Cervical Cord Injury Research Articles

Dynamic Functional Network Connectivity in Acute Incomplete Cervical Cord Injury Patients and Its Associations With Sensorimotor Dysfunction Measures

BackgroundDynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) captures temporal variations in functional connectivity during MRI acquisition. However, the neural mechanisms driving dFNC alterations in the brain networks of patients with Acute incomplete cervical cord injury (AICCI) remain unclear. MethodsThis study included 16 AICCI patients and 16 healthy controls (HC). Initially, Independent Component Analysis (ICA) was employed to extract whole-brain independent components (ICs) from resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data. Subsequently, a sliding time window approach, combined with k-means clustering, was used to estimate dFNC states for each participant. Finally, a correlation analysis was conducted to examine the association between sensorimotor dysfunction scores in AICCI patients and the temporal characteristics of dFNC. ResultICA was employed to extract 26 whole-brain ICs. Subsequent dynamic analysis identified four distinct connectivity states across the entire cohort. Notably, AICCI patients demonstrated a significant preference for State 3 compared to HC, as evidenced by a higher frequency and longer duration spent in this state. Conversely, State 4 exhibited a reduced frequency and shorter dwell time in AICCI patients. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed a positive association between sensorimotor dysfunction and both the mean dwell time and the fractional of time spent in State 3. ConclusionsPatients with AICCI demonstrate abnormal connectivity within dFNC states, and the temporal characteristics of dFNC are associated with sensorimotor dysfunction scores. These findings highlight the potential of dFNC as a sensitive biomarker for detecting network functional changes in AICCI patients, providing valuable insights into the dynamic alterations in brain connectivity related to sensorimotor dysfunction in this population.

A deep learning approach for cervical cord injury severity determination through axial and sagittal magnetic resonance imaging segmentation and classification.

Cross-sectional Database Study. While the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale is the standard for assessing spinal cord injuries (SCI), it has limitations due to subjectivity and impracticality. Advances in machine learning (ML) and image recognition have spurred research into their use for outcome prediction. This study aims to analyze deep learning techniques for identifying and classifying cervical SCI severity from MRI scans. The study included patients with traumatic and nontraumatic cervical SCI admitted from 2019 to 2022. MRI images were labeled by two senior resident physicians. A deep convolutional neural network was trained using axial and sagittal cervical MRI images from the dataset. Model performance was assessed using Dice Score and IoU to measure segmentation accuracy by comparing predicted and ground truth masks. Classification accuracy was evaluated with the F1 Score, balancing false positives and negatives. In the axial spinal cord segmentation, we achieved a Dice score of 0.94 for and IoU score of 0.89. In the sagittal spinal cord segmentation, we obtained Dice score up to 0.9201 and IoU scores up to 0.8541. The model for axial image score classification gave a satisfactory result with an F1 score of 0.72 and AUC of 0.79. Our models successfully identified cervical SCI on T2-weighted MR images with satisfactory performance. Further research is needed to develop more advanced models for predicting patient outcomes in SCI cases.

Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on supernumerary phantom limb pain in spinal cord injured patient: A case report

BACKGROUND Supernumerary phantom limb (SPL) sensation is the experience of additional limbs, either single or a pair of limbs. Unique to traumatic spinal cord injuries, we report effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on SPL pain in a patient with cervical cord injury. CASE SUMMARY The subject was a 57-year-old man who was diagnosed with complete spinal cord injury (C6/C5, motor level; C5/C5, sensory level; AIS-A) approximately three months ago. After a period of 2 wk, we administered anodal tDCS over the motor cortex for 15 minutes at an intensity of 1.5 mA. Following that treatment, the patient experienced a decrease of SPL pain intensity and frequency, which lasted for 1 week after the end of treatment. CONCLUSION Targeting the motor cortex through neuromodulation appears to be a promising option for the management of SPL pain.

Musculoskeletal morbidity in adults with spinal cord injuries: A nationwide cohort study.

An increase in the demand for quality of life following spinal cord injuries (SCIs) is associated with an increase in musculoskeletal (MSK) pain, highlighting the need for preventive measure research. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and hazards of MSK morbidities among Korean adults with SCIs, as well as the influence of SCI location on MSK morbidities. Patient populations were selected from Korean National Health Insurance Service data (n = 276). The control group included individuals without SCIs (n = 10,000). We compared the incidences and determined the unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of common MSK morbidities (osteoarthritis, connective tissue disorders, sarcopenia, myalgia, neuralgia, rheumatoid arthritis, myositis, and musculoskeletal infections) based on the location of injury (cervical, thoracic, or lumbar). Adults with SCIs had a higher incidence of MSK morbidity (48.45% vs. 36.6%) and a lower survival probability than those without SCIs. The incidence of MSK morbidity and survival probabilities were not significantly different for cervical cord injuries, whereas both measures were significantly different for thoracic and lumbar injuries. SCI increases the risk of MSK morbidity. Lumbar SCI is associated with a higher incidence and risk of MSK morbidity than are cervical or thoracic SCIs.

Effects of the walking independence on lower extremity and trunk muscle activity during straight-leg raising following incomplete cervical cord injury

The purpose of this study was to compare the acceleration and surface electromyography (EMG) of the lower extremity and trunk muscles during straight-leg raising (SLR) in patients with incomplete cervical cord injury according to their levels of walking independence. Twenty-four patients were measured acceleration and EMG during SLR held for 10 s. Data were analyzed separately for the dominant and nondominant sides and compared between the nonindependent (NI) and independent (ID) groups based on their levels of walking independence. Frequency analysis of the EMG showed that the high-frequency (HF) band of the contralateral biceps femoris (BF) in the ID group and bands below the medium-frequency (MF) of the BF and the HF and MF bands of the rectus abdominis in the NI group were significantly higher during dominant and nondominant SLR. During the nondominant SLR, the low-frequency band of the internal oblique and the MF band of the external oblique were significantly higher in the NI group. The ID group mobilized muscle fiber type 2 of the BF, whereas the NI group mobilized type 1 of the BF and types 2 and 1 of the trunk muscles to stabilize the pelvis. This result was more pronounced during the nondominant SLR.

Risk Factors and Consequences of Postoperative Urinary Tract Infections in Patients with Traumatic Cervical Cord Injury: A Retrospective Analysis

Risk Factors and Consequences of Postoperative Urinary Tract Infections in Patients with Traumatic Cervical Cord Injury: A Retrospective Analysis

Medical Supports for Return to Work after Complete Cervical Cord Injury

Medical Supports for Return to Work after Complete Cervical Cord Injury

Epidemiology of Complete Cervical Cord Injury in Japan

Epidemiology of Complete Cervical Cord Injury in Japan

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy with Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Diagnostic Dilemma.

Perinatal spinal cord injury is a relatively uncommon, but a frequently misdiagnosed disorder. Improvements in obstetric care have certainly led to a decrease in the incidence of birth related spinal cord trauma but unfortunately the incidence of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is still very high. The exact incidence of spinal cord trauma is difficult to determine because the spinal cord is not routinely examined in far and few neonatal autopsies done in India. Here, authors present a neonate who received treatment for birth asphyxia and then had extubation failure which made the clock tick towards cervical cord injury. This baby had a hemorrhagic contusion of cervical spinal cord.

Routine hypercapnic challenge after cervical spinal hemisection affects the size of phrenic motoneurons

After an individual experiences a cervical cord injury, the cell body's adaptation to the smaller size of phrenic motoneurons occurs within several weeks. It is not known whether a routine hypercapnic load can alter this adaptation of phrenic motoneurons. We investigated this question by using rats with high cervical cord hemisection. The rats were divided into four groups: control, hypercapnia, sham, and sham hypercapnia. Within 72 h post-hemisection, the hypercapnia groups began a hypercapnic challenge (20 min/day, 4 times/week for 3 weeks) with 7% CO2 under awake conditions. After the 3-week challenge, the phrenic motoneurons in all of the rats were retrogradely labeled with horseradish peroxidase, and the motoneuron sizes in each group were compared. The average diameter, cross-sectional area, and somal surface area of stained phrenic motoneurons as analyzed by software were significantly smaller in only the control group compared to the other groups. The histogram distribution was unimodal, with larger between-group size differences for motoneurons in the horizontal plane than in the transverse plane. Our findings indicate that a routine hypercapnic challenge may increase the input to phrenic motoneurons and alter the propensity for motoneuron adaptations.

Design and fabrication of a custom molded splint for tetraplegics

BackgroundThe key rehabilitation goal for cervical cord injury is promoting functional hand movement. Patients with mid to low-level cervical spinal cord injury can achieve the useful tenodesis grasp with the assistance of upper extremity orthosis. In this study, a custom molded writing device was fabricated and applied on cervical cord injured patients with the aim of hand rehabilitation. MethodsA total of fourteen individuals with cervical spinal cord injury at C6–C7 level were recruited for the study. They were divided into two groups, where the experimental group was prescribed with the custom molded writing device and the standard-of-care group was prescribed with the traditionally available writing device. The performance of the devices was evaluated using the Quest 2.0 questionnaire and the quality of writing after an intervention time of 4 weeks. ResultThe group that used custom molded writing device performed comparatively better when compared to the conventional design. The data showed a significant difference with average QUEST scores of 4.47 ± 0.33 for the group using the wrist-driven writing device and 3.04 ± 0.70 for group using the conventional design. For better understanding of the device's performance, the writing with both the splints was also assessed. ConclusionA writing device using the tenodesis grasp was fabricated to rehabilitate the writing skills of individuals with cervical spinal cord injuries. The performance of the device provided a favorable result indicating to elaborate the study for future references.

A novel therapeutic approach of ultrasound stimulation to restore forelimb functions following cervical cord injury in rats

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) stimulation has shown promising results in neurorehabilitation following a traumatic injury in brain and peripheral nerves. However, the effects of LIPUS stimulation in the injured neural circuit after spinal cord injury (SCI) are still unknown. We investigated the effects of LIPUS on forelimb functions in chronic cervical cord injured rats with and without a serotonergic agonist drug, Buspirone treatment. Twenty-six rats were trained for forelimb reaching and grasping followed by C4 dorsal funiculi crush injury. To deliver LIPUS, a silicon-coated ultrasound disc was implanted above the cervical cord and electromyography electrodes were implanted into forelimb muscles. In two cohorts (LIPUS and LIPUS + Buspirone combined) rats were tested pre-, with- and post-ultrasound stimulation. In LIPUS group rats, fore-limb reaching and grasping success rates first increased and then dropped after 3 weeks while for combination of drug and LIPUS stimulation the score continued to increase. Furthermore, LIPUS stimulation alone did not result in any significant improvement of grip strength compared to the control and combined groups. The findings of this study indicated the potential of LIPUS in SCI recovery and offer a future research direction of a new neuromodulation method.

A case of infantile cervical cord injury with repeated bradycardia

A case of infantile cervical cord injury with repeated bradycardia

Characteristics of the cervical spine and cervical cord injuries in older adults with cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament

Although the incidence of cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) has increased in older adults, its etiology and neurological outcomes remain unknown. We identified OPLL characteristics and determined whether they influence neurological severity and improvement of CSCI in older patients. This multicenter retrospective cohort study identified 1512 patients aged ≥ 65 years diagnosed with CSCI on admission during 2010–2020. We analyzed CSCI etiology in OPLL patients. We performed propensity score-adjusted analyses to compare neurological outcomes between patients with and without OPLL. Cases were matched based on variables influencing neurological prognosis. The primary neurological outcome was rated according to the American Spine Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale (AIS) and ASIA motor score (AMS). In 332 OPLL patients, the male-to-female ratio was approximately 4:1. Half of all patients displayed low-energy trauma-induced injury and one-third had CSCI without a bony injury. Propensity score matching created 279 pairs. There was no significant difference in the AIS grade and AMS between patients with and without OPLL during hospitalization, 6 months, and 12 months following injury. OPLL patients tended to exhibit worse neurological findings during injury; nevertheless, OPLL was not associated with poor neurological improvement in older CSCI patients.

Combined Transcutaneous Electrical Spinal Cord Stimulation and Task-Specific Rehabilitation Improves Trunk and Sitting Functions in People with Chronic Tetraplegia.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation (TSCS) and conventional task-specific rehabilitation (TSR) on trunk control and sitting stability in people with chronic tetraplegia secondary to a spinal cord injury (SCI). Five individuals with complete cervical (C4-C7) cord injury participated in 24-week therapy that combined TSCS and TSR in the first 12 weeks, followed by TSR alone for another 12 weeks. The TSCS was delivered simultaneously at T11 and L1 spinal levels, at a frequency ranging from 20-30 Hz with 0.1-1.0 ms. pulse width biphasically. Although the neurological prognosis did not manifest after either treatment, the results show that there were significant increases in forward reach distance (10.3 ± 4.5 cm), right lateral reach distance (3.7 ± 1.8 cm), and left lateral reach distance (3.0 ± 0.9 cm) after the combinational treatment (TSCS+TSR). The stimulation also significantly improved the participants' trunk control and function in sitting. Additionally, the trunk range of motion and the electromyographic response of the trunk muscles were significantly elevated after TSCS+TSR. The TSCS+TSR intervention improved independent trunk control with significantly increased static and dynamic sitting balance, which were maintained throughout the TSR period and the follow-up period, indicating long-term sustainable recovery.

Diagnostic yield of magnetic resonance (MRI) imaging and treatment outcomes in patients with spinal cord trauma in, Nigeria: A single centre study

Background: Spinal cord trauma (SCT) is a devastating condition that can lead to significant neurological impairment and reduced quality of life. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has been playing an increasingly important role in the management of spinal trauma patients. This study was designed to determine diagnostic yield of magnetic resonance imaging and the relationship between MRI findings and treatment outcomes in patients with trauma to the spinal cord. Materials and Method: A total of 245 patients who meet the inclusion criteria had their records and MRI findings evaluated retrospectively using convenience sampling method. The quantitative parameters that were used included: maximum spinal cord compression (MSCC), maximum canal compromise (MCC) and length of lesion while the qualitative parameters used are; intramedullary haemorrhage, cord oedema, cord swelling, disc herniation and soft tissue injury. Data such as cause of injury, anatomical level of injury, associated injury, and time of presentation, neurological/clinical presentation, and patterns of treatment, duration of hospitalization, ASIA classification and treatment outcome were collected. Results: The majority 53.47% (n = 131) had cervical spine involvement. Greater proportion 61.22 % (n=150) of spinal cord injuries were caused by road traffic accident (RTA). Most of the patients 33.06% (n=81) had only haemorrhage. Majority 51.02% (n = 125) had ASIA A and the least 4.49% (n = 11) had ASIA E classification. Among ASIA A patients, 21.63% (n = 53) had only haemorrhage while 29.39% (n= 72) had both haemorrhage and Oedema. Out of 53 ASIA A patients that had only haemorrhage, 21.57% (n = 11) of the ASIA A patients had incomplete recovery while 78.43% (n = 42) had no recovery. Out of the 72 ASIA A patients that had both haemorrhage and oedema, 18.06% (n = 13) had incomplete recovery while 81.94% (n = 59) had no recovery. Conclusion: The majority of the patients had cervical spine cord injuries and RTA was the most common causes of spinal cord injuries. Most of the patients had ASIA a classes of spinal cord injuries with more of them having only haemorrhage. The patients’ recovery rate was very poor across all the various classes of ASIA and MRI has shown to be good prognostic tools for the evaluation of spinal cord injuries.

Acute Traumatic Myelopathy: Rethinking Central Cord Syndrome.

Central cord syndrome (CCS) is an incomplete spinal cord injury that consists of both sensory and motor changes of the upper and lower extremities. CCS most commonly occurs after trauma to the cervical spine leading to acute neurological changes. Despite being the most common incomplete spinal cord injury with the best outcomes, optimal treatment remains controversial. Although clinical practice has shifted from primarily conservative management to early surgical intervention, many questions remain unanswered and treatment remains varied. One of the most limiting aspects of CCS remains the diagnosis itself. CCS, by definition, is a syndrome with a very specific pattern of neurological deficits. In practice and in the literature, CCS has been used to describe a spectrum of neurological conditions and traumatic morphologies. Establishing clarity will allow for more accurate decision making by clinicians involved in the care of these injuries. The authors emphasize that a more precise term for the clinical condition in question is acute traumatic myelopathy: an acute cervical cord injury in the setting of a stable spine with either congenital and/or degenerative stenosis.

Altered functional connectivity between primary motor cortex subregions and the whole brain in patients with incomplete cervical spinal cord injury.

To investigate the reorganizations of gray matter volume (GMV) in each subregion of primary motor cortex (M1) after incomplete cervical cord injury (ICCI) and to explore the differences in functional connectivity (FC) between the M1 subregions and the whole brain, and further to disclose the potential value of each M1 subregion in motor function rehabilitation of ICCI patients. Eighteen ICCI patients and eighteen age- and gender- matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited in this study. The 3D high-resolution T1-weighted structural images and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) of all subjects were obtained using a 3.0 Tesla MRI system. Based on the Human Brainnetome Atlas, the structural and functional changes of M1 subregions (including A4hf, A6cdl, A4ul, A4t, A4tl, A6cvl) in ICCI patients were analyzed by voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and seed-based FC, respectively. Compared with HCs, no structural changes in the M1 subregions of ICCI patients was detected. However, when compared with HCs, ICCI patients exhibited decreased FC in visual related areas (lingual gyrus, fusiform gyrus) and sensorimotor related areas (primary sensorimotor cortex) when the seeds were located in bilateral A4hf, A4ul, and decreased FC in visual related areas (lingual gyrus, fusiform gyrus) and cognitive related areas (temporal pole) when the seed was located in the left A4t. Moreover, when the seeds were located in the bilateral A6cdl, decreased FC in visual related areas (lingual gyrus, fusiform gyrus, calcarine gyrus) was also observed. Our findings demonstrated that each of the M1 regions had diverse FC reorganizations, which may provide a theoretical basis for the selection of precise stimulation targets, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or transcranial direct current stimulation (tCDS), meanwhile, our results may reveal the possible mechanism of visual feedback and cognitive training to promote motor rehabilitation.

Particular precautions and the role of intraoperative neuromonitoring in cervical cord injury in elder recreational cyclist: A case report.

Introduction and importanceThe trend in cycling nowadays affects all age groups. However, special precautions must be considered in the elderly group. Minor trauma to the cervical region can cause severe neurological deterioration, leading to fatality because of the pre-existing degenerative process.Case presentationWe present a case of a 61-year-old male recreational cyclist with acute onset of tetraplegia following a minor fall. The radiological result revealed a long-standing degenerative process. Unfortunately, the patient deceased due to the sequelae of the paralysis and cardiac event despite our prompt surgical decompression and the improvement shown on intraoperative neuromonitoring.Clinical discussionThe degenerative process can aggravate cervical cord injury even in its mildest form of injury. In this study, immediate improvement was detected by the intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) - although the clinical improvement had not improved yet as the general condition is poor.ConclusionThe elder cycling population is increasing. Safety measures and injury avoidance are advisable along with expert consultation before the exercise. In a pre-existing degenerative condition of the cervical, a special precaution is also needed during the exercise. If the surgery has been indicated, the use of intraoperative neuromonitoring is found to be useful to guide the decompression and potentially beneficial as a predictive value for the clinal outcome.

Managing Tetraplegia with Blindness: Rehabilitation Approach

Background and aim: Spinal cord injury, especially tetraplegia, would severely disable an individual. The rare postoperative complication of cervical spine surgery, which caused bilateral blindness, would be catastrophic to a tetraplegic patient. Methods: A 60-year-old man sustained traumatic cervical cord injury (C2 AIS C) and underwent cervical decompression with dome laminoplasty of C3 – C6. He, unfortunately, developed bilateral central retinal artery occlusion, a rare postoperative complication leading to bilateral visual loss. Approximately 1-month post-injury, he was admitted to a rehabilitation ward with impairments of incomplete tetraplegia, non-perception of light in both eyes, orthostatic hypotension, neurogenic bladder, neurogenic bowel, neuropathic pain, multiple pressure injuries, and adjustment disorder with depressed mood. Results: Although the patient required caregiver assistance in most activities, functional improvement was observed by teaching him to incorporate other intact senses such as proprioception, stereognosis, and auditory sense. After 4 weeks of rehabilitation, the patient improved to C4 AIS D. His bed mobility required minimal assistance, transferred with the assistance of one person, was able to feed and groom with an assistive device. The rehabilitation process was complicated because the patient could not actively participate in therapy without assistance from his caregiver due to bilateral blindness and reduced sensation over all his limbs despite having adequate motor power for acquiring a certain level of independence in mobility and self-care. When vision loss presents together with sensory impairments, the impact of disability multiplies. Orientation and Mobility (O&M) training and sensory education were further strengthened with repeated verbal instructions to compensate for the loss of visual and sensory feedback to help the patient regain mobility and daily living skills. Three months post-rehabilitation, he was able to perform stand transfer with a walking frame under close supervision. Conclusion: Although total blindness with tetraplegia has severely disabled the patient, O&M strategies with remaining intact senses can be used to facilitate functional improvement.