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Neural population dynamics reveals disruption of spinal circuits' responses to proprioceptive input during electrical stimulation of sensory afferents.

ABSTRACT: While neurostimulation technologies are rapidly approaching clinical applications for sensorimotor disorders, the impact of electrical stimulation on network dynamics is still unknown. Given the high degree of shared processing in neural structures, it is critical to understand if neurostimulation affects functions that are related to, but not targeted by, the intervention. Here, we approach this question by studying the effects of electrical stimulation of cutaneous afferents on unrelated processing of proprioceptive inputs. We recorded intraspinal neural activity in four monkeys while generating proprioceptive inputs from the radial nerve. We then applied continuous stimulation to the radial nerve cutaneous branch and quantified the impact of the stimulation on spinal processing of proprioceptive inputs via neural population dynamics. Proprioceptive pulses consistently produce neural trajectories that are disrupted by concurrent cutaneous stimulation. This disruption propagates to the somatosensory cortex, suggesting that electrical stimulation can perturb natural information processing across the neural axis.

SUBMITTER: Katic Secerovic N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10962447 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Neural population dynamics reveals disruption of spinal circuits' responses to proprioceptive input during electrical stimulation of sensory afferents.

Katic Secerovic Natalija N Balaguer Josep-Maria JM Gorskii Oleg O Pavlova Natalia N Liang Lucy L Ho Jonathan J Grigsby Erinn E Gerszten Peter C PC Karal-Ogly Dzhina D Bulgin Dmitry D Orlov Sergei S Pirondini Elvira E Musienko Pavel P Raspopovic Stanisa S Capogrosso Marco M

Cell reports 20240119 2

While neurostimulation technologies are rapidly approaching clinical applications for sensorimotor disorders, the impact of electrical stimulation on network dynamics is still unknown. Given the high degree of shared processing in neural structures, it is critical to understand if neurostimulation affects functions that are related to, but not targeted by, the intervention. Here, we approach this question by studying the effects of electrical stimulation of cutaneous afferents on unrelated proce ...[more]

PMID: 38245870

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Project description:IntroductionThe first months following a spinal cord injury (SCI) are crucial for promoting recovery. However, patients with high SCIs often require prolonged stays in intensive care units (ICUs), delaying optimal rehabilitation due to limited resources. This study examined the safety, feasibility, and effects on spasticity and muscle atrophy of an early rehabilitation technique using non-invasive sensory stimulation and called functional proprioceptive stimulation (FPS).Materials and methodsTen SCI patients were included in this randomized pilot study, with five receiving early FPS and five receiving sham stimulation. Both groups were treated using the Vibramoov, consisting of 12 computer-synchronized vibrators placed on the lower limbs. Treatment sessions lasted 30 min, four times a week, for up to 8 weeks. Spasticity was assessed using the Modified Ashworth Scale, Tardieu Scale, Spinal Cord Assessment Tool for Spastic Reflexes, and a patient self-evaluation with a visual analog scale. Muscle atrophy was evaluated through ultrasonography of rectus femoris thickness and cross-sectional area. The duration of the follow-up period ranged from 6 months to 1 year.ResultsTreatment began early, with a median of 4 days post-injury for both groups. The number of adverse events was similar between groups, with none linked to the intervention. No medium-term effects on spasticity or muscle atrophy could be identified. However, our results show a tendency toward a beneficial short-term effect of FPS on spasticity, observed for all spasticity measurements.DiscussionThis pilot study shows that early FPS is feasible and safe for SCI as early as the intensive care unit stage. We demonstrated that FPS induced a transient relaxation and spasticity reduction that could potentially enhance a rehabilitation session administered shortly after it, but larger studies are needed to determine the medium and long-term effects.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifier (NCT05094752).

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Neural population dynamics reveals disruption of spinal circuits' responses to proprioceptive input during electrical stimulation of sensory afferents.

Publications

Neural population dynamics reveals disruption of spinal circuits' responses to proprioceptive input during electrical stimulation of sensory afferents.

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