Motor Neuroplastic Effects of a Novel Paired Stimulation Technology in an Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury Animal Model

Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2022 · DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169447 · Published: August 21, 2022

Spinal Cord Injury Neurology Neuroplasticity

Simple Explanation

This study investigates a new method of stimulating the brain and spinal cord together to improve motor function after a spinal cord injury in rats. The researchers used different combinations of magnetic and electrical stimulation to see which ones worked best. The rats were divided into groups that received different types of stimulation, and their motor skills were tested regularly. The goal was to find out if this paired stimulation could help the rats' brains and spinal cords recover after an injury. The results showed that certain combinations of stimulation helped the rats move better and improved the signals between their brains and muscles. This suggests that paired stimulation could be a promising way to help people recover from spinal cord injuries in the future.

Study Duration

4 Weeks

Participants

33 Sprague Dawley rats

Evidence Level

Level III, Animal Model Study

Key Findings

1
Three-minute stimulation with iTBS/tsDCS significantly increased MEP after week 2 and week 4 treatments.
2
Three-minute iTBS/ts-iTBS significantly improved MEP only after the week 3 intervention.
3
The 20 min rTMS/ts-iTBS intervention showed a significant change only in post_5 min after week 4.

Research Summary

The study evaluated the effects of paired stimulation on the SCI rat brain and spinal cord using different combinations of rTMS, iTBS, and tsDCS. iTBS/tsDCS stimulation for 3 min significantly changed MEP in post_5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 min in week 2 and post_25 and 30 min in week 4. All interventions improved BBB scores, except for 3 min iTBS/tsDCS and iTBS/ts-iTBS in post-week 4 and for 20 min rTMS/tsDCS in all weeks.

Practical Implications

Clinical Applications for SCI

The spontaneous recovery observed with iTBS/tsDCS suggests potential clinical applications for paired stimulation in incomplete SCI patients.

Future Research Directions

Further studies with larger sample sizes and MRI-based analysis are needed to understand structural changes and develop clinical usage.

Neuroplasticity Enhancement

The findings support the use of paired stimulation to induce neuroplasticity in incomplete SCI, potentially improving electrophysiological and locomotion outcomes.

Study Limitations

1
Small sample size
2
Lack of MRI-based studies to highlight structural or functional changes
3
Difficulty in differentiating the effect of stimulation waveforms due to sham group improvement

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