In a study published in the February edition of the Clinical Journal of Pain, researchers at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, department of neuroscience, and the Arm Prosthesis Unit, Red Cross Hospital, Stockholm, concluded that “visuotactile illusion”, or illusory touch, can reduce phantom limb pain.
The researchers studied six people with upper-limb amputations who had been previously exposed to the classical mirror therapy with no or limited success, and conducted experiments using visualization paired with either illusory movement or illusory touch. While none of the participants benefitted from the movement condition, five participants showed significant pain reduction during the stroking condition of the illusory touch.
Based on evidence that amputation leads to cortical reorganization-changes in the brain’s cortex-and the theory that phantom limb pain might be related to an incongruity of motor intention, somatosensation, and visual feedback, as well as the the fact that mirror therapy isn’t universally successful, researchers looked for alternative methods to alleviate phantom limb pain. The researchers noted that while the study results are preliminary, the findings encourage further study of illusory touch as a method of significant phantom limb pain reduction.
Editor’s note: This story was adapted from materials provided by the Clinical Journal of Pain.
