Alterations in cortical thickness and volumes of subcortical structures in pediatric patients with complete spinal cord injury

CNS Neurosci Ther, 2024 · DOI: 10.1111/cns.14810 · Published: June 3, 2024

Simple Explanation

This study explores how complete spinal cord injury (CSCI) affects the brain structure of children, focusing on the cerebral cortex and deep gray matter nuclei. Researchers used MRI to compare brain structure in children with CSCI to healthy children, looking at cortical thickness and the volume of subcortical structures. The findings suggest that CSCI not only affects sensory motor areas but also brain regions related to cognitive and visual processing, potentially explaining some of the cognitive and visual deficits seen in children with CSCI.

Study Duration

2 to 48 months

Participants

37 pediatric CSCI patients and 34 age-, gender-matched healthy children

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Pediatric CSCI patients showed decreased cortical thickness in the right precentral gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and posterior segment of the lateral sulcus compared to healthy controls.
2
Pediatric CSCI patients exhibited increased cortical thickness in the right lingual gyrus and inferior occipital gyrus compared to healthy controls.
3
The volume of the right thalamus in pediatric CSCI patients was significantly smaller than that in healthy controls.

Research Summary

This study investigated the changes in cortical thickness and subcortical gray matter structures in children with complete spinal cord injury (CSCI) compared to healthy controls (HCs). The results showed that pediatric CSCI patients had decreased cortical thickness in sensory motor and cognitive related brain regions and increased cortical thickness in visual related brain regions. These findings suggest that CSCI can affect brain structure in children, potentially impacting sensory motor, cognitive, and visuospatial functions.

Practical Implications

Rehabilitation Strategies

Findings suggest that rehabilitation programs for children with CSCI should address not only sensory motor deficits but also potential cognitive and visual processing impairments.

Early Intervention

Early intervention therapies should consider the potential impact of CSCI on cognitive and visual functions in addition to motor skills.

Further Research

Further studies are needed to explore the specific neural mechanisms underlying the observed brain structural changes and their relationship to cognitive and visual deficits in pediatric CSCI patients.

Study Limitations

1
Cross-sectional study design limits the ability to reveal how the brain reorganizes with disease progression.
2
The majority of patients were girls, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
3
Lack of data on mood, cognition, or vision prevents exploring associations with brain structure findings.

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Neuroimaging