Longitudinal changes of spinal cord grey and white matter following spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to nerve damage not only at the injury site but also in areas above and below it. This study used MRI to track changes in the gray and white matter of the spinal cord in SCI patients over 1.5 years, comparing them to healthy individuals. The study found that both gray and white matter degenerate after SCI, but the timing and location of these changes differ. White matter loss occurs early on, while gray matter loss may be delayed depending on the location relative to the injury. The researchers were able to predict the extent of a patient's recovery based on early MRI scans of the spinal cord. This suggests that these scans could be used to monitor the effectiveness of treatments and rehabilitation programs.

• 1
  White matter atrophy was detectable both rostral and caudal to the injury as early as 2 months post injury.
• 2
  Grey matter atrophy was only evident in the lumbar enlargement in the early stages of injury, GMA decreased within 1.5 years after injury, both rostral and caudal to the injury site.
• 3
  Baseline MRI findings, particularly DTI values, are associated with clinical recovery, with the degree of myelination in the dorsal column at C2/C3 being a predictor for functional independence.