Central and phantom pains remain unexplained by current pathophysiolog
ical hypotheses. Newer theories suggest that these may be the result o
f an altered processing inside a network of neurons extending througho
ut wide-spread areas of the brain, precluding neurosurgical treatment.
On the basis of a literature review of cases with spontaneous resolut
ion of the pain, it is argued that both central and phantom pain depen
d on a localized corticothalamic reverberatory loop, which is at the b
asis of the steady components of both. In this case, selective stereot
actic lesions of the corona radiata deep to the frontoparietal sensori
motor strip may achieve a permanent cure. This theory refutes the neur
omatrix hypothesis of phantom phenomena. It is speculated that electro
convulsive therapy might block the pathologic reverberation in both ce
ntral and phantom pains.