Enhanced tactile spatial acuity and cortical processing during acute hand deafferentation.
Acute deafferentation of a limb results in bilateral cortical reorganization, but the behavioral consequences of this phenomenon are unknown. Here we found rapid improvements in tactile spatial acuity and changes in cortical processing for the left hand during cutaneous anesthesia of the right hand. The site-specific improvement in tactile spatial acuity may represent a behavioral compensatory gain.
Werhahn
Konrad J
KJ
Human Cortical Physiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Mortensen
Jennifer
J
Van Boven
Robert W
RW
Zeuner
Kirsten E
KE
Cohen
Leonardo G
LG
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D006225:Hand / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*