title: Cortical reorganization in NT3-treated experimental spinal cord injury: Functional magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies were performed for visualizing ongoing brain plasticity in Neurotrophin-3 (NT3)-treated experimental spinal cord injury (SCI). In response to the electrical stimulation of the forepaw, the NT3-treated animals showed extensive activation of brain structures that included contralateral cortex, thalamus, caudate putamen, hippocampus, and periaqueductal gray. Quantitative analysis of the fMRI data indicated significant changes both in the volume and center of activations in NT3-treated animals relative to saline-treated controls. A strong activation in both ipsi- and contralateral periaqueductal gray and thalamus was observed in NT3-treated animals. These studies indicate ongoing brain reorganization in the SCI animals. The fMRI results also suggest that NT3 may influence nociceptive pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Jaivijay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramu
authors.forename: Kurt H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Bockhorst
authors.forename: Raymond J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Grill
authors.forename: Kishore V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Mogatadakala
authors.forename: Ponnada A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Narayana
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005552:Forelimb / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D011994:Recombinant Proteins