Motor cortex neuroplasticity following brachial plexus transfer

S Dimou; M Biggs; M Tonkin; I B Hickie; Jim Lagopoulos

doi:10.3389/fnhum.2013.00500

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Motor cortex neuroplasticity following brachial plexus transfer

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Motor cortex neuroplasticity following brachial plexus transfer

S Dimou, M Biggs, M Tonkin, I B Hickie and Jim Lagopoulos

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Vol.7(500)

2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00500

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Abstract

brachial plexus transfer

phantom limb

motor cortex

neuroimaging

MRI

In the past decade, research has demonstrated that cortical plasticity, once thought only to exist in the early stages of life, does indeed continue on into adulthood. Brain plasticity is now acknowledged as a core principle of brain function and describes the ability of the central nervous system to adapt and modify its structural organization and function as an adaptive response to functional demand. In this clinical case study we describe how we used neuroimaging techniques to observe the functional topographical expansion of a patch of cortex along the sensorimotor cortex of a 27-year-old woman following brachial plexus transfer surgery to re-innervate her left arm. We found bilateral activations present in the thalamus, caudate, insula as well as across the sensorimotor cortex during an elbow flex motor task. In contrast we found less activity in the sensorimotor cortex for a finger tap motor task in addition to activations lateralized to the left inferior frontal gyrus and thalamus and bilaterally for the insula. From a pain perspective the patient who had experienced extensive phantom limb pain (PLP) before surgery found these sensations were markedly reduced following transfer of the right brachial plexus to the intact left arm. Within the context of this clinical case the results suggest that functional improvements in limb mobility are associated with increased activation in the sensorimotor cortex as well as reduced PLP. © 2013Dimou,Biggs,Tonkin, HickieandLagopoulos.

Details

Title: Motor cortex neuroplasticity following brachial plexus transfer
Authors: S Dimou (Author) - University of Sydney
M Biggs (Author) - North Shore Private Hospital
M Tonkin (Author) - North Shore Private Hospital
I B Hickie (Author) - University of Sydney
Jim Lagopoulos (Author) - University of Sydney
Publication details: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Vol.7(500)
Publisher: Frontiers Research Foundation
Date published: 2012
DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00500
ISSN: 1662-5161
Copyright note: Copyright © 2013 Dimou, Biggs, Tonkin, Hickie and Lagopoulos. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Thompson Institute
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99449263302621
Output Type: Journal article

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