findings of improved sensory acuity on an amputation stump. We have shown that when attending to a smaller area of skin, during the testing procedure, locognosia improves (P < 0.001) by a similar degree to that seen in amputees. Such selective attention is likely to occur in upper limb amputees as they have a reduced area of skin on which to focus during sensory testing. This represents a further explanation for improved sensory acuity on an amputation stump without implicating plasticity of connections within the somatosensory cortex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Southampton General Hospital, UK. cegmoore@hotmail.com
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Partner
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Sedgwick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000672:Amputation Stumps / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D012016:Reference Values; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000503:physiopathology; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*