title: Does the neuronal plasticity exist in elderly patients? report of an unusual clinical case.
abstract: METHODS
  Case report.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report complete recovery after paraplegia in an elderly patient after removal of meningioma at C7-T1 level.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Neurosurgery, Reggio Calabria, Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  An 82-year-old lady with 48 months of progressive weakness and numbness was admitted with complete paraplegia lasting 15 days. Investigations (magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) demonstrated a meningioma at C7-T1. The tumour compressed the extremely thinned spinal cord. MRI after surgery showed no evidence of residual tumour and the spinal cord was of normal dimensions. The patient recovered fully and locomotion was restored.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical decompression gave an excellent result. The result raises the possibility of neuronal plasticity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli Hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gambardella
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gervasio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zaccone
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008579:Meningioma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery