Feinstein Institutes awarded $3.6M for spinal cord injury research
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The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research has been awarded a $3.6 million grant, to be distributed over 5 years, from the New York State Department of Health for the study of spinal cord simulation and novel brain implant technology.
The grant will be used for research to better understand what happens to the brain and body after a spinal cord injury, and to develop new methods of treatment using bioelectronic medicine to regain movement and sensation, a release from the institutes stated.
Chad Bouton, vice president of advanced engineering and professor at the Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine at Feinstein, will lead the research to assess whether cervical stimulation, alone and in combination with brain implants, can promote lasting movement.
“Losing movement in all four limbs makes tasks like getting out of bed, brushing your teeth and getting dressed impossible,” Bouton said in the release. “There is a drastic deterioration in quality of life, and currently there is no cure for permanent paralysis.”
Previous research from Bouton and colleagues showed that cervical stimulation applied at the base of the neck can lead to improved recovery after injury. The new study will analyze the combination of cervical stimulation and brain-computer interface technology that is implanted into the brain.
“With the state’s generous support, we have the potential to study new bioelectronic medicine solutions that could restore movement for those living with spinal cord injuries,” Bouton said.
According to the release, the new study will enroll 12 participants who will receive over-the-skin spinal cord stimulation for 12 months, and two participants who will begin the same stimulation for several months, followed by 6 months of brain-computer interface technology.
Participants will conduct tasks while receiving cervical stimulation. The study’s goal is to observe the stimulation’s effect on the brain’s activity patterns, as well as arm and hand movements to restore long-term control of the muscles.