Chronic spinal cord injury is associated with morphometric brain changes in functional networks beyond the sensorimotor system.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to motor and sensory deficits, triggering widespread neurodegeneration across the central nervous system. While sensorimotor brain changes have been widely studied, growing evidence suggests that SCI also affects regions involved in cognition, emotion, and pain regulation-domains frequently altered in the chronic stage. However, morphological alterations in higher-order brain networks remain poorly characterized. To address this gap, we investigated structural brain changes in chronic SCI using voxel-based and surface-based morphometry, focusing on large-scale functional networks.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed high-resolution T1-weighted MRI data from 45 individuals with chronic traumatic SCI and 45 matched controls. Gray mat

SUBMITTER: Diana L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12722829 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature