Heart rate variability in patients with incomplete spinal cord injury during a single session of paired associative stimulation.

ABSTRACT: Heart-rate variability (HRV) reflects the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and is commonly used as a biomarker for the state of the autonomous nervous system (ANS). Acute pain can also be detected by HRV. We applied a single session of paired-associative stimulation (high-PAS) combining high-intensity transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and high-frequency peripheral-nerve stimulation (PNS) on patients with incomplete cervical spinal-cord injury (SCI). High-PAS has shown promising results in improving motor function after incomplete SCI. The cardiovascular effects of high-PAS have not been studied in patients with SCI. We used HRV to record any pain or stress-related reactions in patients with SCI and as an indicator for cardiovascular effects of high-PAS.

SUBMITTER: Haakana P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12647663 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature