On February 13, 2024, Prof. Dr. Robin Bekrater-Bodmann gave a very interesting guest lecture on body representation and phantom pain following amputation.

Phantom pain following limb amputation remains a perplexing condition for both researchers and clinicians. Studies indicate a strong link between neuroplastic changes in central body representations induced by amputation, disturbances in body perception, and the occurrence of phantom pain. Adjusting body perception through suitable sensorimotor input offers a promising approach for developing non-pharmacological treatments for phantom pain based on underlying mechanisms. This talk will provide an overview of current research directions, emphasizing the role of the sense of self in the treatment process.

Robin Bekrater-Bodmann studied psychology at the Technical University of Braunschweig before becoming a doctoral student at the Central Institute for Mental Health in Mannheim. There, he investigated the neurobehavioral mechanisms underlying bodily self-perception, earning his Dr. sc. hum. in neuropsychology from the University of Heidelberg. During his postdoctoral phase, he worked in various departments at the Central Institute for Mental Health and the University of London, focusing primarily on the interaction between body experience and pain perception, both acute and chronic. After completing his habilitation at the University of Heidelberg, he assumed a professorship in the psychobiology of chronic pain at RWTH University of Aachen in April 2023.