Neurologist have now shown that it is possible to have healthy volunteers experience having three arms at a time. The experiment involves the participant sitting at a table while they have a realistic prosthetic arm placed next to their right arm, the patient then sees her two real arms next to the prosthetic arm. To produce the feeling of owning the rubber arm, the scientist touches the subject's right hand and the rubber hand with two brushes at the same area, synchronizing the strokes as perfectly as possible. What happens then is a conflict rises in the brain concerning which arm belongs to the body. Then to prove that the prosthetic arm was truly experienced as a third arm, the scientist tested the patient by placing a knife above the prosthetic arm then the real arm; measuring the degree of sweating of the palm as a physiological response has been proven that the patient truly believes the third arm is their own.
I think this study is an excellent discovery because it may benefit patients by creating new acceptance to prosthetic items. It may be a possible future need of patients who have suffered from a stroke. If they are paralyzed on one side of the body then a prosthetic arm can be used to let the patient rediscover their feeling in their arm. This experiment should be tested thoroughly before using it on a stroke patient of unhealthy patient. I do think it could be the beginning of a useful skill for patients after it has been successful.
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