Body
Non-invasive Neurostimulation Paired With Physical Therapy Temporarily Mends Broken Connection Between Brain and Spinal Cord in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury
Amber Bruce, 33, an Atlanta resident and sports marketing professional, became almost completely paralyzed when she inexplicably fainted on Jan. 31, 2019. Since then, she has worked tirelessly to regain function and ability through physical therapy and participation in clinical trials. However, not until she participated in a study at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab has Amber, who was initially told she would never walk again, made such tremendous progress. After 40 sessions of non-invasive neural stimulation, followed by an hour of physical therapy each time, she took her first steps. By the end of the treatment protocol, two-and-a-half months later, she could take more than 60 steps.
For the first time, this research — led by Monica A. Perez, PhD, PT — has demonstrated that this non-invasive neurostimulation treatment that targets synaptic connections in the spinal cord improves and preserves physical therapy functional improvements in patients with spinal cord injury — temporarily mending the broken connection between the brain and spinal cord. Findings have the potential to help the approximately 294,000 people in the United States who live with spinal cord injuries.