Effect of long-term paired associative stimulation on the modulation of cortical sensorimotor oscillations after spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts communication between the brain and body, leading to changes in brain activity. This study investigates whether a therapy called paired associative stimulation (PAS) can help restore normal brain activity patterns in SCI patients. PAS involves combining transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS). The researchers used MEG to record brain activity before and after a course of PAS treatment. The study found that PAS restored the modulation of sensorimotor oscillations in response to active hand movement in four patients, suggesting that PAS can help improve brain function and motor control in SCI patients.

• 1
  PAS restored the modulation of sensorimotor oscillations in response to active hand movement in four patients.
• 2
  The observed change was larger in the hemisphere that received PAS and preceded the clinical effect of the intervention.
• 3
  The rebound amplitude of sensorimotor oscillations following active movement increased after the intervention, and this increase was more prominent in the PAS-treated hemisphere.