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Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction Following Spinal Cord Injury: Cardiovascular, Cerebrovascular, and Thermoregulatory Effects

  • Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation (CL Sadowsky, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Deficits in motor and sensory function secondary to spinal cord injury (SCI) are well appreciated and can be clinically assessed using the International Standards for the Neurological Classification of SCI (ISNCSCI), which were revised in 2010 and a dataset published in 2012. Subsequently, the International Standard on documentation of remaining Autonomic Function after SCI was established in 2012, which is to be used as an adjunct to the ISNCSCI exam. The autonomic nervous system is responsible, solely, or in part, for regulation of many physiological processes and the impact of SCI on this regulatory process cannot be overstated. However, given that most of these physiological processes occur without voluntary or conscience action, assessment of deficits in autonomic control is limited to end-organ function. Over the past 10 years, our knowledge regarding the underling pathophysiology of autonomic dysfunction after SCI has greatly improved. This review will focus on what is currently known and published regarding the loss of integral autonomic control of the heart and circulation and the consequent effects on the cerebral vasculature and thermoregulation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center of Excellence for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Rm. 7A-13, 130 West Kingsbridge Rd., Bronx, NY, 10468, USA

    Jill M. Wecht, John P. Handrakis & William A. Bauman

  2. The Medical Service, James J. Peters VAMC, Bronx, NY, USA

    William A. Bauman

  3. Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    Jill M. Wecht, Michael F. La Fountaine & William A. Bauman

  4. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    Jill M. Wecht & William A. Bauman

  5. Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Medical Sciences, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, USA

    Michael F. La Fountaine

  6. Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY, USA

    John P. Handrakis

  7. International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Christopher R. West, Aaron Phillips & Andrei V. Krassioukov

  8. Experimental Medicine Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Aaron Phillips & Andrei V. Krassioukov

  9. Centre for Heart, Lung, and Vascular Health, Faculty of Health and Social Development, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Aaron Phillips & Andrei V. Krassioukov

  10. School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Christopher R. West

  11. Department of Kinesiology, Brock University, Saint Catherines, ON, Canada

    David S. Ditor & Hisham Sharif

  12. Brock-Niagara Centre for Health and Well-being, Brock University, Saint Catherines, ON, Canada

    David S. Ditor & Hisham Sharif

Authors
  1. Jill M. Wecht
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  2. Michael F. La Fountaine
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  3. John P. Handrakis
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  4. Christopher R. West
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  5. Aaron Phillips
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  6. David S. Ditor
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  7. Hisham Sharif
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  8. William A. Bauman
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  9. Andrei V. Krassioukov
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jill M. Wecht.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation.

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Wecht, J.M., La Fountaine, M.F., Handrakis, J.P. et al. Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction Following Spinal Cord Injury: Cardiovascular, Cerebrovascular, and Thermoregulatory Effects. Curr Phys Med Rehabil Rep 3, 197–205 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40141-015-0093-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40141-015-0093-2

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