Spinal Cord Injury: Impact on Sensory, Motor, Behavioral and Cognitive Functions

Launched by UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, MONTPELLIER · Mar 14, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how spinal cord injuries (SCI) affect different functions in the body and brain, such as movement, sensation, behavior, and thinking. Researchers want to compare the brain activity of people with SCI to that of healthy volunteers to better understand how brain function changes over time after an injury. They will look at two groups of patients: those with partial movement and sensation (ASIA B, C, D) and those with no movement or sensation at all (ASIA A). Participants will undergo several assessments, including brain scans (MRI) and tests for cognitive abilities, at 1 week, 3 months, and 12 months after their injury.

To be eligible for the study, participants need to be adults aged 18 to 80 who have had a spinal cord injury in the past week and show a sensory-motor deficit. They must also be able to provide informed consent. Unfortunately, some individuals may not qualify, such as those with serious health issues, prior cognitive impairment, or those who cannot undergo an MRI for specific reasons. Healthy volunteers will only need to complete one MRI scan. This study is important as it aims to improve our understanding of how spinal cord injuries affect the brain and can help shape future treatments.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • adults aged 18 to 80
• • informed consent
• • patient with MCT in the previous week
• • clinical neurological examination demonstrating a sensory-motor deficit (the severity of which will define the group to which the patient belongs) associated with MCT.
• Exclusion criteria:
• • Impossibility of following the patient during the study period
• • Consent not obtained (adults, non-emancipated minors, persons unable to give consent, research carried out in emergency situations, etc.),
• • Not affiliated to a social security scheme,
• • Persons under court protection,
• • Other life-threatening systemic impairment,
• • Prior cognitive impairment,
• • Contraindication to MRI (pacemaker, metallic foreign body, etc.).