Spinal cord injury

The purpose of this research study is to investigate actions of non-invasive transspinal stimulation over the thoracolumbar region at different intensities and frequencies on spinal reflexes and muscle activity at rest and during walking. The results of this study may result in the development of better rehabilitation strategies for people who have a neurological disorder.

Spinal cord injury greatly impairs standing and walking ability, which severely compromises daily living activities. While these deficits are partially improved by locomotor training, even after multiple training sessions, abnormal muscle activity and coordination still persist. Thus, locomotor training alone cannot fully optimize the neuronal plasticity required to strengthen the synapses connecting the brain, spinal cord, and local circuits. As such, treatment interventions that effectively promote neuromodulation of spinal locomotor networks and strengthen neural connectivity of the injured human spinal cord in combination with physical rehabilitation are greatly needed.

The seemingly simple tasks of standing and walking require continuous integration of complex spinal reflex circuits between descending …