Condition: Spinal Cord Injury, Chronic · Spinal Cord Injury Cervical · Spinal Cord Injury Thoracic · Sponsor: Thomas Jefferson University
Spinal cord injuries (SCI) can seriously affect a person's ability to breathe. This happens because the injury can damage the nerves that control the muscles used for breathing. As a result, people with SCI often face breathing problems, a higher risk of lung infections, and even early death. While breathing exercises can help strengthen these muscles, they often aren't intense enough to make a big difference, especially in people with long-term injuries. This research project is exploring a new way to improve breathing in people with chronic SCI. The goal is to "wake up" the remaining nerve pathways that still connect the brain and spinal cord to the breathing muscles. By doing this, the investigators hope to make breathing exercises more effective and improve overall respiratory health. The investigators are testing a combination of two non-invasive (non-surgical) techniques: Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation (tSCS): This uses small electrical pulses delivered through the skin to stimulate the spinal cord and help activate the muscles used for breathing. Hypercapnic-Hypoxia Protocol (HiCO₂-AIH): This involves breathing air with lower oxygen and higher carbon dioxide for short periods. This naturally increases the brain's drive to breathe and may help strengthen the breathing muscles. The investigators believe that using these two techniques together will "prime" the nervous system, making it more responsive to breathing exercises. This could lead to better outcome…
This description comes directly from the study's public registry record.
Jay Nair, PT, PhD · 13528715888 · nairlab@jefferson.edu
Dana R Johnson, PT, DPT · 215-326-9153 · jayakrishnan.nair@jefferson.edu
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Source record: clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07135583