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Spinal cord stimulation may help restore movement after paralysis

NCT ID NCT04736849

Disease control Sponsor: Peter J. Grahn, Ph.D. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 16, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study tests whether electrical stimulation of the spinal cord can improve motor function and reduce spasticity in people with spinal cord injury. Participants receive epidural and dorsal root stimulation during 10 rehabilitation sessions. The study measures changes in muscle activity, foot pressure, and trunk balance.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
electrical stimulation of the spinal cord via implanted leads
What this could lead to
If successful, this approach could help restore some movement and reduce muscle stiffness in people with spinal cord injury.
What could go wrong
This is a small early-stage pilot study with only 22 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The stimulation involves surgery and carries risks like infection or lead movement.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

22 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Sep 2021

Finished

Mar 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

22 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Spinal cord injury due to trauma located at or above the tenth thoracic vertebrae * American Spinal Injury Association grading scale of A, B, C, or D * Intact spinal reflexes below the level of SCI * SCI must have occurred at least 1 year prior to study enrollment * At least 22 years of age * If female, must be willing to use medically-acceptable method of contraception during study participation Exclusion Criteria: * Currently a prison inmate, or awaiting trial, related to criminal activity * Pregnancy at the time of screening for trial enrollment * Active, untreated urinary tract infection * Unhealed decubitus ulcer * Unhealed skeletal fracture * Spinal abnormality that may impede percutaneous implantation of spinal electrodes * Untreated clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorder * Joint contractures that impede typical range of motion * Non-MRI-compatible implanted medical devices * Other implanted stimulation devices (e.g. deep brain stimulator, cardiac pacemaker, diaphragmatic pacer, etc.) * Undergoing, or planning to undergo, diathermy treatment * Active participation in an interventional clinical trial * History of clinically-diagnosed cardiopulmonary disorder, such as severe orthostatic hypotension, which may impede participation in rehabilitation activities such as changes in body position such as supine-to-sit-to-stand activities, prolonged standing, or stepping * History of frequent and/or severe autonomic dysreflexia * History of seizure disorder * Any illness or condition which, based on the research team's assessment, will compromise with the patient's ability to comply with the protocol, patient safety, or the validity of the data collected during this study

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

palsy paraplegia quadriplegia spinal cord injury

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Paralysis Paraplegia Spinal cord injuries Tetraplegia

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Mayo Clinic

    Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States

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