View clinical trials related to Quadriplegia.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to improve the performance of neuroprosthesis for standing after SCI by developing and testing new advanced methods that use multiple contact peripheral nerve electrodes to slow the onset of fatigue and increase standing duration. The new advanced methods will take advantage of the ability of multiple-contact nerve cuff electrodes to selectively activate portions of a muscle that perform the same action. Alternating activation to multiple muscles (or parts of the same muscle) rather than continuously activation the entire muscle group constantly should allow them to rest and recover from fatiguing contractions. This should allow users to remain upright for longer periods of time to perform activities of daily living, reduce the risk of falls due to fatigue, and increase the potential of receiving the health benefits of standing.
Children with Cerebral Palsy and quadriplegia or severe diplegia suffer from highly reduced mobility and consequent constipation. Clinicians frequently recommend standing-frames to exercise the support reaction in this population, sharing the opinion that the upright position may facilitate intestinal transit, although no evidence supports this assumption. The investigators conducted this single-subject research to determine the effects of the standing-frame on the frequency of evacuation in chronically constipated children with CP and quadriplegia. Moreover, the investigators studied its effects on the frequency of induction of evacuation, the characteristics of the stool and the pain suffered by the child due to constipation and/or evacuation.
The goal of the investigators work is to establish how nerve transfers can be best used to improve upper extremity function in patients with cervical level spinal cord injury (SCI). The investigators' hypothesis is that nerve transfers are safe and effective and will improve function and quality of life in patients with loss of upper function due to spinal cord injury. The investigators plan on looking at upper limb function, and health-related quality of life in patients before and after surgery to better understand how patients benefit from these treatments. A nerve transfer procedure can be used to rewire the system to make some muscles work again following SCI. The nerve transfer procedure (which is done in the arm and not at the level of the spinal cord) can be used to bypass the damaged area and to deliver a signal from the brain to a muscle that became disconnected following that injury. A donor nerve is taken from another muscle whose use is not essential and then transferred to help in providing more a more critical function. For example, one type of nerve transfer is done to restore the lost ability to pinch or grasp small objects between the fingers that occurs in many patients with cervical SCI. In this surgery, a donor nerve that normally helps flex the elbow. This nerve can be used because the biceps muscle is also working to flex the elbow. This donor nerve is cut and re-attached to the nerve going to muscles in the forearm that provide pinch by bending the tips of the thumb and index finger. Because the nerve transfer procedure involves cutting and reattaching nerve and muscle tissues, time is required to regenerate working connections between the nerves and muscle as well as to allow the brain to relearn how to use and strengthen that muscle.
People with a spinal cord injury (SCI) characteristically have low levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c; "good cholesterol") and high levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c; "bad cholesterol"), and are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular health problems, such as heart disease, heart attack and stroke, than the able-bodied population. A common way for able-bodied people to improve their lipid profile is through exercise; however, SCI people, especially tetraplegics, are often unable to achieve and maintain a level of exercise needed to obtain these benefits. It is therefore clinically important to find an effective, safe and inexpensive method of increasing HDL-c levels in people with chronic tetraplegia. This study will investigate the effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on the lipid profile of people with tetraplegia. The investigators hypothesize that 5 months of daily consumption of high doses of omega-3 fatty acids will increase plasma levels of HDL-c in those with tetraplegia, leading to decreased risk of cardiovascular health issues.
The purpose of this research study is to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of using two CRS Arrays (microelectrodes) for long-term recording of brain motor cortex activity and microstimulation of brain sensory cortex.
This research study is being done to develop a brain controlled medical device, called a brain-machine interface or BMI, that will provide people with a spinal cord injury some ability to control an external device such as a computer cursor or robotic limb by using their thoughts. Developing a brain-machine interface (BMI) is very difficult and currently only limited technology exists in this area of neuroscience. The device in this study involves implanting very fine recording electrodes into areas of the brain that are known to create arm movement plans and provide hand grasping information. These movement and grasp plans would then normally be sent to other regions of the brain to execute the actual movements. By tying into those pathways and sending the movement plan signals to a computer instead, the investigators can translate the movement plans into actual movements by a computer cursor or robotic limb. The device being used in this study is called the NeuroPort Array and is surgically implanted in the brain. This device and the implantation procedure are experimental which means that it has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). One NeuroPort Array consists of a small grid of electrodes that will be implanted in brain tissue with a small cable that runs from the electrode grid to a small hourglass-shaped pedestal. This pedestal is designed to be attached to the skull and protrude though the scalp to allow for connection with the computer equipment. The investigators hope to learn how safe and effective the NeuroPort Array is in controlling computer generated images and real world objects, such as a robotic arm, using imagined movements of the arms and hands. To accomplish this goal, two NeuroPort Arrays will be used.
The ability to maintain normal body core temperature (Tcore = 98.6°F) is impaired in persons with tetraplegia. Despite the known challenges to the ability of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) to maintain Tcore, and the effects of hypothermia to impair mental function in able-bodied (AB) persons, there has been no work to date addressing these issues in persons with tetraplegia. The aim of this study is to determine if exposure of up to 2 hrs to cool temperatures (64°F) causes body core temperature to decrease in persons with tetraplegia and if that decrease is related to a decrease in mental performance. After sitting in a cool (64°F) room for up to 2 hours the investigators hypotheses are: Hypotheses (1): Tcore of most of the persons with tetraplegia will decline approximately 1.8°F (e.g., 98.6 to 96.8°F) while Tcore of controls will not decline at all; (2) Most of the persons with tetraplegia will show a decline in mental performance (memory or clear-headedness) while only some of AB controls will show a decline. The second aim of this study is to determine if a 10 mg dose of an approved blood pressure raising medicine (midodrine hydrochloride) will (1) reduce the decrease in body core temperature and (2) prevent or delay the decline in mental performance in the group with tetraplegia compared to the exact same procedures performed on the day with no medicine (Visit 1) in the same group. Hypotheses (3 & 4): The changes in blood flow to the skin caused by taking a one-time dose of midodrine will lessen the decline in Tcore and prevent or delay the decline in mental performance compared to the changes in Tcore and mental performance during cool temperature exposure without midodrine in the group with tetraplegia.
This is an observational longitudinal study designed to identify and describe long term outcomes for patients with high tetraplegia who use a Diaphragmatic Pacing System (DPS). As this is not a randomized or experimental study, no specific hypotheses are proposed. The data collected will enable us to answer the following research questions: 1. What are the patterns of long-term DPS use (hours per day using DPS, changes in DPS stimulus parameters, abandonment of DPS and related reasons). 2. What mechanical problems have DPS users encountered (system failure, repairs needed)? 3. What are the frequency of and reasons for rehospitalization following DPS implant? 4. What levels of care are needed at home to manage the DPS? 5. How do DPS users feel about the system (satisfaction, comfort, vocalization, taste, swallowing)?
The main aim is to examine the influence of daylight and melatonin on the temporal variations of hemostatic factors with key roles in the hemostatic process and its regulation. Particular emphasis will be on exploring the role of melatonin in hemostasis by comparing subjects with tetraplegia with able-bodied control subjects.
This is multi-center prospective randomized trial evaluating the effectiveness of a new brain-computer interface for communication of quadriplegic patients in a clinical context. This performance of this will compared to traditional assistive technology (scanning system) and to performance of a healthy volunteer population.