Spinal Cord Injuries Clinical Trials

The UAB Institute for Arts In Medicine (AIM) is currently implementing an expressive emotional writing pilot project for adults with paralysis caused by neurological conditions such as traumatic head or spinal cord injury. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to validate the capacity of a reflex training system to change the size of the targeted reflex. For this, the researchers are recruiting 25 individuals with chronic incomplete SCI who have spasticity in the leg to participate in the reflex training procedure. The study involves approximately 45 visits with a total study duration of about 6 months. Read Less

Umbilical cord blood mononuclear stem cells (UCBMSCs) transplant followed by the intensive locomotor training for up to 5±1 hours a day, 5±1 days a week, and for 3-6 months for treatment in patients with chronic, stable and complete spinal cord injury. Read Less

People with spinal cord injuries (SCI) are particularly prone to complications from excessive sitting, because many are not able to stand without support. Excessive sitting after SCI is believed to contribute to pressure injuries, pain, osteoporosis, joint stiffness, spasticity, and worsening bowel and bladder function. The VA has developed, patented, and licensed a mobile manual standing wheelchair (MMSW), and the investigators believe the key feature of being able to wheel around while in a standing position will dramatically change how paralyzed Veterans function in their home and community. If this expanded utility is realized, persons with SCI may naturally spend more time standing and less time sitting. To test these ideas, Veterans with SCI will be randomized to using one of two manual standing wheelchairs at home and in the community for two months. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine if playing a virtual reality walking game can help improve neuropathic pain in adults with chronic spinal cord injury. Read Less

The overarching goal of this research study is to evaluate a sensor-enabled, just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI) strategy to increase and sustain physical activity levels among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) in their communities. A primary objective of this study is to evaluate the integration of a JITAI with a web-based physical activity intervention program. We hypothesize that the integration of web-based physical activity intervention program with JITAI will result in significantly higher physical activity levels compared to the standard web-based physical activity intervention program alone. A secondary objective of this study is to extend existing algorithms that use commercial wearable technology to robustly detect physical activity behaviors to facilitate the delivery of tailored just-in-time actionable feedback and physical activity recommendations for individuals with SCI. Read Less

This study will assess how the serotonin precursor, 5-HTP, alter nervous system excitability and motor function in individuals with spinal cord injuries of differing chronicity and severity. Participants will visit the lab on 4 separate occasions where they will be administered four different drugs in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover design. Read Less

The primary objectives of this study are to: (1) determine the longitudinal course and impact of injury-related injustice appraisals among civilians and Veterans who have recently acquired a spinal cord injury (SCI), and (2) use qualitative inquiry to gain a rich, contextual understanding of appraisals of injustice during the first year after acquired SCI. The long-term goal of this research is to inform the development of new treatment approaches targeting appraisals of injustice. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to learn about the effect of sleep apnea and low oxygen on muscle strength and lung function in people with chronic spinal cord injury. Read Less

The goal of this clinical trial is to examine usability of a locally built adaptive rower for people with spinal cord injury using an established and tested design. The main questions it aims to answer are: What exercise intensity of activity do users achieve on the rower for steady state and interval rowing plans? What assistance is required for setup and usage of the adaptive rower? What do users think about the ease of use and what is their satisfaction with the adaptive rower? Participants will complete a one-time exercise session with two adaptive rower bouts (10-15 minutes each) with a rest period in between. Read Less

The purpose of this pilot research project is to examine the impact of a low-glycemic index (GI) diet on postprandial hypotension and glucose control in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury. The objectives are: 1) To evaluate the effect of the low-GI diet on the magnitude of postprandial systolic blood pressure drop compared to a high-GI control diet. 2)To evaluate the effect of a low-GI diet on postprandial glucose and insulin responses compared to a high-GI control diet. Read Less

This multicenter study will enroll 100 patients with acute traumatic cervical and thoracic SCI who have a lumbar intrathecal catheter inserted within 24 hours of their injury. The lumbar intrathecal catheter will be inserted pre-operatively for the measurement of ITP and the collection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. SCPP will be calculated as the difference between MAP and the ITP. There are two important distinct yet related objectives in this prospective interventional study. Determine the effect of SCPP maintenance ≥ 65 mmHg in acute SCI on neurologic recovery as measured by ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) grade conversion and motor score improvement. Collect CSF and blood samples for the measurement of neurochemical biomarkers and storage for future biomarker discovery and validation studies. Read Less