Improving Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Interventions by Retraining the Brain With Stimulation

About this trial

This study is recruiting individuals with incomplete cervical (neck area) spinal cord injuries to determine whether non-invasive, skin-surface electrical stimulation of the brain improves conventional rehabilitation therapy. The stimulation (transcranial direct current stimulation - tDCS) is delivered over the scalp with a low intensity current; the technique is well-established and considered to be reasonably safe. Researchers want to see if tDCS stimulation, delivered along with rehabilitation, strengthens nerve pathways (plasticty) that may in turn improve function. Participants will receive upper extremity exercises for two hours per day, five times a week for two weeks. The study design requires a placebo control group, so half of the participants will do the same exercises without the tDCS. Due to the low intensity of tDCS, participants will not be able to tell whether they are receiving active or placebo tDCS.