EAGER: Spinal cord neuromodulation to promote recovery of forelimb function in spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition. There are over 270,000 cases of SCI in United States, and each year over 12,500 new cases are added to this total. An injury to the spinal cord results in loss of movement and sensation, with a higher level of SCI resulting in a greater loss of function.

The loss of voluntary control over hand and arm movements results in an inability to perform activities of daily living, thus creating a lifelong dependence of the individual on caregivers. In SCI patients, the functional deficits are generally permanent, and therefore, there is a need for new technologies that can restore movement and function in persons with disabilities.

The goal of this research project is to advance neuroprosthetic approaches within the spinal cord with an application towards returning movement and function in patients with high SCI. This research project will use innovative experimental approaches to understand the changes in the electrical signals in the spinal cord after SCI, thereby, advancing scientific knowledge about the condition.

By understanding the effects of SCI on electrical signals in the spinal cord, the research team expects to develop effective neuromodulation technologies for SCI patients. The education and outreach programs associated with this project aim to increase participation of students in interdisciplinary engineering fields, particularly women and underrepresented minorities, and to promote hands-on experiences for students in laboratory techniques related to neural engineering.

This research project aims to advance neuroprosthetic approaches applied within the spinal cord by understanding the underlying physiological changes after SCI. The specific objectives of this research project are to determine the effect of electrical stimulation in the spinal cord on behavioral, functional, and histological outcomes and to study changes in signal characteristics in the spinal cord after SCI.

The project will use a combination of experimental approaches to develop effective methods for neuromodulation in the spinal cord for rehabilitation. These discoveries could lead to the development of new technologies to return movement and function for individuals with disabilities.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.