RecruitingNot Applicable

Motoneuron Recruitment and Motor Evoked Potential Up-Conditioning (MEP) in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

United States15 participantsStarted 2025-11-03

Plain-language summary

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.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * 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. * Stable use of anti-spasticity medication (e.g., baclofen, diazepam, tizanidine) is accepted. (Because only neurologically stable subjects will enter this study, medication changes will be unlikely.) * In participants with bilateral wrist extension weakness in whom Extensor Carpi Radialis (ECR) MEP can be elicited in both arms, the more severely impaired arm is studied. In participants with unilateral wrist weakness or in participants with bilateral wrist weakness in whom an ECR MEP can be elicited in only one arm, that arm is studied. Exclusion Criteria: * 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 * implanted biomedical device in or above the chest (e.g., a cardiac pacemaker, cochlear implant) * no measurable MEP elicited in the ECR * inability to produce any voluntary ECR EMG activity * extensive use of functional electrical stimulation to the arm on a daily basis (as it may interfere with or au…

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Percent change in the size of the Motor Evoked Potential (MEP) from baseline to final conditioning sessions.

Timeframe: Baseline (average of 6 sessions over 2 weeks) and final phase (average of sessions 19-24 over weeks 7-8 of intervention)

Change in Spinal Cord Independence Measure--version III (SCIM III) score

Timeframe: Baseline (Week 0), mid-intervention (Week 5, after session 12), post-intervention (Week 9, after session 24), and follow-up at 1 month (Week 13) and 3 months (Week 21) post-intervention.

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07179822

SponsorMedical University of South Carolina

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2027-09-30

Contact for this trial

Occupational Therapist

(843) 792-6313 stecb@musc.edu

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders (SCI/D) trials