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Changes in motor cortex activation after recovery from spinal cord inflammation
S C Cramer1, E Fray, A Tievsky
1Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
Multiple Sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)
|January 25, 2002
Summary
Recovery from spinal cord inflammation (myelitis) involves increased brain activity in motor areas. This enhanced brain plasticity, linked to daily hand use, may drive motor function improvements after neurological injury.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Spinal cord diseases can alter brain organization, but studies often focus on non-recovery, limiting understanding of cortical roles in neurological restoration.
- Investigating conditions with recovery potential is crucial for understanding beneficial cortical changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore cortical changes associated with motor function recovery after transient spinal cord inflammation (myelitis).
- To determine if observed cortical changes correlate with functional improvement and daily activity.
Main Methods:
- Functional MRI (fMRI) was used to assess brain activation volumes during index finger tapping in seven myelitis patients who showed hand motor improvement.
- Activation in contralateral sensorimotor and premotor cortex was compared between patients and nine healthy control subjects.
Main Results:
- Myelitis patients exhibited significantly larger activation volumes in contralateral sensorimotor and premotor cortex compared to controls.
- A positive correlation was found between the volume of activation in the sensorimotor cortex and the degree of daily hand use.
Conclusions:
- Recovery from myelitis is associated with expanded activation volumes in contralateral motor cortices.
- These functional brain changes are influenced by behavioral experience and likely contribute to motor recovery.
- Enhanced motor cortex activation may be particularly beneficial for spinal cord injury recovery when corticospinal tract axons remain intact.