Effect of rehabilitation program on the volume of Corpus callosum in paralyzed patients

In recent years, palsy and paralysis as an increasing risk factor has taken place near the top regarding morbidity and mortality. Physical treatment applied after paralysis helps paralytic recover both physically and socially. Corpus callosum is commissural fibers formed by white ore that ties cortical spaces among hemispheres. Its essential function is to provide information exchange and coordination by making interhemispheric connections between right and left hemispheres. Physical inactivity decreases the volume of corpus callosum for paralytic patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether or not the rehabilitation program as a treatment applied after paralysis influence the volume of corpus callosum. Forty-two patients (22 male, and 20 female) being treated at Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic at Fırat University participated in this study. Of those patients, half of them (n = 21) were right hemiplegic and the other half were left hemiplegic. All patients underwent a cure during six weeks, for five days in a week and one hour per day. The corpus callosum volumes were observed on MR displays taken before and after treatment. As expected, the corpus callosum volumes of males were higher than females' for both before and after treatment measurements. While investigating the effect of rehabilitation program, there was a statistically significant difference (p=0,033) on corpus callosum volumes between before and after treatment for males, on the other side, the volumetric change for females was not statistically significant. In addition, the corpus callosum volume for left hemiplegic patients were higher than right hemiplegics' in terms of both before and after treatment measurements; however, this difference was not statistically significant. The effect of rehabilitation program for right and left hemiplegics was found insignificant in terms of corpus callosum volume. Consequently, according to the results of the current study, it can be said that the rehabilitation program which aims to improve the functional status of paralytics might also improve some neurotic structures at morphometric levels to some extent. Therefore, it would be beneficial to enhance the rehabilitation techniques that are applied for paralytics in order to increase its treatment effectiveness.