Metabolic alterations after experimental contusion injury of the spinal cord were evaluated by determining qualitative spinal cord glucose utilization (SCGU), SCGU was determined by the 2-deoxy-D-[14C]glucose technique. An increase in SCGU occurred at the site of maximal impact in the white matter after an injury causing paraparesis and in near trauma regions after an injury causing either paraparesis or paraplegia. These findings are most likely due to anaerobic glycolysis resulting from a reduction in blood flow that still allows delivery of substrate to tissue. Although an initial increase was observed at the site of maximal impact after a paraplegia-causing injury. SCGU in the white matter demonstrated a progressive deterioration by 4 and 8 hours after injury. A failure of substrate delivery resulting from ischemia is the most likely cause for this reduction in SCGU. The somatosensory evoked potential was found to be a very sensitive indicator of the remaining functional axons at the injury site.