Muscle zaps may sharpen aging brains after spinal cord injury
NCT ID NCT05822297
First seen Jul 16, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study explores whether electrically stimulating the leg muscles of people with spinal cord injury can improve cognitive function. Participants will receive 12 weeks of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to their quadriceps, three times a week. Researchers will measure changes in cognitive test performance and blood levels of a brain-health protein called BDNF. The goal is to understand if muscle-released factors (myokines) can help counter accelerated cognitive aging in this population.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) applied to the quadriceps muscles
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a non-drug way to slow cognitive decline in people with spinal cord injury.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early study with only 15 participants and no control group, so results may not be generalizable. The cognitive benefits seen in able-bodied people may not apply here.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Adelante Zorggroep
Maastricht, Limburg, 6430 AB, Netherlands
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