Spinal and brain stimulation to boost hand and arm movement in ALS
Spinal Cord Associative Plasticity for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
This project pairs mild spinal-cord and brain stimulation to help people with ALS strengthen hand and arm movements.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | James J Peters VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11310758 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would receive paired, timed pulses of mild electrical stimulation over the neck (transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation) together with magnetic pulses to the brain (TMS), with the brain pulse arriving just before the spinal pulse. The team will repeat these pairings over sessions to try to induce lasting spinal cord associative plasticity (SCAP) that could strengthen voluntary motor signals to the hands. They will measure muscle responses in the hand and combine stimulation with task-focused exercises to see if function and strength improve beyond the stimulation sessions. The aim is to produce symptomatic improvement in movement and make exercise more effective, not to cure ALS.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with ALS affecting their arms or hands, especially with cervical spinal involvement and stable medical status, would be the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with advanced respiratory failure, uncontrolled seizures, certain implanted electronic or metal devices in the head/neck, or very rapidly progressing ALS may not be eligible or likely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could improve hand and arm strength and function and make daily tasks easier for people with ALS.
How similar studies have performed: Related stimulation approaches have improved motor and autonomic function after spinal cord injury and preliminary data show immediate facilitation with paired pulses, but repeated pairing for lasting clinical gains in ALS is novel and unproven.
Where this research is happening
Bronx, United States
- James J Peters VA Medical Center — Bronx, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harel, Noam Y. — James J Peters VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Harel, Noam Y.
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.