Effects of Hand Transplantation on Cortical Organization

dc.contributor.advisorFrey, Scotten_US
dc.contributor.authorBogdanov, Sergeien_US
dc.creatorBogdanov, Sergeien_US
dc.date.accessioned2012-10-26T03:59:17Z
dc.date.available2012-10-26T03:59:17Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.description.abstractAmputation induces substantial reorganization of the body part somatotopy in primary sensory cortex (S1), and these effects of deafferentation increase with time. Determining whether these changes are reversible is critical for understanding the potential to recover from deafferenting injuries. Here, we report evidence that the representation of a transplanted hand and digits can actually recapture the pre-amputation S1 hand territory in two transplant patients. With limited sensation 4 months post operation, one of the patient's (D.S.) palmar tactile stimulation evoked contralateral S1 responses that were indistinguishable in location and amplitude from those detected in healthy matched controls. The other patient (M.S.) demonstrated not only much improved sensation but also recovered ability to localize tactile stimuli 120+ months after the operation. The results described suggest that even decades after complete deafferentation, restoring afferent input to S1 leads to re-establishment of the gross hand and digits representations within their original territory. Stimulation of the deafferented cortical maps may play an important role in maintaining their viability until the afferent input is restored. Motor imagery and creation of virtual visual feedback of the absent hand with a mirror have been proposed as stimuli. We used fMRI to record neural activity while 11 unilateral hand amputees and matched controls performed aurally-paced thumb-finger sequencing movements with their intact hand (matching hand in case of controls) under visual guidance during four conditions: 1) intact hand (ME), 2) ME with motor imagery of the amputated hand, 3) ME with virtual visual feedback of the amputated hand, and 4) ME with motor imagery and the virtual visual feedback of the amputated hand. In contrast to controls, amputees showed increases in activity during all four conditions within the former functionally-defined sensorimotor hand territory. Movements of the intact hand likely increase activity in the former hand territory as a result of decreased interhemispheric inhibition. This stimulation may maintain deafferented hand representations that can recover soon after the afferent input is restored by hand transplantation.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1794/12378
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Oregonen_US
dc.rightsAll Rights Reserved.en_US
dc.subjectHanden_US
dc.subjectNeuroimagingen_US
dc.subjectPlasticityen_US
dc.subjectRehabilitationen_US
dc.subjectSensoryen_US
dc.subjectTransplantationen_US
dc.titleEffects of Hand Transplantation on Cortical Organizationen_US
dc.typeElectronic Thesis or Dissertationen_US

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