When Spinal Neuromodulation Meets Sensorimotor Rehabilitation

Electrical neuromodulation has strongly hit the foundations of spinal cord injury and repair. Clinical and experimental studies have demonstrated the ability to neuromodulate and engage spinal cord circuits to recover volitional motor functions lost after the injury. Although the science and technol...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Flores de los Heros, Africa|||0000-0003-0720-2409, López-Santos, Diego|||0000-0001-5445-3070, García Alias, Guillermo|||0000-0003-0197-0503
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:280551
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/280551
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.3389/fresc.2021.755963
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Activity-dependent plasticity
Neuromodulation
Rehabilitation
Spinal cord injury
Upper limb
Descripción
Sumario:Electrical neuromodulation has strongly hit the foundations of spinal cord injury and repair. Clinical and experimental studies have demonstrated the ability to neuromodulate and engage spinal cord circuits to recover volitional motor functions lost after the injury. Although the science and technology behind electrical neuromodulation has attracted much of the attention, it cannot be obviated that electrical stimulation must be applied concomitantly to sensorimotor rehabilitation, and one would be very difficult to understand without the other, as both need to be finely tuned to efficiently execute movements. The present review explores the difficulties faced by experimental and clinical neuroscientists when attempting to neuromodulate and rehabilitate manual dexterity in spinal cord injured subjects. From a translational point of view, we will describe the major rehabilitation interventions employed in animal research to promote recovery of forelimb motor function. On the other hand, we will outline some of the state-of-the-art findings when applying electrical neuromodulation to the spinal cord in animal models and human patients, highlighting how evidences from lumbar stimulation are paving the path to cervical neuromodulation.