Hyperemia, CO2 responsiveness, and autoregulation in the white matter following experimental spinal cord injury.

The authors present the results of a controlled, randomized study of alterations in spinal cord blood flow, CO2 responsiveness, and autoregulation following experimental spinal cord injury in cats. Permanent paraplegia is shown to be associated with persistent hyperemia, loss of CO2 responsiveness, and impaired autoregulation in the white matter at the injury site. Probable mechanisms underlying these changes in spinal cord vasomotor control are discussed. Marked similarities between vascular responses of injured spinal cord and luxury perfusion of the brain are pointed out.