scholarly journals When Right Goes Left: Phantom Touch Induced by Mirror Box Procedure in Healthy Individuals

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffaella Ricci ◽  
Michela Caldano ◽  
Ilaria Sabatelli ◽  
Emanuele Cirillo ◽  
Roberto Gammeri ◽  
...  

In the present article, we investigated the possibility of inducing phantom tactile sensations in healthy individuals similar to those that we observed in patients after stroke. On the basis of previous research, we assumed that manipulating visual feedbacks may guide and influence, under certain conditions, the phenomenal experience of touch. To this aim, we used the Tactile Quadrant Stimulation (TQS) test in which subjects, in the crucial condition, must indicate whether and where they perceive a double tactile stimulation applied simultaneously in different quadrants of the two hands (asymmetrical Double Simultaneous Stimulation trial, Asym-DSS). The task was performed with the left-hand out of sight and the right-hand reflected in a mirror so that the right-hand reflected in the mirror looks like the own left-hand. We found that in the Asym-DSS trial, the vision of the right-hand reflected in the mirror and stimulated by a tactile stimulus elicited on the left-hand the sensation of having been touched in the same quadrant as the right-hand. In other words, we found in healthy subjects the same phantom touch effect that we previously found in patients. We interpreted these results as modulation of tactile representation by bottom-up (multisensory integration of stimuli coming from the right real and the right reflected hand) and possibly top-down (body ownership distortion) processing triggered by our experimental setup, unveiling bilateral representation of touch.

1946 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-2

In the article “Infant Speech Sounds and Intelligence” by Orvis C. Irwin and Han Piao Chen, in the December 1945 issue of the Journal, the paragraph which begins at the bottom of the left hand column on page 295 should have been placed immediately below the first paragraph at the top of the right hand column on page 296. To the authors we express our sincere apologies.


Author(s):  
Elif Gündoğdu ◽  
Uğur Toprak

Background: The middle ear cavity is ventilated through the aditus ad antrum. Aditus blockage contributes to the pathology of otitis media. Objective: To determine the normal values of the aditus ad antrum diameter on computed tomography and to investigate its relationship with chronic otitis media and related pathologies (tympanosclerosis and myringosclerosis). Methods: The temporal CT images of 162 individuals were evaluated retrospectively. In the axial sections, the inner diameter of the aditus was measured at the narrowest point at the cortex. The differences in diameter were compared between diseased and healthy ears. Results: In healthy individuals, the diameter was narrower in women. There was no difference between the right and left ears in healthy subjects. No correlation was found between age and diameter. In male patients with myringosclerosis, the diameter was slightly narrower on both sides but more marked on the left. In female patients with myringosclerosis, the diameter in both ears was slightly narrower. In cases of otitis media and tympanosclerosis, the diameter was less than that of healthy individuals, despite the lack of statistically significant result in all cases. Conclusion: The aditus ad antrum was narrower in diseased ears, indicating that a blocked aditus may contribute to the development of otitis media, as well as mucosal diseases.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Velarie Ansu ◽  
Stephanie Dickinson ◽  
Alyce Fly

Abstract Objectives To determine which digit and hand have the highest and lowest skin carotenoid scores, to compare inter-and-intra-hand variability of digits, and to determine if results are consistent with another subject. Methods Two subjects’ first(F1), second(F2), third(F3) and fifth(F5) digits on both hands were measured for skin carotenoids with a Veggie Meter, for 3 times on each of 18 days over a 37-day period. Data were subjected to ANOVA in a factorial treatment design to determine main effects for hand (2 levels), digits (4), and days (18) along with interactions. Differences between digits were determined by Tukey's post hoc test. Results There were significant hand x digit, hand x day, digit x day, and hand x digit x day interactions and significant simple main effects for hand, digit, and day (all P < 0.001). Mean square errors were 143.67 and 195.62 for subject A and B, respectively, which were smaller than mean squares for all main effects and interactions. The mean scores ± SD for F1, F2, F3, and F5 digits for the right vs left hands for subject A were F1:357.13 ± 45.97 vs 363.74 ± 46.94, F2:403.17 ± 44.77 vs. 353.20 ± 44.13, F3:406.76 ± 43.10 vs. 357.11 ± 45.13, and F5:374.95 ± 53.00 vs. 377.90 ± 47.38. For subject B, the mean scores ± SD for digits for the right vs left hands were F1:294.72 ± 61.63 vs 280.71 ± 52.48, F2:285.85 ± 66.92 vs 252.67 ± 67.56, F3:268.56 ± 57.03 vs 283.22 ± 45.87, and F5:288.18 ± 34.46 vs 307.54 ± 40.04. The digits on the right hand of both subjects had higher carotenoid scores than those on the left hands, even though subjects had different dominant hands. Subject A had higher skin carotenoid scores on the F3 and F2 digits for the right hand and F5 on the left hand. Subject B had higher skin carotenoid scores on F5 (right) and F1 (left) digits. Conclusions The variability due to hand, digit, and day were all greater than that of the 3 replicates within the digit-day for both volunteers. This indicates that data were not completely random across the readings when remeasuring the same finger. Different fingers displayed higher carotenoid scores for each volunteer. There is a need to conduct a larger study with more subjects and a range of skin tones to determine whether the reliability of measurements among digits of both hands is similar across the population. Funding Sources Indiana University.


Südosteuropa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-195
Author(s):  
Petru Negură

Abstract The Centre for the Homeless in Chișinău embodies on a small scale the recent evolution of state policies towards the homeless in Moldova (a post-Soviet state). This institution applies the binary approach of the state, namely the ‘left hand’ and the ‘right hand’, towards marginalised people. On the one hand, the institution provides accommodation, food, and primary social, legal assistance and medical care. On the other hand, the Shelter personnel impose a series of disciplinary constraints over the users. The Shelter also operates a differentiation of the users according to two categories: the ‘recoverable’ and those deemed ‘irrecoverable’ (persons with severe disabilities, people with addictions). The personnel representing the ‘left hand’ (or ‘soft-line’) regularly negotiate with the employees representing the ‘right hand’ (‘hard-line’) of the institution to promote a milder and a more humanistic approach towards the users. This article relies on multi-method research including descriptive statistical analysis with biographical records of 810 subjects, a thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with homeless people (N = 65), people at risk of homelessness (N = 5), professionals (N = 20) and one ethnography of the Shelter.


Cell Reports ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 2809-2810
Author(s):  
Jody C. Culham
Keyword(s):  

1987 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-94
Author(s):  
J. Bruyn

AbstractOf the nine interpretations proposed for Rembraradt's history Painting of 1626 now at Leiden, none is really convincing. Il seems attractive to think of palamedes Condemned by Agamemncm as the subject because of its political significance in the year after the publication of Voredel's tragecty Palamedcs or Innocence Murdered, which denounced the execution of the Remonstrant leader Johan van Oldenbarnevelt in 1619. γet the scene depicted does not fit any episode frorn the Palamedes story. It appears rather to represent three young men appearing before a crowned figure who makes a pronouncement, probably one of magnanimity or clemency. It is conceivable that the subject was taken from Q. Curtius Rufus's Historiae Alexandri Magni Macedonis, ofwhich several editions, including translations into the vernacular, were published in Holland in the first decades of the 17th century. The episode in question was known to the young Rubens, but does not seem to have been illustrated by any other artist. At the beginning of the seventh book it is described how Alexander summoned before. him in the presence of the army two oj three brothers, who had been close friends of Philotas, a former, friend of his who had been executed for plotting against his life. The youngest brother, Poleinon, had panicked and fled but was caught and brought back at the very moment when Alexander had accused the brothers and the eldest, Amyntas, after having been released from his bonds and given a spear which he held in his left hand, had embarked on his szzccess ful defence. The appearance of Polemon infuriated the soldiers, but when he took the blame on himself and prrifessed his brothers' innocence, they were moved to tears. So too was Alexander who, prompted by their cries, absolved the brothers. This anecdote does at least explain some of the features of Rembrandt's scene. The young man standing on the right with his right hand raised as if swearing an oath would be the eloquent Amyntas with a spear in his left hand. Hidden behind him kneels the second brother, Simias, while Polemon, 'a young man just come to maturity and in the first bloom of his youth', has fallen on one knee in the foreground, underlining his emotional words with his right hand bressed to his heart. Alexander raises his sceptre in token of his absolution and some men in the background wave and shout from a socle they have climbed. Interpreted in this way, the scene coralains not a topical political allegory but, as would seem usual with history paintings, a message of a more general nature: the magnanimity of Alexander as an 'exemblum virtutis'.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iva Franjić ◽  
Sadia Khalid ◽  
Josip Pečarić

The lower bounds of the functional defined as the difference of the right-hand and the left-hand side of the Jensen inequality are studied. Refinements of some previously known results are given by applying results from the theory of majorization. Furthermore, some interesting special cases are considered.


2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-25
Author(s):  
Naotaka Sakai

Among 703 professional pianists with medical problems in their hands seen by the author between 1981 and 2000, there were 27 patients who had interosseous muscle pain (23 women, 4 men; mean age, 30 yrs). The main symptom was dorsal hand pain during piano performance, especially when striking the keys with each finger rounded, mainly in the scale technique. Tenderness was noted in the deep part of the dorsal hand in the interosseous muscles, but not along or around the finger extensors. Patients sometimes complained of muscle weakness on abduction of the index, ring, and/or little fingers when performing octaves or chords on the piano keyboard. Resisted abduction and adduction testing of the fingers reproduced the pain which they experienced during or after performance. Pain occurred in the right hand in 10, left hand in 5, and bilaterally in 12. The pain was localized in the 4th and 5th interossei in 15 patients, in the 3rd and 4th in 14 patients; in the 2nd and 3rd in 11 patients; and in the 1st and 2nd in 1 patient.


2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 278-282
Author(s):  
Humberto Ferreira Arquez

Background: The purpose of this paper is to describe an anatomical variation of the hand extensor on the little finger of the right hand which receives four tendons, condition unknown, as it is the first case reported so far in the literature. The human extensor tendons of hand often display an array of variations. Awareness of the anatomy and variations of the extensor tendons on the dorsum of the hand is necessary not only for the anatomist but also for surgeons when considering tendons for hand surgery, tendon rerouting or transplants. Materials and Methods: Bilateral anatomical variation in the upper limb was found during routine dissection in a 75-year-old male cadaver in the Morphology Laboratory at the University of Pamplona. The variations were recorded and photographed. Result: In the left hand the extensor digitorum there was a single tendon to the index, double tendon to the middle, triple tendon to the ring finger, a single tendon to the little finger or digiti minimi. The extensor digiti minimi has double tendon. In the right hand the extensor digitorum there was a single tendon to the index, triple tendon to the middle finger, triple tendons to the ring finger, a double tendon to the little finger. The extensor digiti minimi has double tendon. The little finger receives four tendons, 2 of extensor digitorum and 2 of extensor digiti minimi. The dorsum of the left hand and right showed juncturae tendinum type 2, between the extensors tendons in the 3rd intermetacarpal space; type 3, between the extensors tendons in the 4th inter metacarpal space. Conclusion: The presence of multiple tendons may alter the kinematics around the site of attachment to the phalanx. Knowledge of anatomical variations and normal anatomy of the extensor tendons, may be helpful while performing graft and tendon transfer operations.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.15(2) 2016 p.278-282


2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 729-740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth J. Woytowicz ◽  
Kelly P. Westlake ◽  
Jill Whitall ◽  
Robert L. Sainburg

Two contrasting views of handedness can be described as 1) complementary dominance, in which each hemisphere is specialized for different aspects of motor control, and 2) global dominance, in which the hemisphere contralateral to the dominant arm is specialized for all aspects of motor control. The present study sought to determine which motor lateralization hypothesis best predicts motor performance during common bilateral task of stabilizing an object (e.g., bread) with one hand while applying forces to the object (e.g., slicing) using the other hand. We designed an experimental equivalent of this task, performed in a virtual environment with the unseen arms supported by frictionless air-sleds. The hands were connected by a spring, and the task was to maintain the position of one hand while moving the other hand to a target. Thus the reaching hand was required to take account of the spring load to make smooth and accurate trajectories, while the stabilizer hand was required to impede the spring load to keep a constant position. Right-handed subjects performed two task sessions (right-hand reach and left-hand stabilize; left-hand reach and right-hand stabilize) with the order of the sessions counterbalanced between groups. Our results indicate a hand by task-component interaction such that the right hand showed straighter reaching performance whereas the left hand showed more stable holding performance. These findings provide support for the complementary dominance hypothesis and suggest that the specializations of each cerebral hemisphere for impedance and dynamic control mechanisms are expressed during bilateral interactive tasks. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We provide evidence for interlimb differences in bilateral coordination of reaching and stabilizing functions, demonstrating an advantage for the dominant and nondominant arms for distinct features of control. These results provide the first evidence for complementary specializations of each limb-hemisphere system for different aspects of control within the context of a complementary bilateral task.


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