Brain morphology changes after spinal cord injury: A voxel-based meta-analysis

Frontiers in Neurology, 2022 · DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.999375 · Published: September 1, 2022

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can lead to changes in the brain's structure and function. This study used a method called voxel-based meta-analysis to look at changes in gray matter volume (GMV) and white matter volume (WMV) in people with SCI compared to healthy individuals. The researchers analyzed data from 20 studies, including a total of 410 SCI patients and 406 healthy controls. They found that SCI patients had significant GMV loss in the left insula and bilateral thalamus, as well as significant WMV loss in the bilateral corticospinal tract (CST). The study also found that higher motor and pinprick scores were associated with greater GMV in the right postcentral gyrus, while a positive relationship was observed between light touch score and the bilateral postcentral gyrus.

Study Duration

From 1980 to April 2022

Participants

410 SCI patients and 406 healthy controls

Evidence Level

Systematic Review

Key Findings

1
SCI patients showed significant gray matter volume (GMV) loss in the left insula and bilateral thalamus compared to healthy controls.
2
Significant white matter volume (WMV) loss was observed in the bilateral corticospinal tract (CST) in SCI patients compared to healthy controls.
3
Higher motor and pinprick scores correlated with greater GMV in the right postcentral gyrus, while light touch score showed a positive relationship with GMV in the bilateral postcentral gyrus.

Research Summary

This study aimed to identify specific changes in brain gray matter volume (GMV) and white matter volume (WMV) following spinal cord injury (SCI) through a voxel-based meta-analysis of whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies. The meta-analysis, including 20 studies with 410 patients and 406 healthy controls, revealed significant GMV loss in the left insula and bilateral thalamus, and significant WMV loss in the bilateral corticospinal tract (CST) in SCI patients compared to healthy controls. The study suggests that atrophy in the thalamus and bilateral CST may indicate neurodegeneration in sensory and motor pathways, while atrophy of the left insula may be linked to depression and neuropathic pain in SCI patients. These structural abnormalities could serve as neuroimaging biomarkers.

Practical Implications

Neuroimaging Biomarkers

Structural abnormalities could serve as neuroimaging biomarkers for evaluating the prognosis and treatment effect, as well as for monitoring disease progression.

Personalized Treatment Strategies

The application of neuroimaging biomarkers in the brain for SCI may lead to personalized treatment strategies.

Understanding Pathological Mechanisms

Alterations in the brain could contribute to a further understanding of pathological mechanisms.

Study Limitations

1
The study only assessed macrostructural characteristics of brain atrophy.
2
The sample size in the subgroup analysis and meta-regressions was not exceptionally large.
3
The meta-regression analysis only included few clinical characteristics at study level.

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