Could a zapping device boost arm recovery in spinal injury?
NCT ID NCT04288245
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests a device that stimulates the vagus nerve during arm rehabilitation exercises to see if it helps people with spinal cord injuries regain upper limb function. Twenty adults with chronic cervical spinal cord injury will receive either active or placebo stimulation during therapy sessions. The main goal is to check safety, with a secondary look at whether the device is practical and potentially effective.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) device
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a new way to improve arm and hand function after spinal cord injury by pairing nerve stimulation with rehabilitation.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early safety study with only 20 participants. The device may not provide meaningful benefit, and risks from nerve stimulation are still being assessed.
Disclaimer
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This is a summary of
the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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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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Baylor University Medical Center
Dallas, Texas, 75246, United States