Effects of Paired Associative Nerve Stimulation on Spinal Cord Injury Subjects

About this trial

This clinical trial is enrolling individuals with chronic incomplete spinal cord injuries to study the combined effects of magnetic brain stimulation and electrical spinal stimulation. Participants will receive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a non-invasive technique which uses a magnetic field to stimulate the brain. At the same time, electrical stimulation (trans-spinal direct current stimulation - tsDCS) will be applied to the spinal cord using skin-surface electrodes attached to the trunk. Together this repetitive stimulation combination is called paired associative stimulation (PAS), which has been shown to increase muscle function by increasing nerve activity, and thereby muscle strength and voluntary function. Paired stimulation will be combined with cycling exercises. If selected for the trial, participants will be randomly assigned to one of five study groups: four groups will receive stimulation using different settings, while one group (control) will receive sham (inactive) stimuli. Motor function and strength will be measured.