Neurocognition and Action Research Group, Faculty of Psychology and Sport Science, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany.
Exp Brain Res. 2010 May;203(1):119-29. doi: 10.1007/s00221-010-2216-4. Epub 2010 Mar 24.
We investigated mental representations of body parts and body-related activities in two subjects with congenitally absent limbs (one with, the other without phantom sensations), a wheelchair sports group of paraplegic participants, and two groups of participants with intact limbs. To analyse mental representation structures, we applied Structure Dimensional Analysis. Verbal labels indicating body parts and related activities were presented in randomized lists that had to be sorted according to a hierarchical splitting paradigm. Participants were required to group the items according to whether or not they were considered related, based on their own body perception. Results of the groups of physically intact and paraplegic participants revealed separate clusters for the lower body, upper body, fingers and head. The participant with congenital phantom limbs also showed a clear separation between upper and lower body (but not between fingers and hands). In the participant without phantom sensations of the absent arms, no such modularity emerged, but the specific practice of his right foot in communication and daily routines was reflected. Sorting verbal labels of body parts and activities appears a useful method to assess body representation in individuals with special body anatomy or function and leads to conclusions largely compatible with other assessment procedures.
我们调查了两名天生肢体缺失的受试者（一名有幻肢感，另一名没有）、一组轮椅运动的截瘫参与者以及两组肢体健全的参与者对身体部位和身体相关活动的心理表象。为了分析心理表象结构，我们应用了结构维度分析。指示身体部位和相关活动的口头标签按随机顺序排列，并根据分层分裂范式进行分类。参与者根据自己的身体感知，根据是否认为相关，将物品分组。肢体健全和截瘫参与者的结果显示，下半身、上半身、手指和头部有独立的集群。患有先天性幻肢的参与者也在上半身和下半身之间显示出明显的分离（但手指和手之间没有）。在没有缺失手臂幻肢感的参与者中，没有出现这种模块化，而是反映了他的右脚在交流和日常生活中的特殊使用。对身体部位和活动的口头标签进行分类似乎是一种有用的方法，可以评估具有特殊身体解剖结构或功能的个体的身体表象，并得出与其他评估程序基本一致的结论。
