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Investigation of Brain Functional MRI as an Early Biomarker of Recovery in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury

NCT03854214 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 14

Last updated 2025-03-10

Study results available
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Summary

Early detection of response to therapeutic intervention is vital, as it will enable early termination of intervention in non-responding patients, prevent unnecessary financial burden, and allow for early changes to the intervention program. Previous functional MRI (fMRI) studies have shown that changes in brain functional network in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients can occur after as little as one week of intervention. Resting state fMRI (rsfMRI) is a type of fMRI that does not require performance of explicit motor tasks, which makes the method especially suitable for SCI patient population. In this project, the investigators propose that rsfMRI outcome measures can be used to detect early brain functional network changes that occur during intervention, and that the changes will be predictive of recovery in chronic SCI patients.

Conditions

  • Spinal Cord Injuries

Interventions

DEVICE

Functional Electric Stimulation cycling

The Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) cycling group will use RT300 ergometer (Restorative Therapies, Inc). Bilateral glutei, quadriceps and hamstrings will be stimulated. The stimulation parameters will be set as follows: waveform biphasic, charged balanced; phase duration of 250 microseconds; pulse rate 33-45 pps. The stimulus intensity will be adjusted for individual patients and muscle group so that a tolerable stimulation is provided that will generate a cycling action. Target cycling speed is 50 revolutions per minute (RPM). Resistance will be automatically adjusted by the FES bike according to the subject's performance. When fatigue occurs, participants will continue cycling with electrical stimulation and motor support. FES therapy will be administered for one hour per session 3 times a week.

DEVICE

Passive cycling

The passive cycling group will use the same RT300 ergometer however during this period stimulation will not be turned on. Instead, continuous motor support will be activated resulting in passive cycling. Target cycling speed is 50 RPM. Participants assigned to passive cycling will be required to have one hour of passive therapy 3 times a week for the entire duration of treatment assignment.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

    collaborator NIH

  • Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Inc.

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Ann S Choe, Ph.D. · Johns Hopkins University

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2019-08-01
Primary Completion
2023-12-31
Completion
2023-12-31
FDA Device
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03854214 on ClinicalTrials.gov