Differential grey matter changes in sensorimotor cortex related to exceptional fine motor skills.
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Differential grey matter changes in sensorimotor cortex related to exceptional fine motor skills. / Stöckel, Claudia; Morgenroth, Farina; Buetefisch, Cathrin M; Seitz, Rüdiger J.
In: PLOS ONE, Vol. 7, No. 12, 12, 2012, p. 51900.Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Differential grey matter changes in sensorimotor cortex related to exceptional fine motor skills.
AU - Stöckel, Claudia
AU - Morgenroth, Farina
AU - Buetefisch, Cathrin M
AU - Seitz, Rüdiger J
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Functional changes in sensorimotor representation occur in response to use and lesion throughout life. Emerging evidence suggests that functional changes are paralleled by respective macroscopic structural changes. In the present study we used voxel-based morphometry to investigate sensorimotor cortex in subjects with congenitally malformed upper extremities. We expected increased or decreased grey matter to parallel the enlarged or reduced functional representations we reported previously. More specifically, we expected decreased grey matter values in lateral sensorimotor cortex related to compromised hand function and increased grey matter values in medial sensorimotor cortex due to compensatory foot use. We found a medial cluster of grey matter increase in subjects with frequent, hand-like compensatory foot use. This increase was predominantly seen for lateral premotor, supplementary motor, and motor areas and only marginally involved somatosensory cortex. Contrary to our expectation, subjects with a reduced number of fingers, who had shown shrinkage of the functional hand representation previously, did not show decreased grey matter values within lateral sensorimotor cortex. Our data suggest that functional plastic changes in sensorimotor cortex can be associated with increases in grey matter but may also occur in otherwise macroscopically normal appearing grey matter volumes. Furthermore, macroscopic structural changes in motor and premotor areas may be observed without respective changes in somatosensory cortex.
AB - Functional changes in sensorimotor representation occur in response to use and lesion throughout life. Emerging evidence suggests that functional changes are paralleled by respective macroscopic structural changes. In the present study we used voxel-based morphometry to investigate sensorimotor cortex in subjects with congenitally malformed upper extremities. We expected increased or decreased grey matter to parallel the enlarged or reduced functional representations we reported previously. More specifically, we expected decreased grey matter values in lateral sensorimotor cortex related to compromised hand function and increased grey matter values in medial sensorimotor cortex due to compensatory foot use. We found a medial cluster of grey matter increase in subjects with frequent, hand-like compensatory foot use. This increase was predominantly seen for lateral premotor, supplementary motor, and motor areas and only marginally involved somatosensory cortex. Contrary to our expectation, subjects with a reduced number of fingers, who had shown shrinkage of the functional hand representation previously, did not show decreased grey matter values within lateral sensorimotor cortex. Our data suggest that functional plastic changes in sensorimotor cortex can be associated with increases in grey matter but may also occur in otherwise macroscopically normal appearing grey matter volumes. Furthermore, macroscopic structural changes in motor and premotor areas may be observed without respective changes in somatosensory cortex.
KW - Adult
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Female
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
KW - Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
KW - Case-Control Studies
KW - Motor Cortex/physiology
KW - Movement/physiology
KW - Somatosensory Cortex/physiology
KW - Foot Deformities/pathology
KW - Hand Deformities/pathology
KW - Adult
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Female
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
KW - Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
KW - Case-Control Studies
KW - Motor Cortex/physiology
KW - Movement/physiology
KW - Somatosensory Cortex/physiology
KW - Foot Deformities/pathology
KW - Hand Deformities/pathology
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0051900
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0051900
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
VL - 7
SP - 51900
JO - PLOS ONE
JF - PLOS ONE
SN - 1932-6203
IS - 12
M1 - 12
ER -
