Home › Cerebral Palsy › NCT07607665
Spinal Cord Associative Plasticity in Cerebral Palsy
Paired Stimulation of Hand Motor Cortex and Median Nerve to Induce Spinal Cord Plasticity in Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy
Who can join
Ages 18 to 80 · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Maintenance of caffeine and exercise levels at time of sessions * Ability to provide informed consent * Manual ability classification system (MACS) level I to III Exclusion Criteria: * History of seizures in last two years * Use of medications that lower seizure threshold * History of implanted equipment including stimulators/pacemakers
About the study
Associative plasticity has been used to promote functional recovery from conditions affecting movement. The long term goal of this project is to use electrical stimulation techniques to improve arm and hand function. The goal of this prospective experimental study in adults with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (hCP) is to test the effects of pairing hand motor cortical and median nerve stimulation targeted to induce plasticity in the cervical spinal cord. Based on preliminary data in neurotypical adults, the investigators are testing the effects of this approach in adults with hCP.
This study will first verify the present stimulation parameters as sufficient to promote induction of associative plasticity of sensorimotor connections for manual dexterity in adults with hCP. This will be assessed through neurophysiological, biomechanical, and clinical functional outcome measures. Successful pairing showing meaningful improvements in dexterity could then be used as an impetus for a larger study examining the efficacy of SCAP in people with hCP.
What is being tested
- Paired brain and nerve stimulation (device)
Sponsor: Columbia University · Participants: 25 · Started: Jul 27, 2026
Contact the study team
- Shaker Dukkipati, MD, PhD · Phone: 2123046501
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07607665
Locations in the U.S.
| New York | Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.