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What is loco-nosia? I heard this term on ESPN sports radio but didn't catch the whole story. Evidently some basketball player cut two nerves in his forearm. There is some concern that he won't get all his feeling back and this loco-stuff could affect his ball handling skills. Just wondering what it is...
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Locognosia is the ability to tell where on the skin a person is touched (literally "knowlege of local touch"). It is one aspect of our ability to feel the difference when we are touched in two different places at the same time. This is called tactile spatial discrimination. Our touch sensation relies on the health and function of peripheral nerves (nerves in the arm, forearm, or hand) as well as the picture of our body in the brain.
Locognosia is sometimes used as a test of something referred to as "misdirection." When nerve cells that have been cut start to regrow (regenerate), they can be misdirected at the site of the cut. The nerve ends try to reach across to each other but end up going in all different directions. The end-result is a change in the signal pattern from the peripheral nerve to the spinal cord and up to the brain. The brain then remaps the location of sensation from the hand based on these signals. Dysfunction of tactile discrimination resulting in locognosia can occur when nerve misdirection occurs.
Studies show that people who sustain nerve injuries at a younger age have a better chance for full recovery and function. Which nerve was injured doesn't seem to make a difference in long-term results. But adults can recovery (just more slowly) because of a strong mental (cognitive) ability and motivation to succeed.
Today's patients also benefit from updated surgical techniques and tools to aid in better outcomes. Participation and motivation in the rehab process make a difference. And there are better strategies to help patients relearn sensory function based on new information about brain plasticity (ability of the brain to adapt and recover).
It's likely that someone whose career is followed on ESPN sports radio will benefit from the best medical treatment available. Follow-up with a hand therapist and participation in a rehab program designed to recover ball handling skills will likely yield good results.
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