Dr Falk Eippert | Assessing spinal cord function: hemodynamic and electrophysiological approaches

The spinal cord is not only the first part of the central nervous system where somatosensory information is processed, but also plays a substantial role in both acute and chronic forms of pain. While there is thus a clear incentive for investigating this structure in humans, assessing spinal cord function non-invasively comes with several unique obstacles. I will describe the approaches we have taken to address these challenges, focusing on fMRI data at 3T and 7T as well as electrophysiological work, which together aim to provide a spatiotemporal window into this underexplored part of the central nervous system.