Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Neuroscience Department, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Bonomea 265, Trieste, Italy.
Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Exp Neurol. 2020 May;327:113246. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113246. Epub 2020 Feb 11.
Epidural electrical spinal stimulation can facilitate recovery of volitional motor control in individuals that have been completely paralyzed for more than a year. We recently reported a novel neuromodulation method named Dynamic Stimulation (DS), which short-lastingly increased spinal excitability and generated a robust modulation of locomotor networks in fully-anesthetized intact adult rats. In the present study, we applied repetitive DS patterns to four lumbosacral segments acutely after a contusive injury at lumbar level. Repetitive DS delivery restored the spinally-evoked motor EMG responses that were previously suppressed by a calibrated spinal cord contusion. Sham experiments without DS delivery did not allow any spontaneous recovery. Thus, DS uniquely provides the potential for a greater long-term functional recovery after paralysis.
硬膜外电脊髓刺激可以促进完全瘫痪超过一年的个体恢复随意运动控制。我们最近报道了一种名为动态刺激（Dynamic Stimulation，DS）的新型神经调节方法，该方法可短暂增加脊髓兴奋性，并在完全麻醉的成年大鼠中产生强大的运动网络调制。在本研究中，我们在腰段挫伤后立即对四个腰骶段进行重复的 DS 模式应用。重复的 DS 传递恢复了先前由校准的脊髓挫伤抑制的脊髓诱发的运动 EMG 反应。没有 DS 传递的假手术实验不允许任何自发恢复。因此，DS 为瘫痪后的长期功能恢复提供了更大的潜力。
