Question

1. what happens to the somatosensory cortex if a finger is amputated?

Explanation:

The somatosensory cortex is responsible for processing sensory information from the body. When a finger is amputated, the area of the somatosensory cortex that previously represented that finger undergoes reorganization. This is due to the brain's plasticity. Neurons in the now - unused cortical region may start to respond to input from adjacent body parts. For example, the area that once received signals from the amputated finger might begin to receive input from the neighboring fingers or other parts of the hand. This reorganization can lead to changes in the perception of touch and other sensations in the remaining body parts.

Answer:

The area of the somatosensory cortex that represented the amputated finger undergoes reorganization, with neurons in that region potentially starting to respond to input from adjacent body parts.