Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32856758›Full record

ArticleAnnals of clinical and translational neurology2020

Global multisensory reorganization after vestibular brain stem stroke.

Julian Conrad, Maximilian Habs, Rainer Boegle, Matthias Ertl, Valerie Kirsch, Iskra Stefanova-Brostek, Ozan Eren, Sandra Becker-Bense, Thomas Stephan, Frank Wollenweber and 3 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of clinical and translational neurology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 26% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Chronic dizziness: neuro-sensitization and psycho-sensitization.Frontiers in integrative neuroscience · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.

Julian ConradDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-7912-0571
Maximilian HabsDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Rainer BoegleDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Matthias ErtlDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Valerie KirschDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Iskra Stefanova-BrostekDepartment of Neurology, Muenchen Klinik, Harlaching, Germany.
Ozan ErenDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Sandra Becker-BenseGerman Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (DSGZ), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Thomas StephanDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Frank WollenweberInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Marco DueringInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Peter Zu EulenburgGerman Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (DSGZ), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Marianne DieterichDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
LMU Klinikum · DEGerman Center for Lung Research · DEHelios Dr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken Wiesbaden · DEMünchen Klinik Harlaching · DEUniversity of Bern · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivePatients with acute central vestibular syndrome suffer from vertigo, spontaneous nystagmus, postural instability with lateral falls, and tilts of visual vertical. Usually, these symptoms compensate within months. The mechanisms of compensation in vestibular infarcts are yet unclear. This study focused on structural changes in gray and white matter volume that accompany clinical compensation.

methodsWe studied patients with acute unilateral brain stem infarcts prospectively over 6 months. Structural changes were compared between the acute phase and follow-up with a group of healthy controls using voxel-based morphometry.

resultsRestitution of vestibular function following brain stem infarcts was accompanied by downstream structural changes in multisensory cortical areas. The changes depended on the location of the infarct along the vestibular pathways in patients with pathological tilts of the SVV and on the quality of the vestibular percept (rotatory vs graviceptive) in patients with pontomedullary infarcts. Patients with pontomedullary infarcts with vertigo or spontaneous nystagmus showed volumetric increases in vestibular parietal opercular multisensory and (retro-) insular areas with right-sided preference. Compensation of graviceptive deficits was accompanied by adaptive changes in multiple multisensory vestibular areas in both hemispheres in lower brain stem infarcts and by additional changes in the motor system in upper brain stem infarcts.

interpretationThis study demonstrates multisensory neuroplasticity in both hemispheres along with the clinical compensation of vestibular deficits following unilateral brain stem infarcts. The data further solidify the concept of a right-hemispheric specialization for core vestibular processing. The identification of cortical structures involved in central compensation could serve as a platform to launch novel rehabilitative treatments such as transcranial stimulations.

Indexed as

AdultBrainBrain StemBrain Stem InfarctionsFemaleFunctional LateralityHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeuronal PlasticityVertigoVestibule, Labyrinth

Identifiers

PMID32856758
PMCPMC7545594
OpenAlexW3082170737

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.