Safety and Feasibility of Paired Vagus Nerve Stimulation With Rehabilitation for Improving Upper Extremity Function in People With Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

About this trial

This trial is enrolling individuals with chronic incomplete spinal cord injuries at the cervical level to test the safety and feasibility of pairing vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) with rehabilitation. VNS is a technique that applies electrical stimulation through an implanted device near the collarbone with wires connected to the vagus nerve on the side of the neck. Investigators want to see if VNS improves upper limb motor recovery. If included, participants will undergo surgery for implantation of the device. Then, participants will receive 18 goal-directed, 1.5-2 hour, arm rehabilitation therapy sessions in combination with either 1) active VNS, or 2) sham VNS over a period of 6 weeks. This will be followed by a 90-day home exercise program. Final safety assessments and testing of arm function will be performed at the end of the home exercise program.