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Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Acute and Chronic Tactile Sensory Testing after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
Published on: April 4, 2012
Sensory perception in complete spinal cord injury
N B Finnerup1, C Gyldensted, A Fuglsang-Frederiksen
1Departments of Neurology and Danish Pain Research Centre Neuroradiology Clinical Neurophysiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Objectives:
To describe sensations evoked by painful or repetitive stimulation below injury level in patients with a clinically complete (American Spinal Injury Association, ASIA Grade A) spinal cord injury (SCI).
Material And Methods:
Twenty-four patients (11 with central neuropathic pain and 13 without pain) with a traumatic SCI above the tenth thoracic vertebra were examined using quantitative sensory testing, MR imaging, and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP).
Results:
Painful (pressure, pinch, heat or cold) or repetitive (pinprick) stimuli elicited vague localized sensations in 12 patients (50%). Pain, spasticity, and spasms were equally seen in SCI patients with or without localized sensations. SEP and MRI did not differentiate between these two groups.
Conclusion:
The present study suggests retained sensory communication across the injury in complete SCI, i.e. 'sensory discomplete' SCI.
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