Epidural Stimulation - Improving Results for SCI

Dr. Susan Harkema explains the epidural stimulation research at Case Western Reserve University on video HERE: “A Continuum of Strategies Targeted at Neuroplasiticity for Recovery After Neurologic Injury”

The National Institute for Disability Rehabilitation and Research of the U.S. Dept. of Education has awarded $2.2 million over five years to UofL and Frazier Rehab to establish a Spinal Cord Injury Model system, one of just 14 such centers in the nation.  Our research team is comprised of scientists, engineers, physicians, technicians, and physical therapists who work together to understand how the nervous system works during human locomotion. We focus on retraining the nervous system to facilitate the recovery of standing and stepping in individuals with spinal cord injury.


Dr. Reggie Edgerton talks about epidural stimulation on video HERE:   He is a leading researcher in the field of neuromuscular plasticity. UCLA distinguished professor V. Reggie Edgerton drills deeper into the breakthrough from 30 years of paralysis research, announced jointly by UCLA, the University of Louisville and Caltech.

Scientists have known for years that animals’ spinal cords contain networks of neurons called central pattern generators (CPG) that produce rhythmic flexing and extension of the muscles used in walking. They assumed, however, that the bipedal walking of humans was more dependent on voluntary control than on CPG activation. Therefore, scientists thought that without control from the brain, movements produced by a spinal CPG weren’t likely to be useful in restoring successful walking without regulation from the brain. Current research is showing, however, that these networks can be retrained after spinal cord injury to restore limited mobility to the legs.

Using a technique called sensory patterned feedback, researchers are attempting to retrain CPG networks in spinal cord injured patients with special programs that break down walking movements into their component patterns and force paralyzed limbs to repeat them over and over again. In one of these programs, the patient is partially supported by a harness above a moving treadmill while a therapist moves the patient’s legs in a stepping motion. Other researchers are experimenting with combining body weight support and electrical stimulation with actual walking rather than treadmill training.

Yes, the plasticity of the spinal cord in really amazing and the ability of the brain to sort out all the messages is spectacular.  

This is a more updated video with Joel Burdick. 

Joel Burdick, the Richard L. and Dorothy M. Hayman Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering, received his undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering and chemistry from Duke University and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from Stanford University. He has been with the department of mechanical engineering at the Caltech since May 1988, where he has been the recipient of the NSF Presidential Young Investigator award, the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator award, and the Feynman fellowship. He has also received the ASCIT Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and the GSA Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Education, and received the Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award in 2011. In addition to mechanical engineering, he is a core faculty of the control and dynamical systems option, as well as a faculty affiliate in the options of bioengineering (BE) and computational and neural systems (CNS). His research interests lie mainly in the areas of robotics, kinematics, and mechanical systems. Current research interests include sensor based robot motion planning, multi-fingered robotic hand manipulation, robotic mobility, and rehabilitation of spinal cord injuries.

spinalcordresearchandadvocacy.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/recovery-of-the-function-in-major-spinal-cord-injury-using-epidural-stimulation-with-joel-burdick/

More great news from this study!

Hopefully everyone understands this is very young human research and not an abundance of participants. They have a lot of work to do on tweaking the efficacy of the proper frequency and electrode combinations for the various things they're trying to gain recovery on such as standing or the possibility of bladder, bowel or sexual function. There's hundreds of combinations that they have to try. It's very intensive and takes time to wade through the data and size it up. I think for the most people here at this forum are able to understand what this team is working on and put it in perspective. Is this a cure tomorrow? No. However, it's possible that this team may have a piece or part figured out soon that could be part of combination therapy. It'll be fun and exciting to watch them work on it as time progresses.