Study of Electrical Stimulation and Walking Training Effects on Brain and Muscle Connections in Healthy Adults Ages 18 to 65

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how electrical stimulation combined with walking practice impacts the connections between the brain and muscles in able-bodied adults. The goal is to develop new personalized rehabilitation methods based on understanding how brain and spinal circuits respond to these stimulations to improve walking performance. This preliminary study focuses on healthy individuals to explore changes in brain circuits and gait performance induced by electrical stimulation and stepping practice. Participants will take part in 1 to 5 sessions over 2 to 8 weeks. Sessions include treadmill or overground walking practice with or without functional electrical stimulation FES applied to leg muscles. FES is delivered during specific phases of walking using a specialized device to stimulate ankle muscles. Some participants will also undergo paired associative stimulation combining peripheral electrical stimulation and cortical magnetic pulses. Walking bouts range from 30 seconds to 6 minutes with rest breaks. During visits lasting up to 5 hours each, researchers will measure brain and spinal cord circuit excitability noninvasively before, during, and after walking or stimulation sessions. Assessments include gait performance and neurophysiology tests lasting up to 36 minutes. The study tracks changes in how brain and spinal circuits control muscles and walking ability. Participants safety, ability to follow commands, and informed consent are ensured throughout the study, which continues until December 2026.

AB Gait Estim Neurophysiology