A research study by the University of Michigan shows structural changes in the brain following ACL reconstruction due to injury. During the study, scientist discovered that the corticospinal tract, the pathway that scuttles messages from brain to muscles, had decreased in size compare to the uninjured tract on the other side of the brain. The corticospinal tract runs from front to back through both hemispheres of the brain and when examined among 10 patients, who underwent reconstruction knee surgery, there was a 15% reduction in the size of the track on the injured side of the brain compared to the uninjured side. If you are wondering why the small reduction is so significant, then you should know the corticospinal tract acts in the same way as a two lane road.
When both lanes on a two lane road are open its easier for cars to pass through and get to the destination faster. If one lane is shut down, then it make it harder for cars to pass through and in turn cause stand still traffic. In this example, the car is the message that is trying to reach the muscle which is the destination. The two lane road is the pathway. With a smaller corticospinal tract, less information can travel from the brain to the muscles. The research scientist was able to prove that these changes in the brain hinder recovery and may contribute to performance deficits and re-injury.
To learn more about the study follow this source link.
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