Mapping the consequences of peripheral nerve transection and repair on brain organisation and hand function. (360G-Wellcome-215186_Z_19_Z)

£94,063

Damage to the peripheral nerves of the hand dramatically disrupts feeling and movement, and precipitates a variety of reorganisational changes in the brain. Preliminary evidence from our work with hand transplant and replant recipients suggests that such changes are maladaptive and limit recovery. Specifically, we find that passive cutaneous stimulation of the uninjured hand results in significant positive functional MRI (fMRI) activity in ipsilateral primary sensory cortex (S1), and moreover, the strength of this activity negatively correlates with sensory performance. Positive ipsilateral S1 activity during hand stimulation is not observed in healthy controls, and represents a marker of trauma-related interhemispheric reorganization. Building from these initial data, which are limited by few patient cases, the proposed research will investigate the clinical significance of nerve-trauma-related brain changes in the more numerous conditions of median/ulnar and digital nerve injury and repair. Using our established fMRI and behavioural methods, we expect to identify brain changes in patients that predict poor sensory performance of the injured hand. This research will significantly advance our understanding of the functional consequences of brain changes following nerve damage to the hand, and set the stage for the development of new rehabilitation therapies designed to help reverse these changes.

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Grant Details

Amount Awarded 94063
Applicant Surname Valyear
Approval Committee Science Seeds Advisory Panel
Award Date 2018-11-02T00:00:00+00:00
Financial Year 2018/19
Grant Programme: Title Seed Award in Science
Internal ID 215186/Z/19/Z
Lead Applicant Dr Ken Valyear
Partnership Value 94063
Planned Dates: End Date 2023-11-30T00:00:00+00:00
Planned Dates: Start Date 2019-12-01T00:00:00+00:00
Recipient Org: Country United Kingdom
Region Wales