Elucidation of the neural mechanisms underlying motor recovery after spinal cord injury using a musclo-spinal interface

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19377
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University (2022-2023); Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science (2020-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Kaneshige Miki 京都大学, 医学研究科, 助教 (40867868)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 脊髄 / 筋 / 電気刺激 / 一次運動野 / 機能回復

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To recover from paresis after incomplete spinal cord injury, we developed a musclo-spinal interface from the weakened voluntary muscle activity of the paretic limb to the spinal cord below the injury. We recorded the spinal outputs, cell activities in the primary motor cortex, and behavioral data during the rehabilitation using the muscle-spinal interface. As a result, we found that rehabilitation using the musclo-spinal interface restored motor function after spinal cord injury, and that this is due to an increase in spinal outputs and a decrease in modulation of the neuronal activity in primary motor cortex. We presented our findings at an academic conference, and some of the results were published as a paper. We are currently preparing to submit a paper on the remaining results.

Free Research Field

神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、脊髄損傷後の残存した筋活動依存的に損傷下の脊髄を電気刺激する筋ー脊髄間インターフェースは、脊髄損傷後の運動機能の回復に貢献することがわかった。またその背景には、損傷下の脊髄および損傷より上の一次運動野における可塑的な変化があることが明らかとなった。本手法は、脊髄損傷者の新たなリハビリテーションとして期待される。