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The concept of the phantom limb is fascinating but incomplete. The experiment “The Mirror Cure for Phantom Pain,” only looked at 3 groups: mirror movements, covered mirror movements and imagined movements. The conclusion from this particular experiment is that patients that watched the reflected image of their intact foot in a mirror while they moved reported a decreased in pain in their amputated leg. My question is why didn’t they put in a group for people who wore prosthetic limbs or those who have 2 amputated legs? If the results were that using mirror movements helped, wouldn’t the concept of knowing you have a prosthetic attached have the same affect? As for those who have 2 amputated legs, how would you categorize them in terms of this experiment?The idea of corollary discharge can be applied here too. If corollary discharge means a mechanism in the brain that allows one to distinguish between self-generated and external stimuli and perceptions, could it be possible that a patient just perceive they have a limb or self-generating the pain?

Another thought that I had on corollary discharge is when children pick which hand will be their dominant hand. As in many Asian cultures, the right hand is the preferred hand of choice and grandparents or parents sometimes uses force to establish the dominant hand. But, if you place the a utensil or pencil in front of the child, it will choose which hand it would like to use by itself without any external stimuli. Its an innate ability just like walking, eating and breathing.