NCT07179822
Motoneuron Recruitment and Motor Evoked Potential Up-Conditioning (MEP) in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
Recruiting · Not Applicable · Medical University of South Carolina · registry updated 2026-07-29
Inclusion and exclusion lines below are quoted from ClinicalTrials.gov. No match score is shown, because a score needs a person's age, biomarkers, and treatment dates. Confirm the record with the study team.
The purpose of this research study is to examine the effect of a brain stimulation training to improve the function of brain-spinal cord- muscle connections. Because brain-to-muscle pathways are very important in our movement control, restoring function of these pathways may improve movement problems after injuries. Spinal cord injury causes damage to the brain-to-muscle connection. However, when the injury is "incomplete", there is a possibility that some of the brain-to-muscle pathways are still connected and may be trained to improve movement function. For examining brain-to-muscle pathways, investigators use a transcranial magnetic stimulator. Investigators hope that the results of this research study will help us develop new treatments for people who have movement disabilities. This study will require about 42 visits over the first 14 weeks, and another 6 visits over an additional 3 months. Each visit will take about 1 ½ hours.
Inclusion
- Adult (≥18 yrs old)
- a history of injury to spinal cord at or above C6
- neurologically stable (\>1 year post SCI)
- medical clearance to participate
- weak wrist extension at least unilaterally
- expectation that current medication will be maintained without change for at least 3 months.
Exclusion
- motoneuron injury
- unstable medical condition
- cognitive impairment (because the studied intervention is a learning-based intervention)
- a history of epileptic seizures
- a pre-existing or confounding neurological condition (e.g., history of MS, Stroke, Parkinson's disease)
- metal implants in the cranium