Following spinal cord injury (SCI) a series of anatomical and functional plastic changes occur in the spinal cord, including reorganization of the spinal neuronal network, alteration of properties of interneurons and motoneurons as well as up- or down-regulation of different neurotransmitter receptors. In mammalian spinal cord, one of the important neurotransmitters, serotonin (5-HT), plays an essential role in modulating sensory, motor and autonomic functions. Following SCI, especially complete spinal cord lesion, the descending supply of 5-HT is lost. As a consequence different 5-HT receptors undergo variant degrees of plastic changes.
Part of the book: Recovery of Motor Function Following Spinal Cord Injury