Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Amy Bellitto, Alice De Luca, Simona Gamba, Luca Losio, Antonino Massone, Maura Casadio, Camilla Pierella
Summary: The study developed a functional assessment integrating clinical, kinematic, and muscle activity measures to investigate the impact of cSCI on bilateral movement ability. Results showed that cSCI participants had severe difficulties performing coordinated movements with both arms, primarily due to altered activity patterns of scapular stabilizer muscles, latissimus dorsi, pectoralis, and triceps.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Latoya L. Allen, Nicole L. Nichols, Zachary A. Asa, Anna T. Emery, Marissa C. Ciesla, Juliet V. Santiago, Ashley E. Holland, Gordon S. Mitchell, Elisa J. Gonzalez-Rothi
Summary: The study tested the hypothesis that C2 spinal hemisection (C2Hx) minimally impacts phrenic motor neuron (PMN) survival and found no evidence of PMN loss at 2- or 8-weeks post-C2Hx. This insight is crucial for studying strategies for inducing plasticity and/or regeneration within the phrenic motor system after high cervical injury.
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Marissa C. Ciesla, Yasin B. Seven, Latoya L. Allen, Kristin N. Smith, Elisa J. Gonzalez-Rothi, Gordon S. Mitchell
Summary: This study found that daily AIH increased the area of serotonergic immunolabeling in the XII motor nuclei in rats, while CIH protocols did not have the same effect, indicating that different intermittent hypoxia protocols have differential effects on XII serotonergic innervation.
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Ajay Pal, HongGeun Park, Aditya Ramamurthy, Ahmet S. Asan, Thelma Bethea, Meenu Johnkutty, Jason B. Carmel
Summary: In this study, the researchers developed a plasticity protocol in rats that aims to activate both sensory and motor connections in the spinal cord. They found that repeated application of this protocol in rats with spinal cord injury improved their forelimb dexterity and reduced hyperreflexia. This study shows the importance of targeting the sensory and motor systems in the spinal cord for promoting recovery after spinal cord injury.
Article
Orthopedics
Ao Liu, Nan-Hai Qiu, Xue-Ren Zhong, Xiang Fang, Jun-Jian Liao, Zhi-Peng Zhang, Pei-Feng Zheng, Yong-Yu Hu, Kong-He Hu, Ying-Hui Xiong, Lin-Jun Lu, Xin-Hua Xi, Qiang Wu, Yong-Zheng Bao
Summary: This study investigated the dynamic changes in the cervical spine and spinal cord in patients with cervical spinal cord injury without fracture and dislocation using kinematic magnetic resonance imaging. The results showed that the injured segment had a smaller canal diameter, higher Muhle's grade, lower space available for the cord, and higher spinal cord diameter/spinal canal diameter ratio.
JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY AND RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hatice Kumru, Loreto Garcia-Alen, Aina Ros-Alsina, Sergiu Albu, Margarita Valles, Joan Vidal
Summary: This study aimed to investigate whether transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) could improve respiratory function in individuals with cervical spinal cord injury (cSCI). The results showed that subjects who received tSCS combined with inspiratory muscle training (IMT) experienced significant improvements in breathlessness/dyspnea, hypophonia, maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), and forced vital capacity. Therefore, tSCS may serve as an effective adjunctive therapy for respiratory impairments following SCI.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Hideaki Nakajima, Kazuya Honjoh, Shuji Watanabe, Ai Takahashi, Arisa Kubota, Akihiko Matsumine
Summary: The incidence of cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) without major bone injury is increasing, particularly among older individuals with pre-existing cervical spinal canal stenosis. The demographics, neurological injury, treatment, and prognosis of this type of CSCI differ from those with bone or central cord injury. The optimal management of CSCI without major bone injury is a subject of debate among spine surgeons worldwide. This narrative review aims to address unresolved clinical questions and discuss treatment strategies based on current findings.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Margo Randelman, Lyandysha V. Zholudeva, Stephane Vinit, Michael A. Lane
Summary: This article reviews the anatomical incompleteness and neuroplasticity resulting from spinal cord injuries, as well as how non-invasive respiratory treatments can enhance recovery. It focuses on current clinically used respiratory training strategies and those in development, while also considering the impact of training on non-respiratory networks. Insights are given on advances in pre-clinical and translational research in this area, with a look into future directions for enhancing plasticity and improving functional outcomes after SCI.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Matthew J. J. Fogarty, Wen-Zhi Zhan, Vincent F. F. Simmon, Peter W. W. Vanderklish, Stella T. T. Sarraf, Gary C. C. Sieck
Summary: This study investigates the effects of C2SH on diaphragm muscle and transdiaphragmatic pressure, as well as the potential therapeutic effect of SPG302. The results show that immediate deficits in diaphragm EMG activity and transdiaphragmatic pressure occur after C2SH surgery, while treatment with SPG302 can enhance the recovery of diaphragm EMG and transdiaphragmatic pressure within 14 days post-surgery.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jaclyn R. Wecht, William M. Savage, Grace O. Famodimu, Gregory A. Mendez, Jonah M. Levine, Matthew T. Maher, Joseph P. Weir, Jill M. Wecht, Jason B. Carmel, Yu-Kuang Wu, Noam Y. Harel
Summary: The study found that subthreshold TSCS can facilitate hand muscle responses to motor cortex stimulation, especially when the TSCS arrives simultaneously or slightly after the cortical stimulation, indicating the potential for enhanced synaptic plasticity in circuits serving hand function.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Lamprini Lili, Katharina S. Sunnerhagen, Tiina Rekand, Margit Alt Murphy
Summary: The study aimed to identify impaired movement parameters of upper extremity in individuals with cervical or thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI) during a purposeful daily task. The kinematic analysis showed that movement time, smoothness, arm abduction, wrist angle, trunk displacement, and inter-joint coordination were affected in individuals with limited upper extremity functioning after SCI, but not peak velocity of the hand.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Clinical Neurology
Yulong Wang, Lian Zeng, Xiaodong Guo
Summary: A middle-aged man with traumatic cervical spinal cord injury and extensive edema underwent successful surgical treatment with subsequent discharge. However, half a year later, he developed C5 nerve palsy, and MRI revealed cervical spinal cord herniation with pseudomeningocele, indicating the potential for late postoperative complications.
WORLD NEUROSURGERY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Neil Fleming, Clare Taylor, Mark Etzelmueller, Conor Gill, Clodagh O'Keeffe, Nicholas Mahony, Richard B. Reilly
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of cervical tSCS on upper-limb function and the importance of stimulation parameters. The results showed that altering stimulus location and intensity can achieve unilateral motor pool selectivity, and optimizing these parameters can improve the efficacy of this neuromodulation method in clinical populations.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Min Cheol Chang, Dae Yeong Kim, Jin-Woo Choi, Ho Yong Choi, Jin-Sung Park, Donghwi Park
Summary: In this study, we identified risk factors for dysphagia in patients with cervical spinal cord injury (C-SCI) by analyzing the correlation between clinical factors and the severity of dysphagia. The anterior surgical approach was found to be the only clinical factor significantly correlated with dysphagia severity in C-SCI patients.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Erika L. Galer, Ruyi Huang, Meghna Madhavan, Emily Wang, Yan Zhou, James C. Leiter, Daniel C. Lu
Summary: In this study, we demonstrated that dorsal cervical epidural electrical stimulation (CEES) can increase respiratory activity in both male and female anesthetized rats. By using pseudorabies virus and c-Fos activity, we identified somatostatin-expressing neurons in the dorsal horn of the cervical spinal cord that were activated during CEES. Inhibiting these neurons using Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADD) resulted in a decrease in the respiratory excitation induced by CEES.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Moon Ki Jung, Silvia Muceli, Camila Rodrigues, Alvaro Megia-Garcia, Alejandro Pascual-Valdunciel, Antonio J. Del-Ama, Angel Gil-Agudo, Juan C. Moreno, Filipe Oliveira Barroso, Jose L. Pons, Dario Farina
Summary: This study compared the performance of surface EMG and intramuscular EMG in estimating the required joint torques for assistive devices. The results showed that there was a similar correlation between the experimental and predicted joint torques when using either surface or intramuscular EMG as input signals in both healthy individuals and SCI patients.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Isabel Sinovas-Alonso, Diana Herrera-Valenzuela, Roberto Cano-de-la-Cuerda, Ana De los Reyes-Guzman, Antonio J. Del-Ama, Angel Gil-Agudo
Summary: The study investigated the applicability of the Gait Deviation Index (GDI) in the population with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). The results showed that GDI was normally distributed in both SCI and healthy volunteer groups. Furthermore, there was an increasing relationship between GDI values and the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI) II levels in subjects with SCI, but only significant in WISCI II levels 13, 19, and 20. The index successfully distinguished the healthy volunteer group from individuals with SCI.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
V Lozano-Berrio, M. Alcobendas-Maestro, B. Polonio-Lopez, A. Gil-Agudo, A. de la Pena-Gonzalez, A. de los Reyes-Guzman
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of robotic therapy on patients with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) in terms of their self-perception of limited upper limb function and level of independence in daily activities. The results showed that robotic therapy had a clinical relevance in improving the feeding function and overall independence of these patients.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Diana Herrera-Valenzuela, Isabel Sinovas-Alonso, Juan C. Moreno, Angel Gil-Agudo, Antonio J. del-Ama
Summary: The Gait Deviation Index (GDI) is a dimensionless measure used to evaluate overall gait pathology. It has been widely used in various conditions but has not been studied in the population with spinal cord injury (SCI). This study investigates the application of GDI in SCI and proposes a new metric, the SCI-GDI. The findings suggest that the SCI-GDI is more sensitive to larger gait impairment than the GDI and further validation is needed.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Jesus Minguillon, Marc Tudela-Pi, Laura Becerra-Fajardo, Enric Perera-Bel, Antonio J. del-Ama, Angel Gil-Agudo, Alvaro Megia-Garcia, Aracelys Garcia-Moreno, Antoni Ivorra
Summary: Wireless power transfer (WPT) is used as an alternative to batteries for miniaturization of electronic medical implants. We propose a WPT approach based on high frequency (HF) current bursts, which avoids bulky components and enables flexible threadlike implants. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of wirelessly powering threadlike implants using innocuous and imperceptible HF current bursts based on volume conduction.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Camila Rodrigues-Carvalho, Marvin Fernandez-Garcia, David Pinto-Fernandez, Clara Sanz-Morere, Filipe Oliveira Barroso, Susana Borromeo, Cristina Rodriguez-Sanchez, Juan C. Moreno, Antonio J. del-Ama
Summary: Nowadays, robotic technology for gait training is common in rehabilitation hospitals, but its effectiveness is still controversial. This study evaluated three types of exoskeleton control strategies in healthy volunteers and found that the EMG-based controller performed well in detecting stepping intention. However, these controllers did not result in significant changes in the overall physiological cost of walking or the perceived experience of use.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Miriam Salas-Monedero, Vicente Lozano-Berrio, Maria-Jesus Cazorla-Martinez, Silvia Ceruelo-Abajo, Angel Gil-Agudo, Sonsoles Hernandez-Sanchez, Jose-Fernando Jimenez-Diaz, Ana DelosReyes-Guzman
Summary: The objective of this study was to analyze the feasibility of using the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 wristband (XMB5) for heart rate (HR) monitoring in cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) patients during upper limb activities. The results showed a strong positive correlation between the HR measurements from XMB5 and the professional medical equipment Nonin LifeSense II capnograph and pulse oximeter (NLII) in healthy individuals. Therefore, the XMB5 wristband seems to be a feasible option for HR measurement in this biomedical application in SCI patients.
BIOENGINEERING-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Angel Gil-Agudo, Alvaro Megia-Garcia, Jose Luis Pons, Isabel Sinovas-Alonso, Natalia Comino-Suarez, Vicente Lozano-Berrio, Antonio J. del-Ama
Summary: This study aimed to assess the safety and feasibility of using the HANK exoskeleton for walking rehabilitation, and investigate its effects on walking function. The results showed that the use of HANK exoskeleton in clinical settings is safe and well-tolerated by the patients. Patients receiving treatment with the exoskeleton improved their walking independence as measured by the WISCI-II.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marta Neira Alvarez, Antonio R. Jimenez Ruiz, Guillermo Garcia-Villamil Neira, Elisabet Huertas-Hoyas, Maria Teresa Espinoza Cerda, Laura Perez Delgado, Elena Reina Robles, Antonio J. del-Ama, Luisa Ruiz-Ruiz, Sara Garcia-de-Villa, Cristina Rodriguez-Sanchez
Summary: Falls in the elderly population are a major concern, and the G-STRIDE system, a 6-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) with onboard processing algorithms, showed promising results in measuring walking parameters correlated with fall risk. A cross-sectional case-control study found that the G-STRIDE can differentiate between fallers and non-fallers based on walking metrics. Preliminary fall-risk assessment based on these metrics improved the Timed Up and Go test in identifying fallers.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Camila R. Carvalho, J. Marvin Fernandez, Antonio J. del-Ama, Filipe Oliveira Barroso, Juan C. Moreno
Summary: This paper reviewed the state-of-the-art of EMG onset detection methods and compared the performance of the most commonly used methods on experimental data. The study found that threshold-based methods are still the most commonly used for EMG onset detection. The three most commonly used methods (Single, Double, and Adaptive Threshold) were proven to be accurate, with Single and Adaptive Threshold being faster in detection time.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sara Garcia-de-Villa, Guillermo Garcia-Villamil Neira, Marta Neira Alvarez, Elisabet Huertas-Hoyas, Luisa Ruiz Ruiz, Antonio J. del-Ama, Maria Cristina Rodriguez Sanchez, Antonio R. Jimenez
Summary: The GSTRIDE database contains health status assessments of 163 elderly adults, including socio-demographic data, functional variables, and outcomes from commonly performed tests. The database includes gait parameters estimated from IMU measurements, such as walking distance, strides, and various spatio-temporal gait parameters. In addition, the database provides raw IMU recordings and Python programming codes for researchers to test different gait analysis algorithms. It focuses on studying frailty-related parameters distinguishing faller and non-faller populations, and analyzing gait-related parameters in frail subjects, which are important topics for the elderly.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Isabel Sinovas-Alonso, Diana Herrera-Valenzuela, Ana de-los-Reyes-Guzman, Roberto Cano-de-la-Cuerda, Antonio J. del-Ama, Angel Gil-Agudo
Summary: SCI-GDI demonstrated construct validity with the 10MWT, TUGT, LEMS, SCIM IIIIOMob, and SS WISCI II levels for independently walking adults with iSCI. Further research should be conducted with a more diverse sample, including the pediatric population, to assess the psychometric characteristics.
NEUROREHABILITATION AND NEURAL REPAIR
(2023)