A section of the somatosensory cortex ordinarily responds to the third finger of the left hand. If that finger is amputated, to what will the cells in this part of the cortex respond?
A) Nothing
B) The second and fourth fingers and part of the palm
C) The third finger of the right hand
D) The entire left hand and the entire right hand

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The cells in this part of the cortex will respond to the adjacent fingers and part of the palm that are still intact, which in this case is the second and fourth fingers and part of the palm. This is known as cortical reorganization or plasticity, where neighboring brain areas take over the functions of the amputated body part. The cells will not respond to the third finger of the right hand, and certainly not to the entire left and right hands.

A Section of the Somatosensory Cortex Ordinarily Responds to the Third