Closed-loop vagus nerve stimulation aids recovery from spinal cord injury.
rct · Level II
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 40399668.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41586-025-09028-5 and PMC identifier 12286844.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Decades of research have demonstrated that recovery from serious neurological injury will require synergistic therapeutic approaches. Rewiring spared neural circuits after injury is a long-standing goal of neurorehabilitation<sup>1,2</sup>. We hypothesized that combining intensive, progressive, task-focused training with real-time closed-loop vagus nerve stimulation (CLV) to enhance synaptic plasticity<sup>3</sup> could increase strength, expand range of motion and improve hand function in people with chronic, incomplete cervical spinal cord injury. Here we report the results from a prospective, double-blinded, sham-controlled, randomized study combining gamified physical therapy using force and motion sensors to deliver sham or active CLV (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04288245). After 12 weeks of therapy composed of a miniaturized implant selectively activating the vagus nerve on successful movements, 19 people exhibited a significant beneficial effect on arm and hand strength and the ability to perform activities of daily living. CLV represents a promising therapeutic avenue for people with chronic, incomplete cervical spinal cord injury.
Medical subject headings
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Vagus Nerve Stimulation
- Recovery of Function
- Vagus Nerve
Anatomy
- hand