G. Cioni et al., Reorganisation of the sensorimotor cortex after early focal brain lesion: a functional MRI study in monozygotic twins, NEUROREPORT, 12(7), 2001, pp. 1335-1340
Sensorimotor cortical reorganization after early brain lesions was studied
by means of fMRI in two pairs of monozygotic twins, in each of which one me
mber had a focal brain injury. This offered a unique opportunity to reduce
the wide intersubject variability of the controls often found in similar st
udies. Activation images were acquired during a motor task (sequential oppo
sition finger movements) and a sensory task (passive brushing of palm and f
ingers). During the tasks with the recovered hand, constant findings in the
lesioned subjects were the activation of the undamaged areas adjacent to l
esion site and the activation of the ipsilateral sensorimotor cortex. Bilat
eral activation of the primary sensorimotor cortex was never observed in th
e healthy co-twin controls. NeuroReport 12:1335-1340. (C) 2001 Lippincott W
illiams & Wilkins.