NCT05472584

Brief Summary

This study will help the investigators better understand the changes in short-term excitability and long-term plasticity of corticospinal, reticulospinal and spinal neural circuits and how the changes impact the improvements of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) mediated motor function.

Trial Health

77
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
120

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable

Timeline
15mo left

Started Jul 2023

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress69%
Jul 2023Aug 2027

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

July 8, 2022

Completed
17 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

July 25, 2022

Completed
12 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

July 21, 2023

Completed
4 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

August 1, 2027

Expected
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

August 1, 2027

Last Updated

April 2, 2026

Status Verified

March 1, 2026

Enrollment Period

4 years

First QC Date

July 8, 2022

Last Update Submit

March 31, 2026

Conditions

Keywords

spinal cord injury, spinal cord stimulation, rehabilitation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

  • Motor evoked potentials amplitude and latency

    This primary outcome is a measure of changes in corticospinal tract excitability and plasticity as quantified by changes in the amplitude size and onset latency of motor evoked potentials elicited via transcranial magnetic stimulation.

    30 minutes before and 30 minutes after intervention; 4 weeks

  • Reaction time to startle response

    This primary outcome is a measure of changes in reticulospinal tract excitability after training as quantified by changes in reaction time after a startling auditory stimulus.

    30 minutes before and 30 minutes after intervention; 4 weeks

  • F-wave response persistence

    This primary outcome is a measure of changes in spinal motoneuron excitability as quantified by changes in the persistence of F-wave responses elicited via peripheral nerve stimulation.

    30 minutes before and 30 minutes after intervention; 4 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (2)

  • Changes in time to completion from baseline

    Baseline, 30 minutes, and 4 weeks

  • Change in movement smoothness

    Baseline, 30 minutes, and 4 weeks

Study Arms (6)

Experimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation

EXPERIMENTAL

This arm will receive 30 minutes of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation as participants rest.

Other: Electrophysiology assessment - corticospinal tractOther: Electrophysiology assessment - reticulospinal tractOther: Electrophysiology assessment - spinal motoneuronOther: Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation

Experimental: Activity-based training

EXPERIMENTAL

This arm will perform 30 minutes of activity-based training using leg movements.

Other: Electrophysiology assessment - corticospinal tractOther: Electrophysiology assessment - reticulospinal tractOther: Electrophysiology assessment - spinal motoneuronOther: Activity-based training

Experimental: Activity-based training wtih non-invasive spinal cord stimulation

EXPERIMENTAL

This arm will receive transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation as participants perform 30 minutes of activity-based training using leg movements.

Other: Electrophysiology assessment - corticospinal tractOther: Electrophysiology assessment - reticulospinal tractOther: Electrophysiology assessment - spinal motoneuronOther: Activity-based trainingOther: Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation

Experimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation and strength training

EXPERIMENTAL

This arm will receive transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation as participants perform strengthening exercises.

Other: Electrophysiology assessment - corticospinal tractOther: Electrophysiology assessment - reticulospinal tractOther: Electrophysiology assessment - spinal motoneuronOther: Activity-based trainingOther: Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation

Experimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation and precision training

EXPERIMENTAL

This arm will receive transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation as participants perform precision-control and dexterity exercises.

Other: Electrophysiology assessment - corticospinal tractOther: Electrophysiology assessment - reticulospinal tractOther: Electrophysiology assessment - spinal motoneuronOther: Activity-based trainingOther: Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation

Experimental: Long-term activity-based training with non-invasive spinal cord stimulation

EXPERIMENTAL

This arm will receive 4 weeks of activity-based training with transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation

Other: Electrophysiology assessment - corticospinal tractOther: Electrophysiology assessment - reticulospinal tractOther: Electrophysiology assessment - spinal motoneuronOther: Activity-based trainingOther: Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation

Interventions

Kinematics and cortical spinal motor excitability

Experimental: Activity-based trainingExperimental: Activity-based training wtih non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Long-term activity-based training with non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation and precision trainingExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation and strength training

Kinematics and reticular spinal motor excitability

Experimental: Activity-based trainingExperimental: Activity-based training wtih non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Long-term activity-based training with non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation and precision trainingExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation and strength training

Kinematics and spinal motoneuron excitability

Experimental: Activity-based trainingExperimental: Activity-based training wtih non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Long-term activity-based training with non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation and precision trainingExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation and strength training

Motor task

Experimental: Activity-based trainingExperimental: Activity-based training wtih non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Long-term activity-based training with non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation and precision trainingExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation and strength training

Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation

Experimental: Activity-based training wtih non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Long-term activity-based training with non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulationExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation and precision trainingExperimental: Non-invasive spinal cord stimulation and strength training

Eligibility Criteria

Age16 Years - 65 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Age between 16 and 65 years old
  • Healthy people with no major comorbidities of any organ system

You may not qualify if:

  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Subjects younger than 16 or older than 65 years old
  • Subjects not providing consent or not able to consent
  • Subjects with any acute or chronic pain condition
  • Subjects with any acute or chronic disease of a major organ system
  • Use of analgesics within 24 hours prior to study period
  • Use of caffeine with 3 hours of study appointment
  • Participants with spinal cord injury (SCI)
  • Age between 16-65 years old
  • Traumatic SCI C4-T9 level, incomplete (ASIA C or D)
  • at least 1 year post injury
  • Stable medical condition
  • difficulty independently performing leg movements in routine activities
  • able to follow simple commands
  • able to speak and respond to questions
  • +26 more criteria

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Washington University

St Louis, Missouri, 63130, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injuries

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Spinal Cord DiseasesCentral Nervous System DiseasesNervous System DiseasesTrauma, Nervous SystemWounds and Injuries

Study Officials

  • Ismael Seanez, PhD

    Washington University School of Medicine

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Ismael Seanez, PHD

CONTACT

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
BASIC SCIENCE
Intervention Model
CROSSOVER
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Neurosurgery

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

July 8, 2022

First Posted

July 25, 2022

Study Start

July 21, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

August 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 1, 2027

Last Updated

April 2, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Locations