Spinal cord injury: one-year evolution of motor-evoked potentials and recovery of leg motor function in 255 patients.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The description of the natural course of recovery from a spinal cord injury (SCI) with spontaneous improvement of neurological, neurophysiological, and functional measures is an important prerequisite in appraising effects of upcoming interventional therapies.

OBJECTIVE:

To describe the spontaneous evolution of motor-evoked potentials of the anterior tibial muscle (TA-MEP) and their relation to outcomes of lower extremity motor scores (LEMS) and walking function in patients recovering from an acute SCI.

METHODS:

TA-MEPs were assessed in 255 SCI subjects within 5 time intervals throughout the first year after SCI with combined neurological and functional measures. Tibial nerve conduction studies were performed to screen for peripheral nerve damage.

RESULTS:

TA-MEP allowed stratification of SCI according to lesion severity and outcome. As MEP amplitudes increased over 12 months after SCI, this was paralleled by a significant improvement of LEMS and walking function. TA-MEP latencies remained usually stable.

CONCLUSION:

Clinical outcome and walking function after SCI can be predicted independent of clinical measures by assessment of TA-MEP reflecting corticospinal tract integrity.

• Authors: Jens A Petersen, Martina Spiess, Armin Curt, Volker Dietz, Martin Schubert, EM-SCI Study Group
• Journal: Neurorehabilitation and neural repair (Neurorehabil Neural Repair) Vol. 26 Issue 8 Pg. 939-48 (Oct 2012) ISSN: 1552-6844 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22460611 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Adult
• Electromyography
• Evoked Potentials, Motor (physiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Leg (innervation)
• Linear Models
• Longitudinal Studies
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Muscle, Skeletal (physiopathology)
• Neural Conduction (physiology)
• Prospective Studies
• Reaction Time (physiology)
• Recovery of Function (physiology)
• Retrospective Studies
• Spinal Cord Injuries (physiopathology)
• Tibial Nerve (physiopathology)
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
• Walking (physiology)