A recent clinical trial published in Nature Medicine reveals that a non-invasive device for spinal cord stimulation can enhance arm and hand function in 43 individuals with quadriplegia. The study, involving 60 participants, demonstrates the safety and efficacy of this therapy.
Spinal cord injuries disrupt communication between the brain and spinal cord, which is crucial for regulating neural functions. Damage to the cervical spine (neck region) often impairs hand and arm functions. Previous studies have shown that electrical stimulation of the corresponding spinal segments containing neurons involved in controlling these functions can restore damaged neural functions. However, these methods typically require invasive surgery to implant electrodes at specific locations on the spinal cord.
A team from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (EPFL) developed a non-invasive device called ARCEX, which delivers electrical currents to the spinal cord through surface electrodes to modulate neurons within the target spinal segments. To assess the impact and effectiveness of this device on arm and hand function, the team conducted a multicenter open-label clinical trial involving 65 patients with quadriplegia due to spinal cord injury. The trial only recruited patients with injuries sustained for 12 months or longer.
All participants in the trial underwent two months of standardized clinic-based rehabilitation training, followed by an additional two months of the same rehabilitation training combined with ARCEX therapy. No safety issues related to ARCEX therapy were observed during the process. Among the 60 participants who completed the trial, 43 individuals showed improvements in strength and function domains. Participants demonstrated enhanced pinch strength, hand movements, strength, and sensory abilities, leading to reported improvements in quality of life.
The trial results indicate that ARCEX therapy is safe and effective, offering a new treatment modality to aid in neural recovery and enhance hand and arm function in individuals with chronic cervical spine injuries.
