Transcutaneous Cervical Spinal Cord Stimulation Combined with Robotic Exoskeleton Rehabilitation for the Upper Limbs in Subjects with Cervical SCI : Clinical Trial
García-Alén, Loreto (Institut Germans Trias i Pujol. Institut Guttmann)
Kumru, Hatice (Institut Germans Trias i Pujol. Institut Guttmann)
Castillo-Escario, Yolanda (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina)
Benito-Penalva, Jesús (Institut Germans Trias i Pujol. Institut Guttmann)
Medina-Casanovas, Josep (Institut Germans Trias i Pujol. Institut Guttmann)
Gerasimenko, Yury P. (University of Louisville)
Edgerton, Victor (Rancho Research Institute)
García Alias, Guillermo (Institut Germans Trias i Pujol. Institut Guttmann)
Vidal, Joan (Institut Germans Trias i Pujol. Institut Guttmann)
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Date:	2023
Abstract:	Restoring arm and hand function is a priority for individuals with cervical spinal cord injury (cSCI) for independence and quality of life. Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) promotes the upper extremity (UE) motor function when applied at the cervical region. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of cervical tSCS, combined with an exoskeleton, on motor strength and functionality of UE in subjects with cSCI. Twenty-two subjects participated in the randomized mix of parallel-group and crossover clinical trial, consisting of an intervention group (n = 15; tSCS exoskeleton) and a control group (n = 14; exoskeleton). The assessment was carried out at baseline, after the last session, and two weeks after the last session. We assessed graded redefined assessment of strength, sensibility, and prehension (GRASSP), box and block test (BBT), spinal cord independence measure III (SCIM-III), maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), ASIA impairment scale (AIS), and WhoQol-Bref; GRASSP, BBT, SCIM III, cylindrical grip force and AIS motor score showed significant improvement in both groups (p ≤ 0. 05), however, it was significantly higher in the intervention group than the control group for GRASSP strength, and GRASSP prehension ability (p ≤ 0. 05); Our findings show potential advantages of the combination of cervical tSCS with an exoskeleton to optimize the outcome for UE.
Grants:	Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad AC16/00034
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation ; Cervical spinal cord injury ; Upper extremity ; Robotics ; Functionality ; Motor function ; Grip force
Published in:	Biomedicines, Vol. 11 (february 2023) , ISSN 2227-9059

DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020589
PMID: 36831125

17 p, 1.7 MB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Health sciences and biosciences > Institut d'Investigació en Ciencies de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles