MEP Up-conditioning to Target Corticospinal Plasticity

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseEarly Phase 1
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorMedical University of South Carolina

About this trial

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.

Eligibility criteria

Qualifiers

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

Disqualifiers

Motoneuron injury

Medically unstable condition

Cognitive impairment

A history of epileptic seizures

Trial design

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Up-conditioning of the wrist extensor motor evoked potential

Treatment groups

11 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment group

Sponsors and collaborators

Medical University of South Carolina

Lead sponsor

Doscher Neurorehabilitation Research Program

Collaborator

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Collaborator