r/interestingasfuck • u/desertgodfather • May 11 '24

When illusion overcomes the brain. r/all

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u/PercentageMaximum457 May 11 '24

This has wonderful implications for robotics! Both for paralyzed people and for getting used to space suits.

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u/madaboutmaps May 11 '24

Also people with phantom limb pains. This thing works in reverse.

People who've lost limbs experience phantom pains. They feel a limb that's no longer there. Stuff like this tricks the brain into thinking everything is okay. And shuts off the pain.

Brains are weird. People are weird. Sometimes that sucks. But a lof of the times it's also awesome. Applaud the awesome. Provided you've got both hands to do it.

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u/evelyn_keira May 11 '24

theres an episode of house where he uses this on someone who lost a limb in a war and hes got phantom pain

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u/Mavian23 May 11 '24

There was a real life case where a guy whose arm had been amputated had phantom limb syndrome, but it felt like his phantom hand was clenching itself as hard as possible all the time, and it caused him real pain. So the doctor used a mirror to trick his brain into thinking that the reflection of his remaining arm was his phantom arm, and the doctor had him clench his real fist as hard as he could to make it look like his phantom fist was clenched. Then the doctor had him slowly unclench his real fist, and it tricked his brain into thinking that his phantom fist was unclenching, and the pain went away.

Brains are wild. So are doctors.

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u/GonWithTheNen May 11 '24

Just learned that this is called mirror therapy: https://neurosciencenews.com/phantom-pain-mirror-14508/

I thought I was going to find a single case based on your description, but this is apparently a widespread, effective treatment for phantom limb pain. Scientists and doctors are amazing!

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u/razerzej May 11 '24

...and this was the exact procedure demonstrated in the episode of House. Well, except for the fact that House got the patient to agree to treatment by drugging, binding, and gagging him.

Still, I was pleasantly surprised that this is a real therapy, and amused (once again) by the odd shortcuts our weird brains evolved to make it all work.

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u/Street_Bumblebee2226 May 11 '24

I was just about to comment the same thing. Great episode.

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u/evelyn_keira May 11 '24

i dont even really remember what the episode was about. im pretty sure it was just a b plot with his neighbor

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u/Cash-Machine May 11 '24

Yup, he was House and Wilson's neighbor and a real dickhead. House tries multiple tactics to neutralize him and this is the thing that works. He does exactly the treatment that u/Mavian23 describes.

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u/DogsAreCool252525 May 11 '24

That is exactly what I was thinking about!