Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation Enhances Quadriceps Motor Evoked Potential in Healthy Participants: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Study

Journal of Clinical Medicine

Álvaro Megía-García¹  Julian Taylor²  Julio Gómez-Soriano³  Diego Serrano-Muñoz³  Juan Avendaño-Coy³  Natalia Comino-Suárez³ 

[1] Biomechanical and Technical Aids Unit, National Hospital for Paraplegia, SESCAM, 45071 Toledo, Spain;Sensorimotor Function Group, National Hospital for Paraplegia, SESCAM, 45071 Toledo, Spain;Toledo Physiotherapy Research Group (GIFTO), Faculty of Physiotherapy and Nursing, Castilla La Mancha University, 45071 Toledo, Spain;

关键词: transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation;    evoked potentials motor;    neuromodulation;    motor activity;   

DOI  :  10.3390/jcm9103275

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) is a non-invasive technique for neuromodulation and has therapeutic potential for motor rehabilitation following spinal cord injury. The main aim of the present study is to quantify the effect of a single session of tSCS on lower limb motor evoked potentials (MEPs) in healthy participants. A double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized, crossover, clinical trial was carried out in 15 participants. Two 10-min sessions of tSCS (active-tSCS and sham-tSCS) were applied at the T11-T12 vertebral level. Quadriceps (Q) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscle MEPs were recorded at baseline, during and after tSCS. Q and TA isometric maximal voluntary contraction was also recorded. A significant increase of the Q-MEP amplitude was observed during active-tSCS (1.96 ± 0.3 mV) when compared from baseline (1.40 ± 0.2 mV; p = 0.01) and when compared to sham-tSCS at the same time-point (1.13 ± 0.3 mV; p = 0.03). No significant modulation was identified for TA-MEP amplitude or for Q and TA isometric maximal voluntary isometric strength. In conclusion, tSCS applied over the T11-T12 vertebral level increased Q-MEP but not TA-MEP compared to sham stimulation. The specific neuromodulatory effect of tSCS on Q-MEP may reflect optimal excitation of this motor response at the interneuronal or motoneuronal level.

【 授权许可】

Unknown