Timing and Dosage of Acute Intermittent Hypoxia in Persons With SCI

About this trial

This trial is recruiting individuals with chronic incomplete spinal cord injuries to test the safety and effect of acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) on hand and finger function. AIH involves repeatedly breathing air with reduced oxygen content for brief periods, alternating with room air and normal oxygen content. Researchers want to see if these short durations of reduced oxygen promote new nerve connections in the damaged spinal cord. This trial will study the most appropriate timing of AIH sessions. Participants will be assigned to one of four groups to receive either a single or two sessions of AIH, or a single or two sessions of normal room air only (control group; sham AIH). Participants will wear a mask and will not know the oxygen content of breathed air. Breathing sessions are 15 cycles of 1.5 minutes each. The effects of AIH will be measured by changes in upper extremity function (hand grip and pinch strength, the 9-hole peg test, etc).