Repetitive Acute Intermittent Hypoxia for Spinal Cord Repair
- Conditions
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Interventions
- Other: Repeated exposure to acute Intermittent Hypoxia (rAIH)Other: Normal Room AirOther: Upper-limb Training by Research StaffOther: Lower-limb Training by Research Staff
- Registration Number
- NCT03433599
- Lead Sponsor
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
- Brief Summary
Our goal is to enhance repeated exposure to acute intermittent hypoxia (rAIH)/training-induced aftereffects on upper and lower limb function recovery in humans with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI).
- Detailed Description
The experiments in this study will test the following: Hypothesis 1.1(Experiment 1) that rAIH will enhance corticospinal excitability and upper and lower limb function in humans with incomplete SCI. Hypothesis 1.2 (Experiment 2) that enhancing the aftereffects of rAIH with exercise training will further enhance upper and lower limb motor function in humans with incomplete SCI. Measurements of corticospinal, cortical, and motoneuron excitability will be tested to further understand the mechanisms of this induced-plasticity. Persons with chronic (\>6 months) spinal cord injury between the levels of C2 and T2. SCI subjects must possess either the ability to produce a visible precision grip force with one hand, and/or the ability to perform some small wrist flexion and extension. Additionally, subject must possess the ability to perform a small visible contraction with dorsiflexion and hip flexor muscles. Controls must be right handed due to potential differences in the organization of the brain in right handed and left handed individuals.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 60
Not provided
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description rAIH + training by research staff Repeated exposure to acute Intermittent Hypoxia (rAIH) Participants will receive repeated exposure to acute Intermittent Hypoxia (rAIH) and training by research staff. sham rAIH + training Normal Room Air Participants will sham receive repeated exposure to acute Intermittent Hypoxia (rAIH) and training by the research staff. rAIH + training by research staff Upper-limb Training by Research Staff Participants will receive repeated exposure to acute Intermittent Hypoxia (rAIH) and training by research staff. rAIH + training by research staff Lower-limb Training by Research Staff Participants will receive repeated exposure to acute Intermittent Hypoxia (rAIH) and training by research staff. sham rAIH + training Upper-limb Training by Research Staff Participants will sham receive repeated exposure to acute Intermittent Hypoxia (rAIH) and training by the research staff. sham rAIH + training Lower-limb Training by Research Staff Participants will sham receive repeated exposure to acute Intermittent Hypoxia (rAIH) and training by the research staff.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Upper limb functional measurement 45 minutes to 1 hour The Graded Redefined Assessment of Strength, Sensibility and Prehension (GRASSP) will be used to assess sensation, strength, and prehension.
Lower limb functional measurement 5-10 minutes 10-meter walk test will be used to assess walking speed
MEP/CMEP recruitment curves using TMS 30 minutes to 1 hour Ten Transcranial magnetic stimuli (TMS) will be delivered to plot the mean peak-to-peak amplitude of the motor and cervicomedullary evoked potentials (MEPs and CMEPs, respectively) from the non-rectified response against the TMS intensity in each subject (MEP/CMEP recruitment curves).
EMG and force voluntary output 30 minutes to 1 hour EMG surface electrodes will be placed over target muscles (deltoid, biceps brachii, first dorsal interosseous, abductor pollicis brevis, quadriceps femoris, tibialis anterior and/or soleus) to measure maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
🇺🇸Chicago, Illinois, United States