Structural and functional motor cortex asymmetry in unilateral lower limb amputation with phantom limb pain.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The role of motor cortex reorganization in the development and maintenance of phantom limb pain (PLP) is still unclear. This study aims to evaluate neurophysiological and structural motor cortex asymmetry in patients with PLP and its relationship with pain intensity.

Methods

Cross-sectional analysis of an ongoing randomized-controlled trial. We evaluated the motor cortex asymmetry through two techniques: i) changes in cortical excitability indexed by transcranial magnetic stimulation (motor evoked potential, paired-pulse paradigms and cortical mapping), and ii) voxel-wise grey matter asymmetry analysis by brain magnetic resonance imaging.

Results

We included 62 unilateral traumatic lower limb amputees with a mean PLP of 5.9 (SD = 1.79). We found, in the affe

SUBMITTER: Pacheco-Barrios K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7494252 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature