Noninvasive electrical stimulation of the spinal cord as a method of correcting walking after a stroke

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
I.N. Bogacheva ◽  
N.A. Shcherbakova ◽  
D.V. Skvortsov ◽  
S.N. Kaurkin ◽  
T.R. Moshonkina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Cerebral Infarction ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Spinal Cord Stimulation ◽  
Step Cycle ◽  
Key Words Spinal Cord ◽  
Ankle Joints ◽  
Stimulation Of

The effect of noninvasive trasnscutaneous spinal cord stimulation (scTS) on walking parameters in patients after a cerebral infarction or ischemic stroke was investigated. It has been shown that after the use of scTS while walking on the floor the speed of movement, the length of the step cycle, the height of the foot elevation and the amplitude of movements in the hip, knee and ankle joints increased, which shows the ability of using scT to correct walking after a stroke. Key words: spinal cord, electrical stimulation, stroke, walking.

scholarly journals A Fully Implantable Miniaturized Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP)-Based Spinal Cord Stimulator for Pain Control

Sensors ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 501
Author(s):  
Seunghyeon Yun ◽  
Chin Su Koh ◽  
Jungmin Seo ◽  
Shinyong Shim ◽  
Minkyung Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Liquid Crystal ◽  
Mechanical Stimulation ◽  
Spinal Cord Stimulation ◽  
Pulse Generator ◽  
Spinal Cord Stimulator ◽  
Stimulation Threshold ◽  
Crystal Polymer ◽  
Stimulation Of

Spinal cord stimulation is a therapy to treat the severe neuropathic pain by suppressing the pain signal via electrical stimulation of the spinal cord. The conventional metal packaged and battery-operated implantable pulse generator (IPG) produces electrical pulses to stimulate the spinal cord. Despite its stable operation after implantation, the implantation site is limited due to its bulky size and heavy weight. Wireless communications including wireless power charging is also restricted, which is mainly attributed to the electromagnetic shielding of the metal package. To overcome these limitations, here, we developed a fully implantable miniaturized spinal cord stimulator based on a biocompatible liquid crystal polymer (LCP). The fabrication of electrode arrays in the LCP substrate and monolithically encapsulating the circuitries using LCP packaging reduces the weight (0.4 g) and the size (the width, length, and thickness are 25.3, 9.3, and 1.9 mm, respectively). An inductive link was utilized to wirelessly transfer the power and the data to implanted circuitries to generate the stimulus pulse. Prior to implantation of the device, operation of the pulse generator was evaluated, and characteristics of stimulation electrode such as an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were measured. The LCP-based spinal cord stimulator was implanted into the spared nerve injury rat model. The degree of pain suppression upon spinal cord stimulation was assessed via the Von Frey test where the mechanical stimulation threshold was evaluated by monitoring the paw withdrawal responses. With no spinal cord stimulation, the mechanical stimulation threshold was observed as 1.47 ± 0.623 g, whereas the stimulation threshold was increased to 12.7 ± 4.00 g after spinal cord stimulation, confirming the efficacy of pain suppression via electrical stimulation of the spinal cord. This LCP-based spinal cord stimulator opens new avenues for the development of a miniaturized but still effective spinal cord stimulator.

scholarly journals Suppression of Superficial Microglial Activation by Spinal Cord Stimulation Attenuates Neuropathic Pain Following Sciatic Nerve Injury in Rats

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 2390
Author(s):  
Masamichi Shinoda ◽  
Satoshi Fujita ◽  
Shiori Sugawara ◽  
Sayaka Asano ◽  
Ryo Koyama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Neuropathic Pain ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Dorsal Horn ◽  
Nerve Injury ◽  
Spinal Cord Stimulation ◽  
Microglial Activation ◽  
In Vivo Optical Imaging ◽  
Stimulation Of

We evaluated the mechanisms underlying the spinal cord stimulation (SCS)-induced analgesic effect on neuropathic pain following spared nerve injury (SNI). On day 3 after SNI, SCS was performed for 6 h by using electrodes paraspinally placed on the L4-S1 spinal cord. The effects of SCS and intraperitoneal minocycline administration on plantar mechanical sensitivity, microglial activation, and neuronal excitability in the L4 dorsal horn were assessed on day 3 after SNI. The somatosensory cortical responses to electrical stimulation of the hind paw on day 3 following SNI were examined by using in vivo optical imaging with a voltage-sensitive dye. On day 3 after SNI, plantar mechanical hypersensitivity and enhanced microglial activation were suppressed by minocycline or SCS, and L4 dorsal horn nociceptive neuronal hyperexcitability was suppressed by SCS. In vivo optical imaging also revealed that electrical stimulation of the hind paw-activated areas in the somatosensory cortex was decreased by SCS. The present findings suggest that SCS could suppress plantar SNI-induced neuropathic pain via inhibition of microglial activation in the L4 dorsal horn, which is involved in spinal neuronal hyperexcitability. SCS is likely to be a potential alternative and complementary medicine therapy to alleviate neuropathic pain following nerve injury.

The effect of percutaneous electrical stimulation of the spinal cord on autonomic reactions in the acute period of rehabilitation after ischemic stroke

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y.Y. Bikbaeva ◽  
D.A. Pavlov ◽  
A.S. Kuznetsov ◽  
E.S. Balykina ◽  
I.V. Antipov
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Neurological Disorders ◽  
Acute Period ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Parasympathetic Influences ◽  
Circulatory Disorders ◽  
Stimulation Of

The effect of percutaneous electrical stimulation of the spinal cord on the reactions of the autonomic nervous system in patients after acute cerebral circulatory disorders was evaluated. Patients in the acute period of rehabilitation treatment underwent a course of percutaneous electrical stimulation for 10 days. Before and after rehabilitation, vegetative reactions were assessed using an orthoclinostatic test, an A.M.Wein questionnaire, and neurological disorders on the Scandinavian scale. The inclusion of the course of percutaneous electrical stimulation in the program of physical rehabilitation of patients who have suffered an ischemic stroke indicates an improvement in the motor status of patients and a decrease in the imbalance of sympathetic and parasympathetic influences Keywords: ischemic stroke, percutaneous electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, vegetative reactions

Characteristics of electrically induced locomotion in rat in vitro brain stem-spinal cord preparation

1990 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 727-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Atsuta ◽  
E. Garcia-Rill ◽  
R. D. Skinner
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Brain Stem ◽  
Neonatal Rat ◽  
Step Cycle ◽  
Cycle Frequency ◽  
Adult Rat ◽  
Pattern Generators ◽  
Stimulation Of

1. Electrical stimulation of two brain stem regions in the decerebrate neonatal rat brain--the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) and the medioventral medulla (MED)--were found to elicit rhythmic limb movements in the hind-limb-attached, in vitro, brain stem-spinal cord preparation. 2. Electromyographic (EMG) analysis revealed locomotion similar to that observed during stepping in the adult rat. The step-cycle frequency could be increased by application of higher-amplitude currents; but, unlike the adult, alternation could not be driven to a gallop. 3. Threshold currents for inducing locomotion were significantly lower for stimulation of the MED compared with the MLR. Brain stem transections carried out at midpontine levels demonstrated that the presence of the MLR was not required for the expression of MED-stimulation-induced effects. 4. Substitution of the standard artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) by magnesium-free aCSF did not affect interlimb relationships and resulted in a significant decrease of the threshold currents for inducing locomotion. 5. Fixation of the limbs during electrical stimulation of brain stem sites altered the amplitude and duration of the EMG patterns, but the basic rhythm and timing of each muscle contraction during the step cycle was not affected. 6. These studies suggest that, although peripheral afferent modulation is evident in the neonatal locomotor control system, descending projections from brain stem-locomotor regions appear capable of modulating the activity of spinal pattern generators as early as the day of birth. However, there may be ceiling to the maximal frequency of stepping possible at this early age, perhaps suggesting a later-developing mechanism for galloping.

Electrical Stimulation of the Spinal Cord and Peripheral Nerves for Pain Control

1981 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 207-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Don M. Long ◽  
Donald Erickson ◽  
James Campbell ◽  
Richard North
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Peripheral Nerves ◽  
Pain Control ◽  
Stimulation Of

The effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation on the excitability of the motor neuron pools of the muscles of the lower extremities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.S. Ananiev ◽  
D.A. Pavlov ◽  
R.N. Yakupov ◽  
V.A. Golodnova ◽  
M.V. Balykin
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Lower Extremities ◽  
Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Stimulation Of

The study was conducted on 22 healthy men aged 18-23 years. The primary motor cortex innervating the lower limb was stimulated with transcranial magnetic stimulation. Using transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, evoked motor responses of the muscles of the lower extremities were initiated when electrodes were applied cutaneous between the spinous processes in the Th11-Th12 projection. Research protocol: Determination of the thresholds of BMO of the muscles of the lower extremities during TESCS; determination of the BMO threshold of the TA muscle in TMS; determination of the thresholds of the BMO of the muscles of the lower extremities during TESCS against the background of 80% and 90% TMS. It was found that magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex of the brain leads to an increase in the excitability of the neural structures of the lumbar thickening of the spinal cord and an improvement in neuromuscular interactions. Key words: transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, neural networks, excitability, neuromuscular interactions.

Epidural electrical stimulation to facilitate locomotor recovery after spinal cord injury

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannie Audet ◽  
Charly G. Lecomte
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Clinical Implementation ◽  
Preclinical Models ◽  
Lumbosacral Region ◽  
Locomotor Recovery ◽  
Promising Therapeutic Approach ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Stimulation Of

Tonic or phasic electrical epidural stimulation of the lumbosacral region of the spinal cord facilitates locomotion and standing in a variety of preclinical models with severe spinal cord injury. However, the mechanisms of epidural electrical stimulation that facilitate sensorimotor functions remain largely unknown. This review aims to address how epidural electrical stimulation interacts with spinal sensorimotor circuits and discusses the limitations that currently restrict the clinical implementation of this promising therapeutic approach.

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