Engaging Cervical Spinal Cord Networks to Reenable Volitional Control of Hand Function in Tetraplegic Patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Paralysis of the upper limbs from spinal cord injury results in an enormous loss of independence in an individual's daily life. Meaningful improvement in hand function is rare after 1 year of tetraparesis. Therapeutic developments that result in even modest gains in hand volitional function will significantly affect the quality of life for patients afflicted with high cervical injury. The ability to neuromodulate the lumbosacral spinal circuitry via epidural stimulation in regaining postural function and volitional control of the legs has been recently shown. A key question is whether a similar neuromodulatory strategy can be used to improve volitional motor control of the upper limbs, that is, performance of motor tasks considered to be less "automatic" than posture and

SUBMITTER: Lu DC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5374120 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature