View clinical trials related to Spinal Cord Injuries.
Filter by:Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the primary motor cortex (M1) will be applied for patient who suffer from neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury The tDCS treatment will be coupled with a video of a man walking (creating a visual illusion) in order to enhance functional ability and reduce pain
The main objective is to conduct a study protocol to investigate the effects of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) on sensory and motor performance of individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) . A double-blind randomized sham-controlled trial of patients with iSCI will be conducted.
The goals of this study are to examine the physiology of Central Nervous System pathways contributing to the control of upper and lower extremity movements after SCI, and to promote the recovery of extremity movements by using non-invasive brain stimulation and motor training.
Paralympians competing in wheelchair sports may experience a very high glycolytic demand (and therefore acidotic environment) in their upper-body muscles, particularly in high-intensity disciplines. Previous studies from our group have shown that upper-body exercise is very sensitive to the ergogenic effects of β-alanine supplementation and to other nutritional supplements capable of increasing buffering capacity. In line with this, have shown that upper-body muscle groups benefit more from artificially induced alkalosis than lower-body muscle groups. Although β-alanine appears to be an interesting and potential ergogenic supplement for paralympians, no study to date has assessed its potential in wheelchair athletes.In this study, we will evaluate the effects of β-alanine supplementation on upper-body performance in wheelchair athletes.
The purpose of this study is to analyze the safety and efficacy of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in patients with thoracolumbar chronic and complete spinal cord injury.
This is a phase II, single center, open-label, non randomized clinical study to assess the uptake, safety and tolerability of Imatinib in acute Cervical Spinal Cord Injury patients. The aim is to determine if Imatinib reaches sufficient blood levels when given to patients with cervical spinal cord injury, via a gastric feeding tube, and also evaluate the safety and tolerability of this drug treatment.
After a complete spinal cord injury (SCI), the patient becomes wheelchair-dependent, and the associated lack of weight-bearing and inactivity of paralysed muscles can lead to extensive bone loss in the long bones of the legs. It has been documented that the most rapid phase of bone loss is during the first year, but bone loss can continue for a number of years post-injury, leading to an increased risk of fracture in chronic SCI. Through a previous longitudinal study, in which we described rates of bone loss in the first year of SCI using peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (pQCT), we showed that there is a subset of patients who suffer from extremely rapid bone loss, losing up to 50% of their bone mineral density (BMD) in the first 12 months post-SCI. As a result of this work, we now know that, by performing repeat bone scans within months of injury, we are able to detect and "red-flag" those patients at highest risk of rapidly weakening bones. We propose that, once these patients have been identified, there is an opportunity to intervene with bone-stimulating interventions within months of injury, before BMD reaches dangerously low values. In this new phase of the research, therefore, we are introducing an intervention phase to the longitudinal pQCT study. For this, we aim to trial a physical intervention, Whole Body Vibration (WBV), that could potentially reduce rates of further bone loss in fast bone losers. Vibration would achieve this by acting as a mechanical stimulus for bone cells, to encourage bone formation. If shown to be successful as an early bone-stimulating intervention, it may prove to be a tool for reducing future fracture risk in patients with SCI.
As technologies are advancing quickly in the healthcare setting, new solutions have become available helping disable people to enhance their ability to communicate. One of these advances is the introduction of the 'eye gaze system'. Through processing eye movements, this device allows a person to write, speak, use the Internet and even control systems in the home or office. In the currently proposed study we aim to evaluate the psychological and functional effects of using the Tobii™ Eyegaze System by inpatients with tetraplegia who are unable to use arms and legs and sometimes are not able to talk because of an impaired respiratory function. Volunteering inpatients will be recruited at the National Spinal Injuries Centre. Volunteers will be instructed and trained to use the Tobii™ Eyegaze System. The number of sessions required to successfully master the device depends on the learning curve of the patient. The progress will be documented accordingly. After successful completion of the training and supervised use, the inpatients will be offered the Tobii™ Eyegaze System for unsupervised use, 4 hours a week, for the following 2 months. It is hypothesised that using the Tobii™ Eyegaze System by inpatients with tetraplegia results in improved disability perception and independence scores. For the current feasibility study 12 participants will be recruited and assessed for 'Appraisal of Disability', 'Mood', 'Assistive Technology perception' and 'eyeskills' to instruct the computer system. Positive study outcomes will encourage future studies of the role of the Tobii™ Eyegaze System in both a rehabilitation and home environment.
Spinal Cord Injured [SCI] patients typically cannot "pee". Injury to the spinal cord disrupts the in-coming and out-going brain signals that coordinate bladder sensation and the emptying of bladder. SCI typically causes chronic retention of urine with uncontrolled leakage of urine. Some form of tube (catheter) is needed to drain the urine except with the mildest forms of SCI. Two types of tubes to drain the urine have been used for many years. These types are the urethral (inserted into the bladder through the opening usually used to empty the bladder) and abdominal, called suprapubic cystostomy tubes (put into the bladder through the abdomen). Bacteria (germs) normally live on our skin. Bacteria have sticky surfaces and so they stick to catheter surfaces. Bacteria reproduce very rapidly from a few dozen to over a million in 24 hours. In a warm liquid environment, like urine, bacteria can reach a density of 10 million per cubic centimeter in 48 hours which causes infection. Oral drugs and antibiotic-coated catheters delay this process by a week or two, but within a month 100% of patients have bacteria in their urine. Existing drugs cannot eliminate these microbial sanctuaries. The TBC is a 'closed access' abdominal drainage tube that has a 'cuff' or 'anchor'. It is permanently placed in the abdominal muscle to bond with the body's tissue. Another catheter is temporarily connected to the TBC that is easily replaceable in the clinic without anesthesia or special instruments. It locks to form a water-tight system. Many parts of the TBC are coated with an antibacterial substance that will delay the growth of bacteria. The TBC has been used with success in multiple animal studies. This is a Phase I human clinical trial in which the TBC will be used 10 spinal cord injured patients, each of whom will be followed for 12 months or longer. Abdominal catheter exit sites will be photographed monthly and tested periodically to document growth of any bacteria. Every three months, patients will complete satisfaction questionnaires and their urine will be tested for bacteria. Urine will also be tested as clinically indicated.
This research looks for markers in the blood of people with spinal cord injury that may be a sign of injury severity, or serve as a clue to the degree of recovery. Investigators would also like to compare the marker profile of these patient with that of other neurological conditions such as stroke and Guillain-Barre syndrome. Patients participating in this trial will be those accepted to neuro-rehabilitation in Sheba medical center, Israel. They will join the trial at their arrival to the ward, no less than 2 week after the beginning of their condition, but no later than 3 months. Patients will be examined by the research staff three times: 1. At arrival, the patients will be neurologically examined and their functional abilities will be assessed. Blood will be drawn and sent to the lab. 2. At 6 months after the beginning of the neurological condition the same will be repeated: the patients will be neurologically examined and their functional abilities will be assessed, and blood will be drawn and sent to the lab. 3. The final examination will take place 1 year after the beginning of the neurological condition. This time only the neurological and functional abilities will be assessed without blood tests. The blood samples will be tested in the research lab. Then investigators shall compare the clinical findings with the laboratory findings, and see if any of the markers found reflect the injury severity or predict the recovery.