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Related Experiment Videos

Prostate atrophy and spinal cord lesions.

J H Frisbie1, S Kumar, E J Aguilera

  • 1Spinal Cord Injury, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, West Roxbury, MA 02132, USA.

Spinal Cord
|July 13, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Severely paralyzed spinal cord injury (SCI) patients exhibit smaller prostate glands. This atrophy may result from interrupted neurohormonal supply due to extensive spinal cord damage.

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Area of Science:

  • Urology
  • Neurology
  • Andrology

Background:

  • Spinal cord injury (SCI) can affect neurohormonal regulation.
  • A small prostate gland is occasionally observed in SCI patients during digital rectal examination (DRE).
  • Prostate atrophy is hypothesized to be linked to disrupted neurohormonal pathways in SCI.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate prostate size differences in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients based on paralysis severity.
  • To explore the relationship between spinal cord injury level and prostate gland volume.
  • To assess prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in relation to SCI severity.

Main Methods:

  • A single-blinded, quantifiable survey using transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) was conducted.
  • Prostate volume and weight were measured in three dimensions.
  • Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were measured in age-matched groups of severely and less severely paralyzed men.

Main Results:

  • Severely paralyzed SCI patients had significantly smaller prostates (mean 13 g) compared to less severely paralyzed patients (mean 28 g) (P=0.02).
  • The PSA levels tended to be lower in the severely paralyzed group (mean 0.7 ng/ml) versus the less severely paralyzed group (mean 2.2 ng/ml) (P=0.08).

Conclusions:

  • The prostate gland is smaller in severely paralyzed spinal cord injury (SCI) patients.
  • Interruption of neurohormonal pathways resulting from extensive spinal cord damage is a potential contributing factor to prostate atrophy in SCI.
  • Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms.

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