Skip to main content
Log in

Imagination after neurological losses of movement and sensation: The experience of spinal cord injury

  • Published:
Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To what extent is imagination dependent on embodied experience? In attempting to answer such questions I consider the experiences of those who have to come to terms with altered neurological function, namely those with spinal cord injury at the neck. These people have each lost all sensation and movement below the neck. How might these new ways of living affect their imagination?

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Cole, J. 1998. About Face. Cambridge: MA and London: The MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Damasio, A. 2000. The Feeling of What Happens. New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Decety, J. and Boisson, D. 1990. Effect of brain and spinal cord injuries on motor imagery. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience 240: 39–43.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, J. 2000. Footprints in the Snow. London: Macmillan, Pan paperback.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lacourse, M. G., Cohen, M. J., Lawrence, K. E. and Romero, D. H. 1999. Cortical potentials during imagined movements in individuals with chronic spinal cord injuries. Behavioural Brain Research 104: 73–88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morris, J. (ed.). 1989. Able Lives: Women’s Experience of Paralysis. London: The Women’s Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reeve, C. 2002. Nothing is Impossible. New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rose, M., Robinson, J., Ells, J. and Cole, J. D. 1988. Pain following spinal cord injury: Results from a postal survey. Pain 34: 101–102.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robert, M. 1987. The Body Silent. New York: Henry Holt.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sabbah, P., Leveque, C., Pfefer, F. et al. 2000. Functional MR imaging and traumatic paraplegia: Preliminary report. J Neuroradiology 27: 233–237.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shoham, S., Halgren, E., Maynard, E. M. and Normann, R. A. 2001. Motor-cortical activity in tetraplegics. Nature 413: 793.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stensman, R. 1994. Adjustment to traumatic spinal cord injury. A longitudinal study of self-reported quality of life. Paraplegia 32(6): 416–422.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stormer, S., Gerner, H. J., Gruninger, W., Metzmacher, K., Follinger, S., Wienke, C., Aldinger, W., Walker, N., Zimmermann, M. and Paeslack, V. 1997. Chronic pain/dysaesthesiae in spinal cord injury patients: Results of a multicentre study. Spinal Cord 35(7): 446–455.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jonathan Cole.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cole, J. Imagination after neurological losses of movement and sensation: The experience of spinal cord injury. Phenom Cogn Sci 4, 183–195 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11097-005-0138-6

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11097-005-0138-6

Key words

Navigation