Reappearance of sympathetic skin response below a thoracic level-9 complete spinal cord injury

Abstract

Reappearance of sympathetic skin response (SSR) below lesion is reported in a patient with a complete thoracic-9 spinal cord injury 6 months following injury. SSR was elicited by electrical stimulation of supraorbital nerve (SON) and pudendal nerve (PN). SON stimulation induced SSRs only in the hand. SSRs were initially absent below the level of SCI but reappeared only with PN stimulation. This case suggests that 6 months following a complete lesion, the isolated spinal cord can generate a SSR. Possible underlying mechanisms and implications for autonomic plasticity below spinal lesion are discussed in view of the literature.