High-Frequency rTMS Combined with Task-Specific Hand Motor Training Modulates Corticospinal Plasticity in Motor Complete Spinal Cord Injury: A case report
2022 44th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (EMBC). 2022-07-11; :
DOI: 10.1109/EMBC48229.2022.9871134
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Brihmat N, Bayram MB, Allexandre D, Saleh S, Yue GH, Guan X, Zhong J, Forrest GF.
Since its first use in spinal cord injury (SCI) in the early 2000s [1],
high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS)
demonstrated a capacity to modulate corticospinal excitability (CSE) and motor
performance. Studies focused on individuals with incomplete SCI. Here, we
examined the feasibility of a 15-day therapeutic stimulation protocol combining
HF-rTMS with task-specific motor training targeting the weaker hand in an
individual with early chronic complete SCI. In this case report, we present
evidence of progressive increase of CSE at rest and during muscle activation,
and decreased cortical inhibition, associated with a trend toward improvement in
pinch function of the weaker hand. These promising findings need to be confirmed
in a larger population. Clinical Relevance- These preliminary results are
promising and demonstrate the importance of a large number of training session
repetitions to induce consistent changes relevant to the recovery after a
complete SCI.