Neuromodulation After Spinal Cord Injury to Improve Limb Function

University at Buffalo (UB)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Spinal Cord Injury Cervical; Spinal Cord Injury

Treatments: Other: rTMS; Other: Sham rTMS; Behavioral: Motor training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06815601

00007259

Details and patient eligibility

About

The University at Buffalo (UB) Department of Rehabilitation Sciences is looking for adult volunteers with and without spinal cord injuries for a study on hand movement. The goal of the study is to learn about how the brain, nerves, and muscles of the body are connected and perform everyday tasks. This may help us to develop ways to improve the hand functions of people with spinal cord injuries.

Full description

The main goal of rehabilitation strategies in humans with spinal cord injury (SCI) is to strengthen transmission in spared neural networks to restore functional movements. Recent evidence showed that neuromodulation approaches may increase the transmission in corticospinal pathway in humans with SCI and improve functional outcomes. Therefore, the investigators aim to investigate how the noninvasive brain stimulation protocols affects neuroplasticity of corticospinal pathway. Specifically, the investigators will use the repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to explore its effect. The investigators will investigate the effect of short-term and long-term rTMS application in individuals with SCI.

Enrollment: 60 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 75 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy adults between the ages of 18-75 years old who are right-handed
• Adults between the ages of 18-75 years old who have had a spinal cord injury (SCI)

Exclusion criteria

For both healthy individuals and those with SCI:

• Uncontrolled medical problems including pulmonary, cardiovascular or orthopedic disease
• Any debilitating disease prior to the SCI that caused exercise intolerance
• Ongoing major depression or altered cognitive status
• Metal plate in skull
• History of seizures
• Receiving drugs acting primarily on the central nervous system, which lower the seizure threshold such as antipsychotic drugs
• Pregnant females

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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60 participants in 3 patient groups

rTMS

Active Comparator group

Description:

rTMS will be administered and functional and physiological outcomes will be measured before and after each intervention.

Treatment:

Other: rTMS

Sham rTMS

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Sham rTMS will be administered and functional and physiological outcomes will be measured before and after each intervention.

Treatment:

Other: Sham rTMS

rTMS with motor training

Active Comparator group

Description:

Subjects will receive the rTMS with motor training for long-term up to 50 sessions. Motor training involves hand motor training.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Motor training

Other: rTMS