Structural and functional changes in the brain after chronic complete thoracic spinal cord injury

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Radiology
• Clinical Neurology

Background:

• Chronic complete thoracic spinal cord injury (cctSCI) presents significant challenges in understanding its long-term neurological effects.
• Investigating brain alterations post-injury is crucial for identifying recovery mechanisms and therapeutic targets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine structural and functional brain changes after cctSCI.
• To determine the relationship between these brain alterations and clinical outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Structural and resting-state functional MRI were utilized in 18 cctSCI patients and 19 healthy controls.
• Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) assessed gray matter volume (GMV) differences.
• Functional connectivity (FC) analysis and partial correlation investigated relationships with clinical scores.

Main Results:

• SCI patients showed decreased GMV in frontal and parietal regions, and increased GMV in the superior frontal gyrus and supplementary motor area.
• Increased GMV regions were associated with heightened functional connectivity in the parahippocampus and thalamus.
• A significant positive correlation was found between functional connectivity and the ASIA total sensorimotor score (p=0.001, r=0.746).

Conclusions:

• cctSCI induces structural and functional brain reorganization, affecting visual, cognitive, sensory, and motor areas.
• These findings enhance understanding of brain injury mechanisms and neuroplasticity after spinal cord injury.
• Identified brain changes offer potential biomarkers for tracking treatment efficacy and guiding therapeutic strategies.