Effect of long-term paired associative stimulation on the modulation of cortical sensorimotor oscillations after spinal cord injury

Jukka Vanhanen; Lauri Parkkonen; Jyrki P Mäkelä; Alexandra Tolmacheva; Anastasia Shulga; Andrey Rodionov; Erika Kirveskari

doi:10.1038/s41394-022-00506-w

Effect of long-term paired associative stimulation on the modulation of cortical sensorimotor oscillations after spinal cord injury

Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2022 Apr 5;8(1):38. doi: 10.1038/s41394-022-00506-w.

Authors

Jukka Vanhanen^{1

2}, Lauri Parkkonen³, Jyrki P Mäkelä⁴, Alexandra Tolmacheva⁴, Anastasia Shulga^{4

5}, Andrey Rodionov⁴, Erika Kirveskari^{4

6}

Affiliations

¹ BioMag Laboratory, HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. jukka.vanhanen@helsinki.fi.
² HUS Diagnostic Center, Clinical Neurophysiology, Clinical Neurosciences, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. jukka.vanhanen@helsinki.fi.
³ Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland.
⁴ BioMag Laboratory, HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
⁵ Clinical Neurosciences, Neurology, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
⁶ HUS Diagnostic Center, Clinical Neurophysiology, Clinical Neurosciences, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.

Abstract

Study design: A prospective interventional case series.

Objectives: To explore changes in the modulation of cortical sensorimotor oscillations after long-term paired associative stimulation (PAS) in participants with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Setting: BioMag Laboratory, HUS Diagnostic Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.

Methods: Five patients with chronic incomplete SCI received unilateral spinal PAS to upper limb for 16-22 days. Changes in the modulation of sensorimotor oscillations in response to tactile stimulus and active and imaginary hand movements were assessed with magnetoencephalography recorded before and after the intervention.

Results: PAS restored the modulation of sensorimotor oscillations in response to active hand movement in four patients, whereas the modulation following tactile stimulation remained unaltered. The observed change was larger in the hemisphere that received PAS and preceded the clinical effect of the intervention.

Conclusions: Long-term spinal PAS treatment, which enhances the motor functions of SCI patients, also restores the modulation of cortical sensorimotor oscillations.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Evoked Potentials, Motor* / physiology
Hand
Humans
Physical Therapy Modalities
Prospective Studies
Spinal Cord Injuries* / therapy