Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 16, 2026
09:37
Evaluation of Respiratory Muscle Activation Using Respiratory Motor Control Assessment RMCA in Individuals with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury
Published on: July 19, 2013
10.8K
Intraspinal microstimulation for respiratory muscle activation.
Michael D Sunshine1, Comron N Ganji2, Paul J Reier3
1Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States; Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering (CSNE), Seattle, WA, United States; Physical Therapy and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
Experimental Neurology
|January 7, 2018
Summary
Intraspinal microstimulation can activate diaphragm and external intercostal motor units. The complex propriospinal network influences respiratory motor unit recruitment during breathing.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Respiratory Physiology
Background:
- Propriospinal networks modulate respiratory motoneurons.
- Predicting motor unit recruitment via intraspinal microstimulation (ISMS) is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- Map cervical and thoracic gray matter for ISMS-induced diaphragm (DIA) and external intercostal (EIC) motor unit activation.
- Investigate the influence of endogenous respiratory drive on ISMS outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Recorded respiratory muscle electromyography (EMG) in anesthetized rats.
- Advanced stimulating electrodes ventrally into the spinal cord (C2-T1) in 600μm increments.
- Delivered biphasic stimuli at varying intensities during inspiratory and expiratory phases.
Main Results:
- ISMS evoked DIA and EIC activity across C2-T1 gray matter during inspiration.
- Mutual DIA and EIC activation occurred at 17% of sites.
- DIA activation latency varied based on stimulation phase and electrode proximity to the phrenic motoneuron pool.
Conclusions:
- Targeted ISMS can co-activate DIA and EIC motor units.
- Endogenous respiratory drive significantly impacts ISMS-induced motor unit activation.
- Long latencies suggest a complex propriospinal network modulating phrenic motor output.
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