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Neuromodulation to Improve Grasping Function After Spinal Cord Injury

This study is exploring new ways to improve hand function, specifically grasping, for people with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Researchers are testing different types of brain stimulation, called intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) and paired corticospinal motoneuronal stimulation (PCMS), sometimes combined with hand exercise. The goal is to see if these methods can strengthen the signals from the brain to the hand after an injury. You might be able to join if you are 18-75 years old, have had a chronic SCI for at least a year, and have certain muscle responses in your hand. The study aims to measure changes in these brain signals (Motor evoked potential or MEP) to see if the treatments are successful. The current status of this study is unclear.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 54 participants. It involves two parts: the first part will have 30 participants in two randomized sessions, and the second part will have 24 participants receiving either combined stimulation or sham stimulation with exercise.
What's involved
For the first part of the study, your commitment would be for one day. For the second part, your commitment would be for 4 weeks.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
For the first part of the study, the follow-up will be one day. For the second part, the follow-up will be 4 weeks.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT07433959

Neuromodulation to Improve Grasping Function After SCI

Recruiting
NAAges 18–75InterventionalTreatment
State University of New York at Buffalo
~54 participants
Updated 2026-04-23 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:iTBSSham iTBSPCMSSham PCMSExercise

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Motor evoked potential (MEP)
Measured over For the first study, the time frame will be one day. For the second study, the time frame will be 4 weeks.

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injury

Explore related trials

Spinal Cord Injury

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
New York1

Who to contact

Hang Jin Jo, PhD
[email protected]
716-829-2905
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Ages 18-75 years
Chronic SCI (≥1 year of injury)
Cervical injury at C8 or above
Individuals who have MEP responses in at least one FDI muscle

Exclusion

Uncontrolled medical problems including pulmonary or cardiovascular disease
Premorbid, ongoing major depression or psychosis, altered cognitive status
History of head injury or stroke
Metal plate in skull
History of seizures
Receiving drugs acting primarily on the central nervous system, which lower the seizure threshold such as antipsychotic drugs
Pregnant females
Individuals who suffer from a spinal cord disease such as spinal stenosis, spinal bifida or herniated cervical

What this trial measures

  • Motor evoked potential (MEP)For the first study, the time frame will be one day. For the second study, the time frame will be 4 weeks.

    Transcranial magnetic stimuli (TMS) will be delivered through a figure-of-eight coil over primary motor cortex to the optimal scalp position for activation of hand muscles. The optimal scalp position will be determined by moving the coil in small steps along the hand representations of the primary motor cortex to find the region where the largest MEP can be evoked with the minimum intensity in the targeted muscle. Twenty MEPs will be collected and the peak-to-peak amplitude of MEP will be averaged across trials.