New York, NYNCT05163639Now EnrollingIRB Ready

Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Clinical Trial in New York, NY

Access cutting-edge cervical spinal cord injury treatment through this clinical trial at a research site in New York. Study-provided care at no cost to qualified participants.

Sponsored by Columbia University

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Expert Care in New York

Access cervical spinal cord injury specialists at no cost

IRB Approved

This study follows strict safety protocols and ethical guidelines

No-Cost Care

All study-related cervical spinal cord injury treatment provided free

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Check if you qualify for this cervical spinal cord injury clinical trial in New York, NY

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Your information is protected and will only be shared with the research team.

Why Participate?

  • No-Cost Study Care

  • Local to New York

    Convenient for NY residents

  • Cutting-Edge Treatment

    Access to innovative therapies

  • Expert Medical Care

    Close monitoring by specialists

  • Possible Compensation*

    For time and travel

*Compensation varies by study. Confirm details with coordinator.

Simple Process

  1. 1Submit this form
  2. 2Phone screening
  3. 3Visit New York site if eligible
  4. 4Begin participation

About This Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Study in New York

Spinal cord associative plasticity (SCAP) is a combined cortical and spinal electrical stimulation technique developed to induce recovery of arm and hand function in spinal cord injury. The proposed study will advance understanding of SCAP, which is critical to its effective translation to human therapy. The purpose of the study is to: 1. Determine whether signaling through the spinal cord to the muscles can be strengthened by electrical stimulation. 2. Improve our understanding of the spinal cord and how it produces movement. 3. Determine whether spinal surgery to relieve pressure on the spinal cord can improve its function. Aim 1 is designed to advance mechanistic understanding of spinal cord associative plasticity (SCAP). Aim 2 will determine whether SCAP increases spinal cord excitability after the period of repetitive pairing. In rats, SCAP augments muscle activation for hours after just 5 minutes of paired stimuli. Whereas Aims 1 and 2 focused on the effects of paired stimulation in the context of uninjured spinal cord, Aim 3 assesses whether paired stimulation can be effective across injured cord segments. Aim 3 will incorporate the experiments from Aim 1 and 2 but in people with SCI, either traumatic or pre-operative patients with myelopathy in non-invasive experiments, or targeting myelopathic segments in intraoperative segments.

Sponsor: Columbia University

Who Can Participate

Inclusion Criteria

(All participants)
Age between 18-80 years.
Must have stable prescription medication for 30 days prior to screening
Must be able to: abstain from alcohol, smoking and caffeine consumption on the day of each experiment; abstain from recreational drugs for the entirety of the study; commit to study requirements (i.e., 7 visits); provide informed consent. (Able-bodied participants)
No known central or peripheral neurological disease or injury. (SCI participants - including patients scheduled for intraoperative procedures)
Score of 1-4 (out of 5) on manual muscle testing of finger extension, finger flexion, or finger abduction in left or right hand.

Exclusion Criteria

(All participants)
Personal or extensive family history of seizures;
Ventilator dependence or patent tracheostomy site;
Use of medications that significantly lower seizure threshold, such as amphetamines, neuroleptics, dalfampridine, and bupropion;
History of stroke, brain tumor, brain abscess, or multiple sclerosis;
History of moderate or severe head trauma (loss of consciousness for greater than one hour or evidence of brain contusion or hemorrhage or depressed skull fracture on prior imaging);
History of implanted brain/spine/nerve stimulators, aneurysm clips, ferromagnetic metallic implants in the head (except for inside mouth); cochlear implants; cardiac pacemaker/defibrillator; intracardiac lines; currently increased intracranial pressure; or other contraindications to brain or spine stimulation;
Significant coronary artery or cardiac conduction disease; recent history of myocardial infarction and heart failure with an ejection fraction of less than 30% or with a New York Heart Association Functional Classification of Class III or IV;
Recent history (within past 6 months) of recurrent autonomic dysreflexia, defined as a syndrome of sudden rise in systolic pressure greater than 20 mm Hg or diastolic pressure greater than 10 mm Hg, without rise in heart rate, accompanied by symptoms such as headache, facial flushing, sweating, nasal congestion, and blurry vision (this will be closely monitored during all screening and testing procedures);
History of significant hearing problems;
History of bipolar disorder;
History of suicide attempt;
Active psychosis;
Recent history (\>1 year) of chemical substance dependency or significant psychosocial disturbance;
Heavy alcohol consumption (greater than equivalent of 5oz of liquor) within previous 48 hours;
Open skin lesions over the face, neck, shoulders, or arms;
Pregnancy; and
Unsuitable for study participation as determined by study physician. INTRA-OPERATIVE Inclusion Criteria:
Clinical indication for cervical spine surgery. Exclusion criteria: (For experiments involving cortical stimulation)
A history of skull surgery with metal implants;
Cochlear implants;
Patients with aneurysm stents in neck or brain blood vessels;
Evidence of skull shrapnel; (For experiments involving spinal cord stimulation)
Stimulation devices in the neck or chest (e.g., vagal nerve stimulation, cardiac patients with pacemakers)

Not sure if you qualify? Submit your interest and a study coordinator will help determine your eligibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:Is this study available in New York?

Yes, this clinical trial (NCT05163639) has an active research site in New York, NY that is currently enrolling participants.

Q:Is it safe to participate?

Clinical trials follow strict safety guidelines and ethical standards. This study has been reviewed and approved, and participants are closely monitored by medical professionals. You can withdraw at any time.

Q:Will I be compensated?

Many clinical trials offer compensation for your time and travel expenses. Specific compensation details will be discussed during the screening process. All study-related medical care is provided at no cost.

Q:Can I leave the trial if I change my mind?

Absolutely. Participation is completely voluntary. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without penalty.

Still have questions? Our study coordinators are here to help.

Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Options in New York, NY

If you're searching for cervical spinal cord injury treatment options in New York, NY, this clinical trial (NCT05163639) may be an excellent opportunity. Clinical trials provide access to cutting-edge treatments that aren't yet available to the general public, often at no cost to participants.

Our New York research site is actively enrolling participants for this clinical trial. You'll receive care from experienced cervical spinal cord injury specialists who are at the forefront of medical research. All study-related care, including examinations, treatments, and monitoring, is provided at no cost to qualified participants.

Looking for more options? Browse all cervical spinal cord injury clinical trials near you to find additional studies recruiting in your area.

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