title: Influence of spinal cord injury on cerebral sensorimotor systems: a PET study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of a transverse spinal cord lesion on cerebral energy metabolism in view of sensorimotor reorganisation.
  
  
  METHODS
  PET and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose were used to study resting cerebral glucose metabolism in 11 patients with complete paraplegia or tetraplegia after spinal cord injury and 12 healthy subjects. Regions of interest analysis was performed to determine global glucose metabolism (CMRGlu). Statistical parametric mapping was applied to compare both groups on a pixel by pixel basis (significance level P = 0.001).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Global absolute CMRGlu was lower in spinal cord injury (33.6 (6.6) mumol/100 ml/min (mean (SD)) than in controls (45.6 (6.2), Mann-Whitney P = 0.0026). Statistical parametric mapping analysis disclosed relatively increased glucose metabolism particularly in the supplementary motor area, anterior cingulate, and putamen. Relatively reduced glucose metabolism in patients with spinal cord injury was found in the midbrain, cerebellar hemispheres, and temporal cortex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is assumed that cerebral deafferentiation due to reduction or loss of sensorimotor function results in the low level of absolute global CMRGlu found in patients with spinal cord injury. Relatively increased glucose metabolism in brain regions involved in attention and initiation of movement may be related to secondary disinhibition of these regions.
authors.affiliation: PET Program, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Roelcke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Curt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Otte
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Missimer
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Maguire
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Leenders
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed