title: Neuroplastic changes in the brain: a case of two successive adaptive changes within the motor cortex.
abstract: We describe a case of neuroplasticity associated with both arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and stroke, which occurred in two successive events in the same patient. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during right-hand movement in a young man with a left rolandic AVM detected activation of a region corresponding to the left premotor cortex. The AVM was embolized. A few hours after the last embolization session, the patient sustained an ischemic complication in the left subcortical white matter. A second fMRI detected a lower degree of left premotor cortex activation and strong activation of the contralesional right primary motor cortex and bilateral supplementary motor areas. One month later, in association with clinical recovery, the fMRI activation returned to that observed in the first fMRI, ie, selective activation of the ipsilesional left premotor cortex. This is, to our knowledge, the first description of two distinct functional cortical changes determined by an AVM and a stroke within the motor network.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Eytan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raz
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tinelli
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guidetti
authors.forename: Porzia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Totaro
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bozzao
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pantano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D006801:Humans; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*