Increased motor control of a phantom leg in humans results from the visual feedback of a virtual leg.
Although previous research reported that the visual feedback of a 'virtual arm' increased the control of a phantom arm, it did not consider that the repeated attempt to move the phantom may have contributed to the effect. Twenty-one lower limb amputees reported the response of their phantom leg during repeated attempts to move both legs in one of two conditions, a control condition in which the amputee only viewed the movements of their intact leg and an experimental condition in which the amputee additionally viewed the movements of a 'virtual' leg. It was found that viewing a virtual leg resulted in amputees reporting a significantly greater number of movements of their phantom leg than with attempted movement alone. The implications were discussed in terms of visuo-motor adaptation and theories of motor control.
Brodie
Eric E
EE
Department of Psychology, Glasgow Caledonian University, G4 0BA, Glasgow, UK. e.brodie@gcal.ac.uk
Whyte
Anne
A
Waller
Bridget
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000674:Amputees / Q000523:psychology*; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010591:Phantom Limb / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D014785:Vision, Ocular