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.
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: Michèle Hubli; John L K Kramer; Catherine R Jutzeler; Jan Rosner; Julio C Furlan; Keith E Tansey; Martin Schubert Journal: Spinal Cord Date: 2019-07-23 Impact factor: 2.772
Authors: Hayk A Petrosyan; Valentina Alessi; Arsen S Hunanyan; Sue A Sisto; Victor L Arvanian Journal: J Neurophysiol Date: 2015-09-30 Impact factor: 2.714