Key Takeaways

Phantom limb sensations occur in amputees because of a persistent body map maintained by the brain, researchers sayResults show this map remains the same for years after an amputationA robotic limb replacement might be more easily controlled if it is attached to nerves leading to this brain map, researchers say

MONDAY, Aug. 25, 2025 (HealthDay News) — “Phantom limb” pain has been a curious aftereffect of amputation, with people experiencing false sensations from a hand, arm or leg that is no longer there.

Researchers now think they know why phantom limb sensations occur.

It turns out that the brain maintains a “map” of the body that remains unchanged even after a limb has been amputated, researchers report in the journal Nature Neuroscience .

This not only explains a w

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