Paired brain and wrist nerve stimulation to boost hand motor plasticity in the cervical spinal cord
Paired Non-invasive Stimulation of Hand Motor Cortex and Median Nerve to Induce Plasticity in the Cervical Spinal Cord
This research will test if pairing weak brain stimulation with median nerve stimulation can increase spinal-cord-based plasticity and strengthen hand motor responses in healthy adults.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 20 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 80 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Columbia University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (New York, New York) |
| Trial ID | NCT07539025 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This confirmatory experimental study applies the SCAP-Nerve protocol, pairing sub‑threshold hand motor cortical stimulation with median nerve pulses timed to converge in the cervical spinal cord. Typically developing adult volunteers will undergo up to four sessions measuring physiological outcomes such as motor-evoked potentials and behavioral measures of upper-limb motor responses. Participants with seizure risk, implanted devices, or local musculoskeletal injury are excluded for safety. The goal is to confirm prior lab findings that cervical spinal cord convergence produces larger motor responses than convergence in the motor cortex.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are typically developing adults who can give informed consent, have no central or peripheral neurological disease or tested-arm musculoskeletal injury, can maintain usual caffeine and exercise levels, and are willing to attend up to four sessions.
Not a fit: People with a personal or family history of seizures, current use of medications that lower seizure threshold, implanted stimulators or pacemakers, or existing neurological or tested-arm injuries are not eligible and are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could provide a noninvasive way to strengthen hand motor pathways and inform therapies to improve arm and hand function after spinal cord injury or other motor disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Prior paired associative stimulation work, including published results from the Carmel laboratory, has shown promise and suggests that timing convergence in the cervical spinal cord can produce larger upper-limb motor responses than cortical convergence, but this study is a confirmatory test in healthy adults.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Willingness to participate in up to 4 sessions * Maintenance of caffeine and exercise levels at time of sessions * Ability to provide informed consent * No known central or peripheral neurological disease or injury * No known musculoskeletal injury of the tested arm or hand Exclusion Criteria: * Personal or family history of seizures * Use of medications that lower seizure threshold * History of implanted equipment including stimulators/pacemakers
Where this trial is running
New York, New York
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center — New York, New York, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Shaker Dukkipati, MD, PhD
- Email: sd3850@cumc.columbia.edu
- Phone: 2123056616
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.