Improving Movement After Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Associative Plasticity
This project explores how gentle electrical stimulation to the spinal cord and brain might help people with cervical spinal cord injury regain hand and arm movement.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11146583 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our bodies learn and change through how our nerves connect and work together. This project uses a technique called 'associative plasticity' to strengthen specific nerve pathways in the spinal cord. We are combining gentle electrical stimulation to the neck and magnetic stimulation to the brain, timed precisely, to encourage these connections to become stronger. The goal is to improve how the brain communicates with the spinal cord, potentially leading to better control of muscles in the arms and hands. We are also looking at how different types of stimulation, both external and internal, might best achieve these changes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research is designed for individuals who have experienced a cervical spinal cord injury and are looking for ways to improve their upper limb function.
Not a fit: Patients without cervical spinal cord injury or those not seeking to improve upper limb function may not find direct benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer a new way to improve arm and hand function, including pinch strength, for individuals living with cervical spinal cord injury.
How similar studies have performed: Early work in rats with cervical spinal cord injury has shown promising improvements in forelimb function using this spinal cord associative plasticity technique.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Carmel, Jason Brant — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Carmel, Jason Brant
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.