title: Effects of spinal cord stimulation on motor functions in children with cerebral palsy.
abstract: Is it possible to regulate the functional properties of abnormally developed spinal neuronal locomotor networks using transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation? This question has been studied in twenty-eight participants (∼9 yrs) with spastic cerebral palsy, and mainly Gross Motor Function Classification System for Cerebral Palsy level III. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups. The experimental group received transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation at two spinal levels (over T11 and L1 spinous processes), combined with locomotor treadmill training, whereas the participants of the control group received locomotor treadmill training only. After spinal cord stimulation in the experimental group we found an incremental increase in knee torque whereas in the control group this effect was absent. The amplitude of hip motion increased in both groups. A decrease of co-activation of hip and muscles of the lower extremities was observed in the experimental group while in the control group co-activation decreased only in hip muscles. The results support the idea that locomotor function can be improved significantly with the combination of training and transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation than with training alone.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow 127994, Russia; LLC Cosyma, Moscow 129164, Russia. Electronic address: solopova@iitp.ru.
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Solopova
authors.affiliation: First Pavlov State Medical University, St. Petersburg 197022, Russia.
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Sukhotina
authors.affiliation: Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow 127994, Russia.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Zhvansky
authors.affiliation: Turner Pediatric Orthopedic Research Institute, Ministry of Public Health, Pushkin, St. Petersburg 196603, Russia.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Ikoeva
authors.affiliation: Turner Pediatric Orthopedic Research Institute, Ministry of Public Health, Pushkin, St. Petersburg 196603, Russia.
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Vissarionov
authors.affiliation: Turner Pediatric Orthopedic Research Institute, Ministry of Public Health, Pushkin, St. Petersburg 196603, Russia.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Baindurashvili
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, UCLA 612, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7246, USA.
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Edgerton
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, UCLA 612, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7246, USA; Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia.
authors.forename: Y P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Gerasimenko
authors.affiliation: Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia; LLC Cosyma, Moscow 129164, Russia.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Moshonkina
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D062187:Spinal Cord Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Cerebral palsy; Rehabilitation; Transcutaneous spinal cord electrical stimulation