Body
The Walkabout Foundation recently announced its funding of new research led by Monica A. Perez, PT, PhD, scientific chair, Arms + Hands Lab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. The research looks into the use of two neurostimulation techniques — Hebbian stimulation and transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation — on patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) to promote the long-lasting recovery of function through efficient, noninvasive interventions.
In Hebbian stimulation — also referred to as “spike-timing dependent plasticity” — researchers stimulate a patient’s brain and peripheral nerves at precise times in order to synchronize the effect on the spinal cord. In transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation, motor neurons are affected by activation of afferent fibers.
With the study, Dr. Perez and her team will be the first researchers to combine these two methods of electrical stimulation techniques with rehabilitation.
“A key aspect of our approach is that both our Hebbian stimulation and transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation aim to enhance spinal cord plasticity through different, but likely synergistic, mechanisms. We have evidence that stronger outcomes are achieved through combined strategies,” Dr. Perez said. “However, to further functional recovery, we need to better understand which strategies to combine and how to combine them.”
The United Kingdom-based Walkabout Foundation funds research that seeks to identify cures for paralysis. The group also provides wheelchairs and rehabilitation services to individuals living in the developing world.