Building on recent improvements, state-of-the-art functional MRI will be applied as an advanced diagnostic tool for the lumbosacral cord in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients to characterize the remaining neuronal activity of the motor and sensory neurons. Alterations in the activity pattern will reveal the effect upon task-related spinal cord activity of the lower motor neurons and sensory neurons undergoing trauma-induced neurodegeneration, at a spatial specificity that has not been possible so far. Results of this study will be of crucial importance because SCI patients can only profit from regeneration-inducing therapies if spinal neuronal function is preserved below the level of lesion.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
225
Balgrist University Hospital
Zurich, Switzerland
RECRUITINGCross-sectional study: lumbosacral functional fMRI
Activations in the gray matter of the lumbosacral cord, as a response to sensory, motor, and somatosensory stimulations, or no stimulation (resting state). Spatiotemporal components of the BOLD signal as well as the couplings and anti-couplings between these components
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: lumbosacral functional fMRI
Activations in the gray matter of the lumbosacral cord, as a response to sensory, motor, and somatosensory stimulations, or no stimulation (resting state). Spatiotemporal components of the BOLD signal as well as the couplings and anti-couplings between these component
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: brain functional MRI
Activations in the cortical and subcortical areas of the brain as a response to sensory, motor, and somatosensory stimulations, or no stimulation (resting state)
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: brain functional MRI
Activations in the cortical and subcortical areas of the brain as a response to sensory, motor, and somatosensory stimulations, or no stimulation (resting state)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: diffusion MRI in the spinal cord
Directional diffusivities in the spinal cord (units of mm2/s)
Time frame: Baseline only
Cross-sectional study: diffusion MRI in the spinal cord
Fractional anisotropy in the spinal cord (unitless)
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: diffusion MRI in the spinal cord
Directional diffusivities in the spinal cord, measured (units of mm2/s)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Longitudinal study: diffusion MRI in the spinal cord
Fractional anisotropy in the spinal cord (unitless)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: structural MRI in spinal cord
Cross-sectional areas of the spinal cord gray and white matter (units of mm2)
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: structural MRI in spinal cord
Cross-sectional areas of the spinal cord gray and white matter (units of mm2)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: magnetic resonance neurography of the lumbosacral plexus
Thickness of nerves and nerve roots (units of mm2)
Time frame: Baseline only
Cross-sectional study: magnetic resonance neurography of the lumbosacral plexus
Nerve entry points into the spinal cord (for determining neurological levels)
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: magnetic resonance neurography of the lumbosacral plexus
Thickness of nerves and nerve roots (units of mm2)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Longitudinal study: magnetic resonance neurography of the lumbosacral plexus
Nerve entry points into the spinal cord (for determining neurological levels)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: diffusion MRI in the brain
Directional diffusivities in the brain (units of mm2/s)
Time frame: Baseline only
Cross-sectional study: diffusion MRI in the brain
Fractional anisotropy in the brain (unitless)
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: diffusion MRI in the brain
Directional diffusivities in the brain (units of mm2/s)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Longitudinal study: diffusion MRI in the brain
Fractional anisotropy in the brain (unitless)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: structural MRI in the brain
Cortical thickness (units of mm)
Time frame: Baseline only
Cross-sectional study: structural MRI in the brain
Volumes of the brain gray and white matter (units of mm3)
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: structural MRI in the brain
Cortical thickness (units of mm)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Longitudinal study: structural MRI in the brain
Volumes of the brain gray and white matter (units of mm3)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: nerve conduction study
Latencies of F waves (units of ms). Period between initial stimulation and F wave elicitation in the tibial and peroneal motor nerves.
Time frame: Baseline only
Cross-sectional study: nerve conduction study
Amplitudes of F waves in the tibial and peroneal motor nerves (units of microV)
Time frame: Baseline only
Cross-sectional study: nerve conduction study
Duration of F waves in the tibial and peroneal motor (units of ms)
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: nerve conduction study
Latencies of F waves (units of ms). Period between initial stimulation and F wave elicitation in the tibial and peroneal motor nerves.
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Longitudinal study: nerve conduction study
Amplitudes of F waves in the tibial and peroneal motor nerves (units of microV)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Longitudinal study: nerve conduction study
Duration of F waves in the tibial and peroneal motor (units of ms)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: motor evoked potentials (MEP)
Latencies (units of ms)
Time frame: Baseline only
Cross-sectional study: motor evoked potentials (MEP)
Amplitudes (units of mV)
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: motor evoked potentials (MEP)
Latencies (units of ms)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Longitudinal study: motor evoked potentials (MEP)
Amplitudes (units of mV)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) from the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) protocol
AIS quantifies the severity of the spinal cord injury. AIS (ASIA Impairment Scale) grades from A-E, whereas grade A (complete spinal cord injury) is worse than grade E (no impairment)
Time frame: Baseline only
Cross-sectional study: Lower Extremities Motor Scale (LEMS) from the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) protocol
LEMS is based on assessments of ISNCSCI and composed from the sum of muscle function grading of the five key muscles of the lower limbs. It consists of a 6-point scale (0=no; 5=normal activity) for each muscle and body site. The lowest possible score in the total LEMS score for one body site is 0 (symptomatic); the highest possible score is 50 (asymptomatic)
Time frame: Baseline only
Cross-sectional study: Upper Extremities Motor Scale (UEMS) from the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) protocol
UEMS is based on assessments of ISNCSCI and composed from the sum of muscle function grading of the five key muscles of the upper limbs. It consists of a 6-point scale (0=no; 5=normal activity) for each muscle and body site. The lowest possible score in the total UEMS score for one body site is 0 (symptomatic); the highest possible score is 50 (asymptomatic)
Time frame: Baseline only
Cross-sectional study: Light touch (LT) score from the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) protocol
The LT score is based on assessments of ISNCSCI and represents the sum of sensory function of 28 dermatome pairs in terms of light touch sensation. It consists of a 2-point scale (0=absent sensation; 1=altered (impaired or partial sensation, including hyperesthesia); 2 = normal or intact sensation) for each dermatome and body site. The lowest and highest possible LT score for one body site is 0 and 56, respectively
Time frame: Baseline only
Cross-sectional study: Pin prick (PP) score from the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) protocol
The PP score is based on assessments of ISNCSCI and represents the sum of sensory function of 28 dermatome pairs in terms of pin prick discrimination. It consists of a 2-point scale (0=absent discrimination; 1=altered (impaired or partial discrimination); 2 = normal or intact discrimination) for each dermatome and body site. The lowest and highest possible PP score for one body site is 0 and 56, respectively
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) from the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) protocol
AIS quantifies the severity of the spinal cord injury. AIS (ASIA Impairment Scale) grades from A-E, whereas grade A (complete spinal cord injury) is worse than grade E (no impairment).
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Longitudinal study: Lower Extremities Motor Scale (LEMS) from the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) protocol
LEMS is based on assessments of ISNCSCI and composed from the sum of muscle function grading of the five key muscles of the lower limbs. It consists of a 6-point scale (0=no; 5=normal activity) for each muscle and body site. The lowest possible score in the total LEMS score for one body site is 0 (symptomatic); the highest possible score is 50 (asymptomatic)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Longitudinal study: Upper Extremities Motor Scale (UEMS) from the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) protocol
UEMS is based on assessments of ISNCSCI and composed from the sum of muscle function grading of the five key muscles of the upper limbs. It consists of a 6-point scale (0=no; 5=normal activity) for each muscle and body site. The lowest possible score in the total UEMS score for one body site is 0 (symptomatic); the highest possible score is 50 (asymptomatic)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Longitudinal study: Light touch (LT) score from the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) protocol
The LT score is based on assessments of ISNCSCI and represents the sum of sensory function of 28 dermatome pairs in terms of light touch sensation. It consists of a 2-point scale (0=absent sensation; 1=altered (impaired or partial sensation, including hyperesthesia); 2 = normal or intact sensation) for each dermatome and body site. The lowest and highest possible LT score for one body site is 0 and 56, respectively
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Longitudinal study: Pin prick (PP) score from the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) protocol
The PP score is based on assessments of ISNCSCI and represents the sum of sensory function of 28 dermatome pairs in terms of pin prick discrimination. It consists of a 2-point scale (0=absent discrimination; 1=altered (impaired or partial discrimination); 2 = normal or intact discrimination) for each dermatome and body site. The lowest and highest possible PP score for one body site is 0 and 56, respectively
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: Graded and Redefined Assessment of Strength, Sensation and Prehension (GRASSP)
GRASSP measures sensorimotor and prehension function through three domains (strength, sensation and prehension) which are important in describing arm and hand function. The total GRASSP score ranges from 0 to 116 points, where a higher score indicates a better outcome
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: Graded and Redefined Assessment of Strength, Sensation and Prehension (GRASSP)
GRASSP measures sensorimotor and prehension function through three domains (strength, sensation and prehension) which are important in describing arm and hand function. The total GRASSP score ranges from 0 to 116 points, where a higher score indicates a better outcome
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: European Multicenter Study about SCI (EMSCI) pain questionnaire
The EMSCI pain questionnaire rates various aspects of pain (e.g., current pain intensity, mean and maximal pain intensity during the last week before the assessment, location and quality of pain, intensity of allodynia and paresthesia). Pain intensity is quantified on an 11-point numeric scale (0=no pain; 10=worst imaginable pain)
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: European Multicenter Study about SCI (EMSCI) pain questionnaire
The EMSCI pain questionnaire rates various aspects of pain (e.g., current pain intensity, mean and maximal pain intensity during the last week before the assessment, location and quality of pain, intensity of allodynia and paresthesia). Pain intensity is quantified on an 11-point numeric scale (0=no pain; 10=worst imaginable pain)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: sympathetic skin response including hand, sole and perineum recordings
Latencies (units of ms)
Time frame: Baseline only
Cross-sectional study: sympathetic skin response including hand, sole and perineum recordings
Amplitudes (units of microV)
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: sympathetic skin response including hand, sole and perineum recordings
Latencies (units of ms)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Longitudinal study: sympathetic skin response including hand, sole and perineum recordings
Amplitudes (units of microV)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM III)
The SCIM-III ("Spinal Cord Independence Measure III") score is based on questions concerning independence of persons with a spinal cord injured. It consists of 19 items covering 3 domains, self-care, respiration and sphincter management, and mobility. The self-care subscale ranges from 0 to 20. The respiration and sphincter management subscale ranges from 0 to 40. The mobility subscale ranges from 0 to 40. Total score ranges from 0 (symptomatic) to 100 (asymptomatic). Higher scores reflect higher levels of independence.
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM III)
The SCIM-III ("Spinal Cord Independence Measure III") score is based on questions concerning independence of persons with a spinal cord injured. It consists of 19 items covering 3 domains, self-care, respiration and sphincter management, and mobility. The self-care subscale ranges from 0 to 20. The respiration and sphincter management subscale ranges from 0 to 40. The mobility subscale ranges from 0 to 40. Total score ranges from 0 (symptomatic) to 100 (asymptomatic). Higher scores reflect higher levels of independence
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Cross-sectional study: Walking index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI)
WISCI is an ordinal 20-point scale (0=unable to stand and/or participate in walking; 20=ambulates with no devices, with brace and no assistance) to assess walking function
Time frame: Baseline only
Longitudinal study: Walking index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI)
WISCI is an ordinal 20-point scale (0=unable to stand and/or participate in walking; 20=ambulates with no devices, with brace and no assistance) to assess walking function
Time frame: Change from baseline at 2-month, 6-month, and 12-month
Longitudinal study: International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) (only in patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction)
The IPSS score is based on questions concerning urinary symptoms and quality of life (QoL). It consists of 8 items covering 7 urinary symptoms related dimensions (subscales) and 1 additional item assessing quality of life. Each item is rated on a 6-point scale (0=not at all; 5=almost always). The lowest possible score in the total IPSS score is 0 (asymptomatic); the highest possible score is 35 (symptomatic). The QoL index is rated on a 7-point scale, with 0 indicating "delighted" and 6 "terrible"
Time frame: Change between baseline and follow-up (6-12 weeks of tibial nerve stimulation)
Longitudinal study: Qualiveen questionnaire (only in patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction)
Qualiveen-30 assesses the Specific Impact of Urinary Problems (SIUP) on Quality of Life. It consists of 30 items covering 4 domains, namely inconvenience (9 questions), restrictions (8 questions), fears (8 questions), and impact on daily life (5 questions). Each item is rated on a 5-point ordinal scale (0=asymptomatic; 4=symptomatic). The index of the SIUP on Quality of Life is the mean of the four individual scores. The lowest possible overall score in the Qualiveen-30 is 0 (Urinary problems have no specific impact on QoL); the highest possible score is 30 (Urinary problems have a huge specific impact on QoL)
Time frame: Change between baseline and follow-up (6-12 weeks of tibial nerve stimulation)
Longitudinal study: Urinary Symptom Profile (USP) (only in patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction)
The USP score is based on questions concerning urinary symptoms and their severity in males and females. It consists of 13 items covering 3 dimensions (subscales) with 7 overactive bladder (OAB), 3 stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and 3 low stream (LS) related items. Each item is rated on a 4-point scale. The lowest score is 0 (asymptomatic); the highest score is 3 (symptomatic)
Time frame: Change between baseline and follow-up (6-12 weeks of tibial nerve stimulation)
Longitudinal study: Overactive Bladder (ICIQ-OAB) questionnaire (only in patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction)
International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Overactive Bladder Quality of Life ICIQ-OAB-QoL is a 26-item questionnaire evaluating quality of life (QoL) in patients with overactive bladder. Scores range from 25-160, with greater values indicating increased impact on quality of life
Time frame: Change between baseline and follow-up (6-12 weeks of tibial nerve stimulation)
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