Brain morphology changes after spinal cord injury: A voxel-based meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Radiology
• Neurology

Background:

• Spinal cord injury (SCI) is known to induce significant structural and functional alterations in the brain.
• Understanding these brain changes is crucial for assessing prognosis and developing effective treatments.

Approach:

• A comprehensive literature search identified 20 VBM studies comparing SCI patients and healthy controls.
• Voxel-based meta-analysis using seed-based d mapping with permutation of subject images (SDM-PSI) was performed.
• Meta-regression analysis explored the influence of clinical characteristics on brain structure.

Key Points:

• SCI patients exhibited significant GMV loss in the left insula and bilateral thalamus.
• Significant WMV loss was observed in the bilateral corticospinal tract (CST) in SCI patients.
• Clinical scores (motor, pinprick, light touch) correlated with GMV in specific brain regions, including the postcentral gyrus.

Conclusions:

• Atrophy in the thalamus and CST suggests SCI-induced neurodegeneration in sensory and motor pathways.
• Left insula atrophy may be linked to depression and neuropathic pain in SCI patients.
• Identified structural abnormalities can serve as neuroimaging biomarkers for prognosis, treatment evaluation, and personalized medicine in SCI.