It turns out that after hand amputation, the brain retains memory of finger movements for life

Sensational discovery: the brain "remembers" fingers even after limb amputation

"The phantom limb phenomenon has been known for a long time. People who have lost limbs continue to feel their presence. A logical question arises: if the limb is felt, where is this sensation "stored"? The answer is simple: in the cerebral cortex there exists a so-called "map" of the body, which is sometimes called a homunculus. It's a small person with large hands and a large head, while the rest of the body is quite miniature. Many studies show that the cortex pays more attention to the hand and fine finger movements than to the legs, which are controlled by more automatic subcortical structures," explained the scientist.

Previously, studies of cortical plasticity were popular: if an animal's finger is amputated, neighboring fingers fill its zone on the map. Now, scientists have come to the revolutionary conclusion that the cortex remains unchanged.

"This really unifies all the old knowledge about phantom limbs. As part of the research, we were able to find out that nerve stimulation projects onto the phantom. This technique is useful for adjusting prostheses. The fact that the brain map is preserved even after the loss of a limb can help us create neurotechnologies that utilize this potential for adding sensation to prostheses," noted the scientist.