ISNCSCI Exam Changes Following Spinal Cord Stimulation.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Spinal cord injury (SCI) often results in significant motor and sensory deficits.
• Current rehabilitation strategies aim to restore function, but recovery can be limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate changes in neurological function following epidural electrical stimulation in individuals with SCI.
• To assess the impact of stimulation on motor and sensory outcomes using the ISNCSCI exam.

Main Methods:

• Twenty individuals with SCI received epidural spinal cord stimulation and motor training.
• Pre- and post-intervention ISNCSCI exams were conducted to assess changes in motor and sensory scores.
• Subanalyses were performed based on baseline injury completeness (motor/sensory).

Main Results:

• Individuals with motor-complete SCI showed modest gains in motor points within 3 levels of the neurological level of injury (NLI).
• Motor-incomplete individuals exhibited greater gains within 3 levels of NLI, with some loss caudal to NLI.
• Sensory-complete SCI individuals had significantly fewer sensory gains compared to sensory-incomplete individuals.

Conclusions:

• Spinal cord stimulation rapidly induces improvements in both motor and sensory functions post-SCI.
• These neurological changes are retained after stimulation is withdrawn.
• The greatest benefits of SCS are observed in individuals with incomplete SCI, primarily within 3 levels of the NLI.