Closed-loop vagus nerve stimulation aids recovery from spinal cord injury.

ABSTRACT: Decades of research have demonstrated that recovery from serious neurological injury will require synergistic therapeutic approaches. Rewiring spared neural circuits after injury is a long-standing goal of neurorehabilitation^1,2. We hypothesized that combining intensive, progressive, task-focused training with real-time closed-loop vagus nerve stimulation (CLV) to enhance synaptic plasticity³ could increase strength, expand range of motion and improve hand function in people with chronic, incomplete cervical spinal cord injury. Here we report the results from a prospective, double-blinded, sham-controlled, randomized study combining gamified physical therapy using force and motion sensors to deliver sham or active CLV (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04288245). After

SUBMITTER: Kilgard MP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12286844 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature