Evaluating Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Improve Motor Function in Adults with Spinal Cord Injury A Placebo-Controlled Study at Oslo University Hospital

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the potential benefits of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation rTMS on motor function recovery in adults with spinal cord injuries. This study focuses on patients with incomplete cervical or thoracic spinal cord injury classified as ASIA C or D. The goal is to assess whether non-invasive stimulation of the primary motor cortex can improve motor functions and support future development of new treatments. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups one receiving active intermittent theta burst stimulation delivered by a figure-of-eight coil targeting the leg area of the primary motor cortex at 90% motor threshold, and the other receiving placebo stimulation with a coil that produces skin tingling but no brain stimulation. The treatment consists of 15 stimulation sessions over three weeks. During the 12-week follow-up period, participants will undergo various electrophysiological and functional tests to assess motor functions of upper and lower limbs, including motor evoked potentials, spasticity measurements, the Nine-Hole Peg Test, and the 10-meter walking test. Pain levels and self-reported autonomic functions will also be evaluated. This monitoring aims to measure the treatments impact and safety throughout the study duration.

Efficacy of rTMS Treatment After Spinal Cord Injury