Sympathetic-Somatomotor Coupling in Human Spinal Cord Injury

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Spinal Cord Injury

In brief

Significance: The long term objective of this study is to improve physical therapy and fitness programs in people with spinal cord injury. The results of the study will demonstrate the importance of matching blood flow to a muscle with exercise of that same muscle. Scientific Objective: The objective of the study is to measure how the body regulates bloodflow to a muscle during exercise. We intend to study these effects by triggering blood flow changes during movement, and measuring bloodflow changes during exercise in people with spinal cord injury. We will also look at the long term effects of different exercise programs on bloodflow during exercise. Study Populations: This study will involve people with partial spinal cord injury and age and sex matched controls without injury. Specific Aims: Aim 1 will be to measure bloodflow during exercise of the legs (below the injury). This aim will examine the control of bloodflow and muscle contractions and how it changes after spinal cord injury. Aim 2 will then look at changes in bloodflow during exercise after training. Three different eight week exercise training programs will be tested including 1) upper body ergometry, 2) treadmill training with exertion level matched to the upper body ergometry and 3) treadmill training with heart rate matched to an initial test of upper body ergometry.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02115685

Run by

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

People needed

40

Starts

2014-04-01

Expected to finish

2020-04-01

Last updated by the study team

2021-05-06

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 75. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• incomplete SCI
• subjects will be over age 18
• to fit in the apparatus and to assure a mature gait pattern
• at least 6 months post injury, and medically stable with an incomplete lesion between levels T1-T10
• lower extremity motor score of 10 or greater
• presence of intact stretch reflexes, detected clinically
• no previous history or evidence of peripheral nerve damage in the lower extremities
• Subjects must be able to step on a treadmill with no more than 40% body weight support.
• Healthy controls will be age and sex matched to the subjects with spinal cord injury.

You may not qualify if…

• unhealed decubiti,
• bladder or other infection
• severe contracture or osteoporosis
• heterotopic ossification
• cardiac arrhythmia
• inability to give informed consent
• an episode of autonomic dysreflexia in the past year
• use of spasticity or cardiovascular medications (e.g. baclofen)

Where it is running

• Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago — Chicago, Illinois, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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