Association between brain N-acetylaspartate levels and sensory and motor dysfunction in patients who have spinal cord injury with spasticity: an observational case-control study

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to spasticity, a condition that is difficult to treat and whose causes are not well understood. This study used magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to examine the brains of SCI patients with and without spasticity, looking at specific brain regions to see if there were differences in metabolite levels. The study found that lower levels of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a marker of neuronal health, in the precentral gyrus (a brain region involved in motor control) were associated with worse sensory and motor function in SCI patients. Furthermore, SCI patients with spasticity had lower NAA levels in both the precentral gyrus and basal ganglia compared to healthy individuals and SCI patients without spasticity. These findings suggest that neuronal loss in specific brain regions may contribute to spasticity and sensory-motor dysfunction after SCI. The researchers propose that monitoring NAA levels could be useful for assessing the severity of SCI and for evaluating the effectiveness of treatments.

• 1
  Lower NAA concentration in the precentral gyrus was significantly associated with lower ASIA light-touch scores, pinprick scores, and motor scores in patients with SCI.
• 2
  Longer durations of injury were associated with greater NAA levels in the precentral gyrus, suggesting potential neuronal reorganization over time.
• 3
  NAA levels in the precentral gyrus and basal ganglia were significantly lower in patients with SCI and spasticity compared to healthy controls and patients with SCI without spasticity.