Spinal Cord Stimulation for Spinal Cord Injury

(STIM Trial)

Overseen By H. Francis Farhadi, MD, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: H. Francis Farhadi

Must not be taking: Interventional drugs

Disqualifiers: Brachial plexus injury, Dementia, Pregnancy, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 12 months

30 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a new method called transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation, which uses electrical currents to potentially aid individuals with spinal cord injuries. Researchers aim to determine if this treatment is safe and feasible for those with non-traumatic spinal cord injuries, early traumatic spinal cord injuries, and delayed traumatic spinal cord injuries. Ideal candidates for this trial include individuals with a confirmed spinal cord injury, such as degenerative cervical myelopathy or a recent cervical/thoracic injury, who have been offered or have undergone surgery. As an unphased trial, this study provides an opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research that could lead to new treatment options for spinal cord injuries.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if you are currently involved in another study or receiving another interventional drug, you may not be eligible to participate.

What prior data suggests that transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation is safe for spinal cord injury patients?

Research shows that transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) is generally well-tolerated. For individuals with non-traumatic spinal cord injuries, studies have found that this method can enhance movement and other functions without causing serious side effects.

In cases of sudden traumatic spinal cord injury, other studies found that the procedure is safe and might aid recovery if initiated soon after the injury. Participants in these studies did not experience major negative effects, suggesting safety for most people. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings over the long term.

Overall, evidence suggests that tSCS is a promising and safe option for improving life after a spinal cord injury. However, discussing all potential risks and benefits with a healthcare professional remains important. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation (Tc-SCS) is unique because it uses non-invasive electrical stimulation to help restore function in individuals with spinal cord injuries. Unlike traditional treatments that often focus on surgery or pharmaceutical interventions, Tc-SCS directly targets the spinal cord's neural circuits, promoting natural recovery processes. Researchers are excited about this technique because it has the potential to enhance motor function and improve quality of life without the need for invasive procedures. Moreover, it can be applied in both acute and chronic phases of spinal cord injury, offering a versatile approach to different stages of recovery.

What evidence suggests that transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation is effective for spinal cord injury?

Research shows that transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) could help people with spinal cord injuries. This trial will explore the effects of tSCS in various contexts. One experimental arm will include participants with non-traumatic spinal cord injuries, such as degenerative cervical myelopathy, where tSCS has been linked to restoring arm and hand function. Another experimental arm will involve participants with traumatic spinal cord injuries who begin tSCS early, which might aid in recovery. The control arm will consist of participants with chronic traumatic spinal cord injuries, receiving tSCS in a delayed timeframe. This method uses electrical signals applied to the skin to stimulate the spinal cord, aiming to restore movement and function. Early results are promising, but more research is needed to confirm these benefits for different types of injuries. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Jared Wilcox, MD, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Kentucky Neurosurgery

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for people with spinal cord injuries, both traumatic and non-traumatic. It includes those recently diagnosed or injured up to 24 months ago, and patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy who are candidates for surgery.

Inclusion Criteria

I have a spinal cord injury or cervical myelopathy with a specific severity score.

Written informed consent by patient and/or legal authorized representative (LAR)

My surgery site is free from skin infections.

Exclusion Criteria

Any condition likely to result in the patient's death within the next 12 months

Unable to commit to the follow-up schedule

Pregnancy

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation to evaluate safety and feasibility

12 months

Regular visits for stimulation and monitoring

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

12 months

Follow-up assessments at established timepoints

Perioperative

Assessment of various functional measures during surgical intervention for ntSCI participants

Perioperative period

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation

Trial Overview The study tests the safety and practicality of using a device called Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation (Tc-SCS) on individuals with different types of spinal cord injuries in three separate groups.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (tSCI) - Early/Acute Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) screened during the hospital admission when cervical/thoracic spinal injury was diagnosed. 2-6 weeks after injury.

Group II: Non-Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (ntSCI,) DCM - Progressive Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Non-traumatic spinal cord injury (ntSCI) with diagnosis of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) and offered surgical intervention. Prospective.

Group III: Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (tSCI) - Chronic Active Control 1 Intervention

Delayed traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) screened 6-24 months after acute cervical/thoracic spinal injury. The use of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (Tc-SCS) in chronic SCI delivered in the delayed timeframe is relatively well studied, and therefore will serve as the control arm.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

H. Francis Farhadi

Lead Sponsor

Trials

4

Recruited

410+

Francis Farhadi

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2

Recruited

330+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Noninvasive transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) has been shown to effectively induce muscle activation in individuals with spinal cord injury, based on a systematic review of 13 studies involving 55 participants.

While tSCS appears to enhance voluntary movement, muscle strength, and function, further research is needed to determine the optimal electrode placement and current intensity for maximum efficacy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation and Motor Rehabilitation in Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review. Megía García, A., Serrano-Muñoz, D., Taylor, J., et al.[2021]

Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) shows potential for generating motor activity in individuals with spinal cord injury, but the overall quality of the studies reviewed was poor-to-fair, indicating a need for more rigorous research.

The review identified significant variability in stimulation parameters and outcome measurements across the 25 studies analyzed, highlighting the necessity for standardized methods to improve the reliability and comparability of tSCS research.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation and motor responses in individuals with spinal cord injury: A methodological review. Taylor, C., McHugh, C., Mockler, D., et al.[2022]

In a study analyzing 2053 cases of cervical spinal cord stimulation (cSCS) from 2002 to 2011, the rate of spinal cord injury was found to be 0.5%, which is higher than previously reported, indicating a need for careful patient selection and counseling.

Despite the spinal cord injury rate, cSCS remains a relatively safe procedure with low rates of other complications (1.1% neurological, 1.4% medical, and 11.7% general perioperative complications), making it a viable option for pain management in patients, especially in an aging population reliant on opioids.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Rate of perioperative neurological complications after surgery for cervical spinal cord stimulation. Chan, AK., Winkler, EA., Jacques, L.[2017]

In a study of 69 patients with implanted spinal cord stimulators (SCSs) who underwent 78 MRI scans, the overall adverse event rate for off-label MRI use was low at 9.72%, with no serious adverse events reported.

All reported clinical adverse events were minor and resolved, suggesting that the benefits of MRI for pain management in patients with older SCS models may outweigh the associated risks.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Off-Label Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in Patients with Persistent Pain with Spinal Cord Stimulators: A Case Series. Ragukonis, T.[2022]

In a pilot study involving 7 individuals with chronic spinal cord injury, the use of transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation (TSCS) combined with functional training led to improvements in upper and lower extremity function, with all participants showing progress on the Capabilities of Upper Extremity Test (CUE-T).

Notably, two participants improved their ASIA impairment scale classification, and five individuals experienced enhanced sensation, demonstrating that TSCS can facilitate recovery even after a plateau in rehabilitation progress, without any serious adverse events.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Transcutaneous Electrical Spinal Cord Stimulation to Promote Recovery in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury. Tefertiller, C., Rozwod, M., VandeGriend, E., et al.[2022]

Cervical transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) can effectively activate sensory fibers at lower stimulation intensities when the cathode electrode is positioned at the C7 or T1 vertebra, compared to C6, which may enhance rehabilitation outcomes for upper-limb motor recovery after spinal cord injury.

Using smaller electrode sizes not only lowers the activation threshold for sensory fibers but also optimizes the recruitment of these fibers before α-motor fibers, suggesting a strategic approach to improve hand muscle activation during tSCS therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Optimizing sensory fiber activation during cervical transcutaneous spinal stimulation using different electrode configurations: A computational analysis. de Freitas, RM., Capogrosso, M., Nomura, T., et al.[2022]

Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (TSS) significantly affects brain activity, activating key areas related to movement control and planning, as shown by EEG analysis in five participants performing lower-limb tasks.

TSS resulted in notable changes in functional connectivity in the brain during stimulation, unlike functional electrical stimulation (FES), suggesting TSS may be more effective for enhancing cortical engagement in rehabilitation strategies for spinal cord injury.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of transcutaneous spinal stimulation on spatiotemporal cortical activation patterns: a proof-of-concept EEG study. Steele, AG., Manson, GA., Horner, PJ., et al.[2022]

In a double-blinded study involving 2 male patients with incomplete spinal cord injury, anodal transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS) improved all measured outcomes, including gait and balance, while cathodal tsDCS showed mixed results.

Both types of tsDCS were able to modulate corticospinal excitability, indicating that this non-invasive method could be a promising approach for enhancing rehabilitation in patients with spinal cord injuries.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Spinal direct current stimulation with locomotor training in chronic spinal cord injury. Abualait, TS., Ibrahim, AI.[2021]

Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) can non-invasively enhance sensorimotor rehabilitation by modulating spinal cord circuitry, showing promise for improving recovery after spinal cord injuries.

Single-site tSCS can influence excitability across multiple spinal cord segments, while multi-site tSCS can enhance spinal reflexes and corticospinal networks, indicating its potential for more effective rehabilitation strategies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Neural Substrates of Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation: Neuromodulation across Multiple Segments of the Spinal Cord. Barss, TS., Parhizi, B., Porter, J., et al.[2022]

Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) can enhance muscle recruitment selectivity when using multielectrode configurations, as shown in a study with 16 participants, which may improve rehabilitation outcomes for paralyzed muscles after spinal cord injury.

The study found that spatially selective tSCS activates specific motor neurons through proprioceptive fibers, indicating a mechanism that could lead to more effective rehabilitation protocols targeting single-joint movements.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Enhanced selectivity of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation by multielectrode configuration. Bryson, N., Lombardi, L., Hawthorn, R., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12548825/

Effectiveness of Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation for ... This systematic review and meta-analysis will determine the effectiveness of tSCS, compared with sham stimulation, no intervention, or other ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1094715925000078

Safety and Effectiveness of Multisite Transcutaneous ... Combined tSCS + ABT facilitated functional recovery after chronic SCI. Improvements required ≥60 tSCS-ABT sessions, with further exposure to tSCS facilitating ...

3. neuromodulationjournal.org neuromodulationjournal.org/article/S1094-7159(24)00111-9/fulltext

Non-invasive Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation ... This study analyzes the stimulation parameters implemented during two successful trials that used non-invasive transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS)

4. clinicaltrials.ucsf.edu clinicaltrials.ucsf.edu/trial/NCT07090473

UCSF Spinal Cord Injury Trial → Transcutaneous Electrical ... The goal of this study is to test whether electrical stimulation from the skin surface starting 3 days after spinal cord injury (SCI) is ...

5. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT06000592

Safety, Feasibility, and Efficacy of TSCS on Stabilizing ... Recent published evidence suggests that transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation (TSCS) can be used to raise seated BP, and mitigate the falls in BP during ...