Anodal transcutaneous DC stimulation enhances learning of dynamic balance control during walking in humans with spinal cord injury

This study investigates whether applying a non-invasive spinal cord stimulation (tsDCS) can help people with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) improve their balance while walking. Participants walked on a treadmill with pelvis perturbations while receiving either anodal tsDCS or a sham stimulation. The researchers measured their dynamic balance and muscle activity. The results suggest that anodal tsDCS may enhance motor adaptation and facilitate learning of dynamic balance control in individuals with iSCI, potentially by modulating the excitability of spinal neural circuits.

• 1
  Participants demonstrated a smaller margin of stability (MoS) during the late adaptation period for the anodal tsDCS condition compared to sham.
• 2
  Muscle activity of hip abductors was greater for the anodal tsDCS condition compared to sham during the late adaptation period and post-adaptation period.
• 3
  Anodal tsDCS paired with pelvis perturbation could induce change in MoS, indicating a change in balance control, during walking in individuals with SCI.