Woman has developed an imaginary, but useful, third arm
After having a stroke, a 64-year-old woman reports that she now has a "pale, milky-white and translucent third arm" that she can use to scratch itchy parts of her body. She also says the limb can't penetrate solid objects.
It is "the first case known to doctors of a person being able to feel, see and deliberately move a limb that doesn't exist." The woman underwent an MRI and when doctors asker her to move her imaginary third limb, her brain responded as if she really had the arm. Her visual cortex activity also indicated that she saw the arm. (Via Arbroath)
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Yes... the first diclonius in captivity... i advise the healthcare professionals to be cautious
Paging Gil "the Arm" Hamilton ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gil_Hamilton
Fascinating! This is one of the coolest things I've read about in a while.
Donnie Darko syndrome. the end is nigh. repent.
Will not invite to poker night.
I've heard of avid furries developing phantom tails before... first time I've heard of third arms though.
#1 - damnit! you beat me to it.
This is so amazing! Will the brain ever stop being so fucking fascinating?!
Oh my god, HOW fantastic would an invisible arm for scratching your balls in public be?
pics or it didn't happen
I find my vestigial tentacles quite useful.
can she use all three arms simultaneously?
I can think of one good use of an imaginary third arm. ;)
That's basically the perfect solution to itching in a phantom limb: Another imaginary limb!
Long live the new flesh!
I think the fact that she can satisfy real itches with it is even more freaky than it being imaginary.
You should see the size of my extra imaginary penis.
For Ceronomus: YOu may enjoy reading "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat...and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks (I think). Dr. Sacks has a whole collection of interesting accounts of patients with some really abnormal psychology.
It must be large if it's extra-imaginary. ;D
I'd like to see her pick up stuff and throw things with it. Then I'd be impressed.
that lady is going to grow a third arm where her third eye should be
That's bizarre. Is this the first non-amputation case of someone developing a phantom limb?
Someone needs to hook her up with a prosthetic third limb connected to her neural circuitry. She might get some good use out of it!
#9 beat me to the punch.
#17 I've heard of people who are FtM developing phantom phalluses.
What #23 said. Also, aloha #23.
I have a third leg.
I'm pretty sure the arm only exists in the fourth dimension.
So cool!
The original research paper is from a group of Swiss neurologists - about as trustworthy a source as you can get.
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/122269076/PDFSTART
@Takuan
From what I understand, she only had the extra arm while her real left arm was out-of-action from the stroke.
Reminds me of Miss Level.
When I turned 14 and realized I was far too ugly for any girl to ever want me, I grew an imaginary vagina on my right hand. Works almost as good as the real thing, and I never have to buy diamonds for it.
@29; poop! have to pay to read. Oh well. Anyways, it would have been VERY interesting if she had simultaneous mental control over three limbs.
Read The man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. The brain is a strange place.
It's aprils fool joke. Look at the date of the post! LOL
April 1st
What would really be cool? If the extra limb could actually pick up objects.
why not make these to give people with two arms a third?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hzRja9eunY
Knock at her door wearing a milky white suit.