Spinal zaps may reboot arm movement after paralysis or stroke

NCT ID NCT06596369

Disease control Sponsor: University of Alberta Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study is testing whether a noninvasive device that sends mild electrical pulses through the skin to the spinal cord can help improve arm and hand function in people with stroke or spinal cord injury. Researchers will measure changes in nerve activity and movement skills in 30 participants over several months. The goal is to understand how to best use this stimulation to aid recovery.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (a device that sends mild electrical pulses through the skin to the spinal cord)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a noninvasive way to help people regain arm and hand function after stroke or spinal cord injury.
What could go wrong: This is a small pilot study with only 30 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The stimulation is still experimental, and it is not yet known if it will lead to meaningful functional improvements.

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Study facts

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

Phase

Phase 2/3

Runs two stages together: whether the treatment works, then large-scale confirmation.

Participants

About 30 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Jun 2024

Expected to finish

Dec 2029

An estimate. End dates often move.

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

18 to 75 years

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: SCI cohort: * individuals aged 18 to 75 years of age who have suffered a spinal cord injury * cervical level injury (C3 to C8) * at least 1-year post-injury * for individuals taking medications for spasmolysis or muscle relaxation (e.g. oral baclofen, tizanidine, dantrolene, vigabatrin, gabapentin, or benzodiazepine), dose and regimen must be stable for at least 4 weeks prior to screening Stroke cohort: * individuals aged 18-75 years of age who have suffered any type of stroke resulting in upper extremity motor dysfunction with partially preserved motor function * ≥ 6 months post-stroke * At least 4 months since last BoNT injection for treatment of spasticity or any other condition or ≤ 2 months after study completion * for individuals taking medications for spasmolysis or muscle relaxation (e.g. oral baclofen, tizanidine, dantrolene, vigabatrin, gabapentin, or benzodiazepine), dose and regimen must be stable for at least 4 weeks prior to screening Exclusion Criteria: * pregnant women * aphasia or dysphasia * spasticity grade Modified Ashworth Scale ≥ 3 Transcranial magnetic stimulation-specific exclusion criteria (both cohorts) * participants with active or inactive implants including cardiac pacemakers, implantable defibrillators, ocular implants, deep brain stimulators, vagus nerve stimulator, and implanted medication pumps * participants with conductive, ferromagnetic or other magnetic-sensitive metals implanted in their head * participants with a history of seizures or epilepsy * participants taking any medication which may reduce seizure threshold

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

spinal cord injury stroke disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Spinal cord injuries Stroke

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

The places running it

2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
The official record

ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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A doctor treating you

A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Spinal zaps may reboot arm movement after paralysis or stroke

What the study statuses mean