Can thinking about movement help paralyzed legs walk again?

NCT ID NCT07768930

NEW Ongoing Disease control Sponsor: Santos Dumont Institute Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Aug 17, 2026 · Last updated Aug 17, 2026

Summary

This trial tests whether a brain-computer interface (BCI) can guide electrical stimulation to improve leg muscle activation and walking in people with spinal cord injury. Participants imagine moving their ankles while a device reads their brain signals and triggers electrical stimulation to assist the movement. The study aims to see if this combined approach improves muscle function, walking patterns, and independence.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Brain-computer interface-guided functional electrical stimulation during gait training
What this could lead to: If successful, this approach could offer a new way to improve leg muscle activation and walking patterns in people with spinal cord injury, potentially enhancing rehabilitation outcomes.
What could go wrong: This is a very small early-stage trial (10 participants), so results may not apply broadly. The intervention is complex and may not produce meaningful improvements for all participants.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

spinal cord injury

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

SPINAL CORD INJURY

Contacts and locations

Locations

Santos Dumont Institute

Macaíba, Rio Grande do Norte, 59288-999, Brazil

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