Somatosensory Evoked Magnetic Fields in Patients with ‘Complete’ Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To examine sensory conduction via the spinal cord in patients with clinically ‘complete’ spinal cord injury.

Design:

Case series.

Setting:

This research was performed in the rehabilitation hospital for the spinal cord injured persons.

Participants:

6 right-handed male patients with complete cervical cord injury who admitted to our hospital to undergo rehabilitation training.

Interventions:

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures:

By measuring somatosensory evoked magnetic fields (SEFs) following tactile stimulation of the limbs, I recorded two sensory conditions from the upper extremities (Median condition) and the lower extremities (Peroneal condition).

Results:

In one patient, there were prominent responses in the right primary sensory area (S1) to stimulation applied to the paralyzed left lower extremity (Peroneal condition). In response to stimuli applied to the upper extremities (Median condition), the response latency was longer in 2 patients when their dominant hands were stimulated.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that measuring SEFs for patients with spinal cord injury is useful not only for investigating plasticity of the brain but also for predicting the outcome of training for acquiring the skills of daily life.

Keywords:

Somatosensory evoked magnetic fields (SEFs), spinal cord injury, plasticity of the brain.