Increased Brain Sensorimotor Network Activation after Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

This study investigates how the brain adapts after incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). Unlike complete SCI, where brain activity often decreases, incomplete SCI allows for some movement, potentially leading to different brain adaptations. The research compared brain activity in individuals with incomplete SCI and healthy controls during ankle movement. The goal was to understand how brain activation changes with time post-injury and how it relates to locomotor function. The findings reveal that individuals with incomplete SCI exhibit increased brain activity in sensorimotor areas during voluntary movement, suggesting a different adaptation mechanism compared to complete SCI. These changes are also related to how well a person can move and how long they have been injured.

• 1
  Individuals with incomplete SCI showed increased brain sensorimotor activation during voluntary movement compared to healthy controls.
• 2
  Poorer locomotor function correlated with larger activation within several right hemisphere areas, including pre- and post-central gyri, possibly reflecting increased movement complexity and effort.
• 3
  Longer time post-SCI was associated with larger activation in left post-central gyrus and bilateral supplementary motor area, which may reflect behaviorally useful adaptations.