Neuroplasticity and functional change after therapy in inpatients with spinal cord injury - An explorative study

Aim:
To investigate correlations between neuroplastic changes and the improvement of function in spinal cord injury (SCI) individuals following therapy. Of importance is whether neuroplastic changes throughout the entire neuroaxis are related to the clinical outcome, which is the functional gain observed following SCI therapy, or whether only restricted neurological areas of the neuroaxis are related to the functional gains.
Methods:
SCI Inpatients with minimally affected upper limbs are eligible for inclusion in the study. By using electroencephalography, electromyography and electrical stimulation, assessments of the nervous function at the motor cortex, somato-sensory cortex and the spine, are performed every two months during therapy. Assessment of movement-related cortical potentials and muscle activity are made during voluntary movement. Assessment of somato-sensory evoked potentials and conditioned Hoffmann reflexes are made during electrical stimulation. Prior to and after the investigation, SCIM III and ISNCSCI are assessed and correlated with possible neuroplastic changes.
Results:
Data regarding changes in amplitude and delay of movement-related cortical potentials, somato-sensory evoked potentials, conditioned H-reflexes and muscle activity, will be presented. Additionally, correlations between individual measures of plasticity and functional gain will be examined.

Conclusions:
This explorative study examines any significant relationship between eventual neuroplastic changes and the obtained functional gain, in order to elucidate which regions/levels of the neuroaxis are of interest and may play a role in the changes observed during recovery in SCI. The results may imply important networks, or confined areas to engage during rehabilitation.