Abstract
Study design: Case report.
Objective: To report complete recovery after paraplegia in an elderly patient after removal of meningioma at C7-T1 level.
Setting: Department of Neurosurgery, Reggio Calabria, Italy.
Methods: An 82-year-old lady with 48 months of progressive weakness and numbness was admitted with complete paraplegia lasting 15 days. Investigations (magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) demonstrated a meningioma at C7-T1. The tumour compressed the extremely thinned spinal cord. MRI after surgery showed no evidence of residual tumour and the spinal cord was of normal dimensions. The patient recovered fully and locomotion was restored.
Conclusion: Surgical decompression gave an excellent result. The result raises the possibility of neuronal plasticity.
Similar content being viewed by others
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
References
Harkema SJ . Neural plasticity after human spinal cord injury: application of locomotor training to the rehabilitation of walking. Neuroscientist 2001; 7: 455–468.
Wernig A, Muller S . Improvement of walking in spinal cord injured persons after treadmill training. In: Wernig A (ed). Plasticity of Motoneuronal Connections. Restorative Neurology, Vol. 5. Elsevier: Amsterdam, 1991, pp 475–485.
Pascual-Castroviejo I . Neuronal plasticity. Rev Neurol 1996; 24: 1361–1366.
Muir GD . Locomotor plasticity after spinal injury in the chick. J Neurotrauma 1999; 16: 705–711.
Raineteau O, Schwab ME . Plasticity of motor systems after incomplete spinal cord injury. Nat Rev Neurosci 2001; 2: 263–273.
Baba H et al. Plasticity of the spinal cord contributes to neurological improvement after treatment by cervical decompression. A magnetic resonance imaging study. J Neurol 1997; 244: 455–460.
Wernig A, Muller S . Laufband locomotion with body weight support improved walking in persons with severe spinal cord injuries. Paraplegia 1992; 30: 229–238.
Wernig A, Muller S, Nanassy A, Cagol E . Laufband therapy based on rules of spinal locomotion is effective in spinal cord injured persons. Eur J Neurosci 1995; 7: 823–829.
Wernig A, Nanassy A, Muller S . Laufband (treadmill) therapy in incomplete paraplegia and tetraplegia. J Neurotrauma 1999; 16: 719–726.
Wernig A, Nanassy A, Muller S . Maintenance of locomotor abilities following Laufband (treadmill) therapy in para- and tetraplegic persons: follow-up studies. Spinal Cord 1998; 36: 744–749.
Acknowledgements
We thank the translator Edward Parker, for his contribution to the preparation of the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gambardella, G., Gervasio, O. & Zaccone, C. Does the neuronal plasticity exist in elderly patients? report of an unusual clinical case. Spinal Cord 42, 47–49 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3101539
Published:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3101539


