Transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the spinal cord: A noninvasive tool for the activation of stepping pattern generators in humans

Abstract

A new method for the activation of spinal locomotor networks (SLN) in humans by transcutane ous electrical spinal cord stimulation (tESCS) has been described. The tESCS applied in the region of the T11-T12 vertebrae with a frequency of 5-40 Hz elicited involuntary step like movements in healthy subjects with their legs suspended in a gravity neutral position. The amplitude of evoked step like movements increased with increasing tESCS frequency. The frequency of evoked step like movements did not depend on the frequency of tESCS. It was shown that the hip, knee, and ankle joints were involved in the evoked move ments. It has been suggested that tESCS activates the SPG (SLN) through in part, via the dorsal roots that enter the spinal cord. tESCS can be used as a noninvasive method in rehabilitation of spinal pathology.

Clinical, neurological, and neurophysiological evaluation of the efficiency of motor rehabilitation in children with cerebral palsy using robotic mechanotherapy and transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the spinal cord

“…Одной из таких технологий является неинвазивная электрости-муляция спинного мозга [13] . В настоящее вре-мя в литературе стали появляться исследования, посвященные вопросам чрескожной спинальной электростимуляции у пациентов с ДЦП, которые указывают на эффективность и перспективность этой методики в двигательной реабилитации де-тей со спастическими параличами [14] .…”

The regulation of balance in the children presenting with severe cerebral palsy following the treatment with the use of the locomotor training in combination with the electrical stimulation of leg muscles and spinal cord

“…У детей наиболее перспективным является использование метода неинвазивной чрескожной электростимуляции спинного мозга (ЧЭССМ) [8].…”

Combination of Functional Electrical Stimulation and Noninvasive Spinal Cord Electrical Stimulation for Movement Rehabilitation of the Children with Cerebral Palsy

“…We have shown that locomotor training combined with epidural electrical spinal cord stimulation (SCS) facilitated the recovery of voluntary leg movements in motor complete SCI patients [1,14]. Recently, we developed a method of electrically activating the spinal circuitry via electrodes placed on the skin overlying the lower thoracic vertebrae and demonstrated that in healthy subjects the involuntary locomotor-like movements can be induced by transcutaneous SCS [11,12]. The positive effect of using transcutaneous SCS (TSCS) was observed in SCI patients as well.…”