Journal of neurotrauma
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Journal of neurotrauma · May 2016
Longitudinal evaluation of residual cortical and subcortical motor evoked potentials in spinal cord injured rats.
We have applied transcranial electrical stimulation to rats with spinal cord injury and selectively tested the motor evoked potentials (MEPs) conveyed by descending motor pathways with cortical and subcortical origin. MEPs were elicited by electrical stimulation to the brain and recorded on the tibialis anterior muscles. Stimulation parameters were characterized and changes in MEP responses tested in uninjured rats, in rats with mild or moderate contusion, and in animals with complete transection of the spinal cord. ⋯ Substantial motor deficits developed in rats with moderate contusion, and these rats had completely eliminated N1 and N2 MEPs. Animals with complete cord transection had abolished N1 and N2 and showed severe impairment of locomotion. The results indicate the reliability of MEP testing to longitudinally evaluate over time the degree of impairment of cortical and subcortical spinal pathways after spinal cord injuries of different severity.
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Journal of neurotrauma · May 2016
Comment LetterLetter to the Editor concerning Evaniew et al, Methylprednisolone for the Treatment of Patients with Acute Spinal Cord Injuries: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study from a Canadian Multi-Center Spinal Cord Injury Registry. J. Neurotrauma 32:1674-1683, November 1, 2015.
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Journal of neurotrauma · May 2016
Persisting effects of concussion on heart rate variability during physical exertion.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate cardiac autonomic modulation in university athletes during the post-acute to late phase (mean, 95 days ±63) of injury at rest and during physical exertion. We also sought to evaluate the effect of time since injury and number of injuries on heart rate variability (HRV). We hypothesized that physical exertion would reveal persisting modifications in HRV following a concussion. ⋯ Thus, asymptomatic athletes still may exhibit modifications in cardiac autonomic modulation weeks to months following injury. These modifications may only become apparent during physical exertion. Monitoring HRV may aid diagnosis and provide insight about safe return to play.
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Journal of neurotrauma · May 2016
Multicenter StudyTensor-Based Morphometry Reveals Volumetric Deficits in Moderate/Severe Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause widespread and prolonged brain degeneration. TBI can affect cognitive function and brain integrity for many years after injury, often with lasting effects in children, whose brains are still immature. Although TBI varies in how it affects different individuals, image analysis methods such as tensor-based morphometry (TBM) can reveal common areas of brain atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), secondary effects of the initial injury, which will differ between subjects. ⋯ We found a number of smaller clusters of volume reduction in the cingulate gyrus, thalamus, and fusiform gyrus, and throughout the frontal, temporal, and parietal cortices. Additionally, we found extensive associations between our cognitive performance measure and regional brain volume. Our results indicate a pattern of atrophy still detectable 1-year post-injury, which may partially underlie the cognitive deficits frequently found in TBI.