Neural modifications of transtibial prosthesis (TTP) users: an event-related potentials study.
Ampika Nanbancha, Weerawat Limroongreungrat, Manunchaya Samala and 4 others
PMID 40140863WHAT IT FOUND
Transtibial prosthesis users showed different brain activity during inhibition tasks, with lower accuracy on Go trials despite similar reaction times.
Resting brain activity was normal. This suggests cognitive effort is higher when making choices, not just moving.
Key findings
01Resting-state EEG showed no significant differences between prosthesis users and able-bodied individuals across all frequency bands.
02Prosthesis users had significantly fewer correct responses during Go trials in both simple and discriminative reaction analyses.
03Prosthesis users exhibited distinct brainwave patterns during tasks: increased N2 amplitude and reduced P3 amplitude during No-go trials compared to able-bodied controls.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study did not record response times or correct responses for unsuccessful inhibitions (No-Go errors), limiting insight into error monitoring. Participants were excluded if they had significant phantom limb pain, so results do not apply to those with pain complications. The sample size was relatively small (28 per group) and cross-sectional, so causality cannot be established. The task was a computer-based visual Go/No-Go, which may not fully replicate the complexity of real-world prosthetic use.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest or funding sources were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the different brainwave patterns as evidence of general cognitive impairment or dementia. The differences were specific to inhibitory control tasks, and resting brain activity was normal, suggesting the brain is adapting to the demands of prosthetic use rather than failing globally.