title: Enhancing neural activity to drive respiratory plasticity following cervical spinal cord injury.
abstract: Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) results in permanent life-altering sensorimotor deficits, among which impaired breathing is one of the most devastating and life-threatening. While clinical and experimental research has revealed that some spontaneous respiratory improvement (functional plasticity) can occur post-SCI, the extent of the recovery is limited and significant deficits persist. Thus, increasing effort is being made to develop therapies that harness and enhance this neuroplastic potential to optimize long-term recovery of breathing in injured individuals. One strategy with demonstrated therapeutic potential is the use of treatments that increase neural and muscular activity (e.g. locomotor training, neural and muscular stimulation) and promote plasticity. With a focus on respiratory function post-SCI, this review will discuss advances in the use of neural interfacing strategies and activity-based treatments, and highlights some recent results from our own research.
authors: Spinal Cord Research Center, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, 2900 W Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Kristiina M
authors: KM
authors: Hormigo
authors: Spinal Cord Research Center, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, 2900 W Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Lyandysha V
authors: LV
authors: Zholudeva
authors: Spinal Cord Research Center, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, 2900 W Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Victoria M
authors: VM
authors: Spruance
authors: Spinal Cord Research Center, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, 2900 W Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Vitaliy
authors: V
authors: Marchenko
authors: Spinal Cord Research Center, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, 2900 W Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Marie-Pascale
authors: MP
authors: Cote
authors: Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, INSERM U1179 End:icap, UFR des Sciences de la Santé - Simone Veil, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France.
authors: Stephane
authors: S
authors: Vinit
authors: Spinal Cord Research Center, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, 2900 W Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Simon
authors: S
authors: Giszter
authors: Spinal Cord Research Center, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, 2900 W Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Tatiana
authors: T
authors: Bezdudnaya
authors: Spinal Cord Research Center, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, 2900 W Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Electronic address: mlane.neuro@gmail.com.
authors: Michael A
authors: MA
authors: Lane
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D066193:Cervical Cord; D006801:Humans; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D012119:Respiration; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Neuroplasticity; Phrenic; Respiration; Spinal cord injury; Spinal interneuron