Aristotle’s illusion reveals interdigit functional somatosensory alterations in focal hand dystonia

• Published in: Brain (London, England : 1878) Vol. 136; no. 3; pp. 782 - 789
• Main Authors: Tinazzi, Michele, Marotta, Angela, Fasano, Alfonso, Bove, Francesco, Bentivoglio, Anna Rita, Squintani, Giovanna, Pozzer, Lara, Fiorio, Mirta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.03.2013
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Cortex (somatosensory); Diseases of striated muscles. Neuromuscular diseases; Dystonia; Dystonic Disorders - physiopathology; Female; Finger; Fingers - innervation; Fingers - physiopathology; Hand; Hand - innervation; Hand - physiopathology; Humans; Illusions - physiology; Information processing; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurology; Perception; Preservation; Receptive field; Sensory integration; Skin; Somatosensory Cortex - physiopathology; Tactile perception; Tactile stimuli; Young Adult; Nervous system diseases; Illusion; somatosensory processing; Hand; Involuntary movement; Cerebral disorder; focal hand dystonia; tactile illusion; Striated muscle disease; Central nervous system disease; diplesthesia; Dystonia; Neurological disorder; Extrapyramidal syndrome

In focal hand dystonia, the cortical somatosensory representation of the fingers is abnormal, with overlapping receptive fields and reduced interdigit separation. These abnormalities are associated with deficits in sensory perception, as previously demonstrated by applying tactile stimuli to one fin...