title: Remodeling Brain Activity by Repetitive Cervicothoracic Transspinal Stimulation after Human Spinal Cord Injury.
abstract: Interventions that can produce targeted brain plasticity after human spinal cord injury (SCI) are needed for restoration of impaired movement in these patients. In this study, we tested the effects of repetitive cervicothoracic transspinal stimulation in one person with cervical motor incomplete SCI on cortical and corticospinal excitability, which were assessedviatranscranial magnetic stimulation with paired and single pulses, respectively. We found that repetitive cervicothoracic transspinal stimulation potentiated intracortical facilitation in flexor and extensor wrist muscles, recovered intracortical inhibition in the more impaired wrist flexor muscle, increased corticospinal excitability bilaterally, and improved voluntary muscle strength. These effects may have been mediated by improvements in cortical integration of ascending sensory inputs and strengthening of corticospinal connections. Our novel therapeutic intervention opens new avenues for targeted brain neuromodulation protocols in individuals with cervical motor incomplete SCI.
authors.affiliation: Motor Control and NeuroRecovery Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Staten Island, New York, NY, USA; Departments of Neuroscience and Biology, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Lynda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: Motor Control and NeuroRecovery Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Staten Island, New York, NY, USA; Departments of Neuroscience and Biology, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knikou
keywords: cortical plasticity; corticospinal plasticity; primary motor cortex; repetitive transspinal stimulation; spinal cord injury