MEP Up-conditioning to Target Corticospinal Plasticity

Description

Individuals with chronic cervical spinal cord injury will complete a 10-week training protocol where participants receive non-invasive brain stimulation and feedback on the size of the corresponding muscle response (wrist extensor). Investigators will assess the impact of the brain stimulation training on 1) the brain-to-spinal cord-to-muscle connection and 2) motor functions of the arm and hand. Also, brain and spine magnetic resonance imaging will be collected before and after the training. The imaging measurements will tell investigators about how spinal damage, brain function, and brain structure relate to motor presentation and the response to the training.

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injury, Tetraplegia/Tetraparesis

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

Individuals with chronic cervical spinal cord injury will complete a 10-week training protocol where participants receive non-invasive brain stimulation and feedback on the size of the corresponding muscle response (wrist extensor). Investigators will assess the impact of the brain stimulation training on 1) the brain-to-spinal cord-to-muscle connection and 2) motor functions of the arm and hand. Also, brain and spine magnetic resonance imaging will be collected before and after the training. The imaging measurements will tell investigators about how spinal damage, brain function, and brain structure relate to motor presentation and the response to the training.

Operant Conditioning of the Wrist Extensor Motor Evoked Potential to Target Corticospinal Plasticity and Upper Limb Motor Recovery After Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

MEP Up-conditioning to Target Corticospinal Plasticity

Condition
Spinal Cord Injury
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Charleston

Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States, 29425

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Adult (≥18 yrs old)
  • * A history of injury to spinal cord at or above C6
  • * \>6 months post SCI
  • * Weak wrist extension at least unilaterally
  • * Expectation that current medication will be maintained without change for at least 3 months. Stable use of anti-spasticity medication (e.g., baclofen, diazepam, tizanidine) is accepted.
  • * Motoneuron injury
  • * Medically unstable condition
  • * Cognitive impairment
  • * A history of epileptic seizures
  • * Metal implants in the cranium
  • * Implanted biomedical device in or above the chest (e.g., a cardiac pacemaker, cochlear implant)
  • * Extensive use of functional electrical stimulation to the arm on a daily basis
  • * Pregnancy (due to changes in posture and potential medical instability)
  • * Contraindications to MRI
  • * No measurable MEP elicited in the ECR
  • * Unable to produce any voluntary ECR EMG activity

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Medical University of South Carolina,

Allison Lewis, DPT, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Medical University of South Carolina

Study Record Dates

2027-03-31