Spinal Cord found to Process Information Similar to the Brain

A Canadian scientist's work mapping the function and data processing of the spinal cord could help improve treatment for spinal cord injuries.

"Basic physiology books describe the spinal cord as a relay system, but it's part of the central nervous system and processes information just like parts of the brain do,” explained Dr. Patrick Stroman, director of the Queen's University (Kingston, Ontario, Canada) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) facility and Canada research chair in imaging physics.

Dr. Stroman's research is directed at exactly mapping the areas above and below a spinal cord injury to determine better the precise nature of an injury and the effectiveness of subsequent treatment. When medical research has advanced to a point where clinicians are able to bridge an injury on a spinal cord, Dr. Stroman's spinal mapping technique will be vital in accurately pinpointing the injury to be bridged.

The method involves capturing multiple images of the spinal cord using a conventional MRI system. The image capturing is repeated every few seconds over several minutes. During imaging, temperature sensations on the skin are varied allowing areas of the spinal cord that respond to the temperature changes to be detected in the MRI.

During their study, Dr. Stroman's team was also amazed to discover that levels of attention impact data processing in the spinal cord. By evaluating the differences in spinal cord functioning in individuals who were either alert or distracted by a task they were able to see changes in the level of cord activity picked up by the MRI scanner. "The effect of attention is one of the reasons that when you're playing sports and you get hurt, you often don't become aware of the injury until after the game when your attention and focus changes,” said Dr. Stroman. "We already knew that a person's level of attention affects information processing in the brain, but this finding has made us aware that level of attention has to be properly controlled in research that aims to accurately map spinal cord function.”

Dr. Stroman's spinal cord mapping research has significant implications for those with spinal cord injuries who suffer from chronic pain. The research also applies to any conditions--including multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, or congenital conditions--where the function of the spinal cord is affected.

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