MEP Up-conditioning to Target Corticospinal Plasticity

Launched by MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · May 19, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, called "MEP Up-conditioning to Target Corticospinal Plasticity," is studying how a special type of brain stimulation can help improve arm and hand movement in individuals with chronic cervical spinal cord injuries. Over 10 weeks, participants will receive non-invasive brain stimulation while also getting feedback on their muscle responses, particularly focusing on the wrist. Researchers want to understand how this training affects the connection between the brain, spinal cord, and muscles, and they will use imaging scans before and after the training to see how the injury and brain function relate to movement abilities.

To be eligible for this trial, participants must be adults aged 18 or older with a spinal cord injury at or above the C6 level that occurred at least six months ago. They should also have weak wrist extension on at least one arm. Participants can expect to engage in the training program and undergo some imaging tests, but there are certain health conditions that could exclude someone from participating, such as having a history of seizures or cognitive impairment. This trial is not yet recruiting participants, but it aims to provide valuable insights into how to improve motor functions for individuals with spinal cord injuries.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 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
• • Expectation that current medication will be maintained without change for at least 3 months. Stable use of anti-spasticity medication (e.g., baclofen, diazepam, tizanidine) is accepted.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Motoneuron injury
• • Medically unstable condition
• • Cognitive impairment
• • A history of epileptic seizures
• • Metal implants in the cranium
• • Implanted biomedical device in or above the chest (e.g., a cardiac pacemaker, cochlear implant)
• • Extensive use of functional electrical stimulation to the arm on a daily basis
• • Pregnancy (due to changes in posture and potential medical instability)
• • Contraindications to MRI
• • No measurable MEP elicited in the ECR
• • Unable to produce any voluntary ECR EMG activity