Abstract #1205

Refining the Sensory and Motor Ratunculus of the Rodent Upper Extremity: Evaluation of the C7 Nerve Root Using FMRI and Direct Nerve Stimulation

Patrick C. Hettinger¹, Rupeng Li², Ji-Geng Yan¹, Hani S. Matloub¹, Young R. Cho¹, Matthew L. Runquist², Christopher P. Pawela¹, James S. Hyde²

¹Plastic Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States; ²Biophysics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States

The purpose of this study is to further define the ratunculus by observing cortical activity using BOLD fMRI during direct stimulation of the C7 nerve root. In this study, 7 Sprague-Dawley rats underwent implantable electrode placement on the C7 nerve root. BOLD response to nerve stimulation was then studied using a Bruker 9.4T MRI scanner. C7 nerve stimulation resulted in a small amount of activation in the S1FL region along with a large amount of activation within the M1/M2 regions. These findings are similar to the sensory and motor distributions described in human C7 nerve root literature.