Activity-dependent plasticity and spinal cord stimulation for motor recovery following spinal cord injury

Soshi Samejima; Richard Henderson; Jared Pradarelli; Sarah E Mondello; Chet T Moritz

doi:10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114178

Activity-dependent plasticity and spinal cord stimulation for motor recovery following spinal cord injury

Exp Neurol. 2022 Nov:357:114178. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114178. Epub 2022 Jul 22.

Authors

Soshi Samejima¹, Richard Henderson², Jared Pradarelli³, Sarah E Mondello³, Chet T Moritz⁴

Affiliations

¹ International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Medicine, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
² Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
³ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
⁴ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Center for Neurotechnology, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. Electronic address: ctmoritz@uw.edu.

PMID: 35878817
DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114178

Abstract

Spinal cord injuries lead to permanent physical impairment despite most often being anatomically incomplete disruptions of the spinal cord. Remaining connections between the brain and spinal cord create the potential for inducing neural plasticity to improve sensorimotor function, even many years after injury. This narrative review provides an overview of the current evidence for spontaneous motor recovery, activity-dependent plasticity, and interventions for restoring motor control to residual brain and spinal cord networks via spinal cord stimulation. In addition to open-loop spinal cord stimulation to promote long-term neuroplasticity, we also review a more targeted approach: closed-loop stimulation. Lastly, we review mechanisms of spinal cord neuromodulation to promote sensorimotor recovery, with the goal of advancing the field of rehabilitation for physical impairments following spinal cord injury.

Keywords: Spinal cord injury; activity-dependent plasticity; closed-loop stimulation; motor function; spinal cord stimulation.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Humans
Neuronal Plasticity / physiology
Recovery of Function / physiology
Spinal Cord
Spinal Cord Injuries*
Spinal Cord Stimulation*