Cited by 149Spinal Cord Injury ResearchStroke Rehabilitation and RecoveryNeuroscience and Neural Engineering

Brain-controlled modulation of spinal circuits improves recovery from spinal cord injury

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Bonizzato, Marco, Pidpruzhnykova, Galyna, DiGiovanna, Jack, Shkorbatova, Polina, Pavlova, Natalia, Micera, Silvestro, Courtine, Grégoire·2018·Nature Communications

Abstract

The delivery of brain-controlled neuromodulation therapies during motor rehabilitation may augment recovery from neurological disorders. To test this hypothesis, we conceived a brain-controlled neuromodulation therapy that combines the technical and practical features necessary to be deployed daily during gait rehabilitation. Rats received a severe spinal cord contusion that led to leg paralysis. We engineered a proportional brain–spine interface whereby cortical ensemble activity constantly determines the amplitude of spinal cord stimulation protocols promoting leg flexion during swing. After minimal calibration time and without prior training, this neural bypass enables paralyzed rats to walk overground and adjust foot clearance in order to climb a staircase. Compared to continuous spinal cord stimulation, brain-controlled stimulation accelerates and enhances the long-term recovery of locomotion. These results demonstrate the relevance of brain-controlled neuromodulation therapies to augment recovery from motor disorders, establishing important proofs-of-concept that warrant clinical studies.

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  • In preclinical models, neurorehabilitation supported by a digital bridge triggered superior recovery compared to epidural electrical stimulation alone.

    “In preclinical models, neurorehabilitation supported by a digital bridge triggered superior recovery compared to epidural electrical stimulation alone15.”

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Authors
Bonizzato, M., Pidpruzhnykova, G., DiGiovanna, J., Shkorbatova, P., Pavlova, N., Micera, S., & Courtine, G.
Affiliations
  • École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
  • Pavlov Institute of Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RU)
  • Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna (IT)
  • Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (CH)
Corresponding author
Courtine, Grégoire
Venue
Nature Communications
Published
2018-08-01
Volume
9
Issue
1
Pages
3015-3015
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2882976771
Cited by
149
References
38
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 4
FWCI
10.84
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • SERVAL (Université de Lausanne) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • IRIS (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PolyPublie (École Polytechnique de Montréal) (submittedVersion)
  • CINECA IRIS Institutional Research Information System (Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation
  • Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering
  • Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (160696)
  • H2020 European Research Council (682999)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Spinal Cord Injury Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
Keywords
spinal cord injury, spinal cord stimulation, locomotor recovery, gait rehabilitation, leg paralysis, overground walking, foot clearance, stair climbing
MeSH terms
Animals, Brain, Electromyography, Electric Stimulation Therapy, Extremities, Female, Gait, Locomotion, Muscles, Nerve Net, Rats, Inbred Lew, Spinal Cord, Spinal Cord Injuries, Reproducibility of Results, Walking, Recovery of Function

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