Malin Ramne, Electrical Engineering

Malin Ramne is a PhD student in the Bionics research group at the Division of Electrical Engineering. 

Discussion leader is Eszter Lakatos, Assistant Professor at Applied Mathematics and Statistics at Chalmers.

The examiner is Petter Falkman, Professor of Systems and Control Engineering at Chalmers.

Abstract:

Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a condition where pain is perceived as arising from a missing
limb, for example following amputation. Approximately 64% of individuals with an
amputated limb experience PLP, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood.
Hypotheses for the genesis of PLP range from spontaneous activity in peripheral neurons to
plasticity driven changes within the central nervous system. The aim of this research project
is to apply mathematical modeling and complex system analysis to the pain system to
investigate the origins of PLP. In particular, we aim to explore how changes in the peripheral
and central nervous system following an amputation may contribute to the development of
pain in the missing limb. The resulting models will be evaluated against the current
hypotheses on the origin of PLP and will hopefully also give some insight to new and
improved ways to alleviate the pain.