title: Early evaluation of nerve regeneration after nerve injury and repair using functional connectivity MRI.
abstract: Resting state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging studies in rat brain show brain reorganization caused by nerve injury and repair. In this study, distinguishable differences were found in healthy, nerve transection without repair (R-) and nerve transection with repair (R+) groups in the subacute stage (2 weeks after initial injury). Only forepaw on the healthy side was used to determine seed voxel regions in this study. Disturbance of neuronal network in the primary sensory region of cortex occurs within two hours after initial injury, and the network pattern was restored in R+ group in subacute stage, while the disturbed pattern remained in R- group. These are the central findings of the study. This technique provides a novel way of detecting and monitoring the effectiveness of peripheral nerve injury treatment in the early stage and potentially offers a tool for clinicians to avoid poor clinical outcomes.
authors: Biophysics Department, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors: Rupeng
authors: R
authors: Li
authors: Plastic Surgery Department, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors: Patrick C
authors: PC
authors: Hettinger
authors: Dermatology Department, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors: Xiping
authors: X
authors: Liu
authors: Plastic Surgery Department, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors: Jacques
authors: J
authors: Machol
authors: Plastic Surgery Department, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors: Ji-Geng
authors: JG
authors: Yan
authors: Plastic Surgery Department, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors: Hani S
authors: HS
authors: Matloub
authors: Biophysics Department, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA jshyde@mcw.edu.
authors: James S
authors: JS
authors: Hyde
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D066191:Sensorimotor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: central nervous system; early evaluation; fMRI; fcMRI; nerve injury; nerve repair; neuronal reorganization; peripheral nervous system