ABSTRACT
The experiential phenomenon of “phantom limbs” following amputation has been recognized for centuries but was first described in detail by S. W. Mitchell (1872) in his classic studies of peripheral nerve injuries. During the last 15 years, phantoms have attracted renewed interest, due primarily to the dramatic results of research on cerebral plasticity induced by peripheral denervation. This line of investigation was sparked by the pioneering work of P. D. Wall and associates (see Merrill & Wall, 1978), who found that somatosensory neurons deprived of their dominant afferent drive begin to respond to new peripheral inputs. The findings of studies such as these have provided insight into the neural mechanisms responsible for some of the sensory-perceptual phenomena associated with phantoms.
