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Neuromodulation of the Cortex and Spinal Cord
Sponsor: Father Flanagan's Boys' Home
Summary
Specific Aim 1: To further quantify the difference in the sensorimotor cortical activity, spinal cord activity, and corticospinal coherence of persons with CP. Overall hypotheses: The sensorimotor cortical activity, spinal cord activity, and corticospinal coherence will be uncharacteristic in persons with CP when compared with neurotypical controls. Furthermore, the extent of the alterations in the sensorimotor cortical activity, spinal cord activity, and corticospinal coherence will be tightly linked with the clinical presentations of persons with CP. Specific Aim 2: To investigate the effect of transcutaneous current stimulation applied over the cortex and/or spinal cord on the sensorimotor cortical activity, spinal cord dynamics, and corticospinal coherence. Overall hypotheses: Compared with the sham controls, those receiving the transcutaneous current stimulation will demonstrate alterations in the strength of the sensorimotor cortical activity, spinal cord activity, and corticospinal coherence. Moreover, the extent of the alterations in the sensorimotor cortical activity, spinal cord activity, and corticospinal coherence will be tightly linked with the clinical presentations of persons with CP.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
11 Years - 45 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
50
Start Date
2024-01-17
Completion Date
2029-08
Last Updated
2025-09-29
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Clinical Assessments
The participant will undergo a battery of clinical assessments to identify the upper extremity motor performance, sensory acuity, and ability to complete activities of daily living. Tests 1-5 will be completed separately for each hand. All participants will be video recorded while completing these assessments. The recordings will be used for grading tasks and data analysis: Box and Blocks, 9-hold peg board, Test of Arm Selective Control, Sensory Acuity Testing, KINARM End-Point Lab Sensory Test, Section GG of the inpatient Rehabilitaion Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument, NEURO-QOL Upper Extremity Function Scale, Edinburgh Handed Inventory
Brain-Spinal Cord fMRI
Resting state, brain-spinal cord activity, spinal cord microstructure, magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Hoffmann Reflex Assessments
Hmax 20-50 stimulations of increasing intensity. Next, the participant will sit quietly as 10 stimulations will be delivered at the participant's Hmax with an interstimulus interval of 15 seconds. Subsequently, stimulations at the participant's Hmax will be applied as the participants produce a contraction of 10-20% of their maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). The target contraction level will be shown in real-time based on the FCR EMG activity. The participant maintains their EMG activity at the target level for 6.5 seconds as 10 stimulations are delivered at the participants Hmax.
MEG Imaging
Resting state, somatosensory, isometric force matching, entrainment
Transcutaneous Current Stimulation
Cortical stimulation, spinal cord stimulation - sham and stim
Locations (1)
Boys Town National Research Hospital
Boys Town, Nebraska, United States