Brain reorganisation in amputees 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Brain reorganisation in amputees
IRAS ID
241191
Contact name
Tamar Makin
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
UCL Data Protection, Z6364106/2018/01/89
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 2 days
Research summary
Our brain is an extremely dynamic organ, constantly updating and changing its responsiveness and connectivity based on experience. Such dynamic adaptations may influence our perception of our body and the environment, resulting in an interactive relationship between experience and the brain. The most striking demonstration of neuroplasticity in adults follows changes to the peripheral nervous system, such as congenital or acquired upper limb amputation, which deprives the central nervous system of a major sensory input loss and output. The scope and implications of such reorganisation, or plasticity, on the perception and behaviour of the amputee, and whether it has any functional benefits, remain largely unknown. We will therefore examine functional, anatomical and behavioural aspects of organisation and reorganisation in the brains of individuals missing a hand following congenital or acquired circumstances (hereafter amputees), as well as measures of adaptive and maladaptive behaviour, using a multi-fold experimental approaches, involving neuroimaging, behavioural tasks, questionnaires, accelerometry data and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)).
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/0474
Date of REC Opinion
2 May 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion