Closed-Loop Vagus Nerve Stimulation Aids Recovery From Spinal Cord Injury

Closed-loop vagus nerve stimulation aids recovery from spinal cord injury

Decades of research have demonstrated that recovery from serious neurological injury will require synergistic therapeutic approaches. Rewiring spared neural circuits after injury is a long-standing goal of neurorehabilitation1,2. We hypothesized that combining intensive, progressive, task-focused training with real-time closed-loop vagus nerve stimulation (CLV) to enhance synaptic plasticity3 could increase strength, expand range of motion and i…

Vagus nerve stimulation shows promise for spinal cord injury recovery

People with incomplete cervical spinal cord injuries showed improvements to their hand and arm movements after receiving a targeted form of vagus nerve stimulation

Implanted Device Restores Arm Function After Spinal Cord Injury

A groundbreaking clinical study shows that closed-loop vagus nerve stimulation (CLV), paired with rehabilitation, can significantly improve arm and hand function in people with chronic spinal cord injuries. The therapy uses a tiny implanted device that sends timed electrical pulses to the brain when patients perform successful movements, helping rewire neural circuits.

VNS Clinical Trial Shows Improvements for Spinal Cord Injuries

The leadership group for the Texas Biomedical Device Center includes, from left, Dr. Michael Kilgard, Dr. Jane Wigginton, Dr. Seth Hays and Dr. Robert Rennaker. In a new clinical study, researchers from the Texas Biomedical Device Center (TxBDC) at The University of Texas at Dallas demonstrated unprecedented rates of recovery for spinal cord injuries. In […]