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