Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31886442›Full record

ArticleClinical neurophysiology practice2019

Paired associative stimulation improves hand function after non-traumatic spinal cord injury: A case series.

Aleksandra Tolmacheva, Sarianna Savolainen, Erika Kirveskari, Nina Brandstack, Jyrki P Mäkelä, Anastasia Shulga

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · goldAbstract readCase Reports
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical neurophysiology practice, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 24 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
24citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.5field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03104803 nacompletednot on this map

Long-term Paired Associative Stimulation as a Treatment for Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury of Non-traumatic Origin

TypeinterventionalSponsorHelsinki University Central HospitalRan2017 to 2018Enrolled5ConditionsSpinal Cord Diseases, Spinal Cord InjuriesArmslong-term paired associative stimulation
NCT04101916 nacompletednot on this map

Paired Associative Stimulation in Subacute Spinal Cord Injury

TypeinterventionalSponsorHelsinki University Central HospitalRan2019 to 2025Enrolled18ConditionsSpinal Cord Injuries, Spinal Cord DiseasesArmsPaired associative stimulation, Sham paired associative stimulation
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

24 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 32 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Paired associative stimulation improves outcomes when applied at the subacute stage after incomplete cervical spinal cord injury.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Aleksandra TolmachevaHUS Medical Imaging Center, BioMag Laboratory, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
Sarianna SavolainenHUS Medical Imaging Center, BioMag Laboratory, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
Erika KirveskariHUS Medical Imaging Center, BioMag Laboratory, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
Nina BrandstackHUS Medical Imaging Center, Radiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
Jyrki P MäkeläHUS Medical Imaging Center, BioMag Laboratory, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
Anastasia ShulgaHUS Medical Imaging Center, BioMag Laboratory, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
Helsinki University Hospital · FIUniversity of Helsinki · FIValidia Rehabilitation · FI

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesLong-term paired associative stimulation (PAS) is a non-invasive combination of transcranial magnetic stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation and leads to improved hand motor function in individuals with incomplete traumatic tetraplegia. Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) can also be induced by neurological diseases. We tested a similar long-term PAS approach in patients with non-traumatic neurological SCI.

methodsIn this case series, five patients with non-traumatic tetraplegia received PAS to the weaker upper limb 3 to 5 times per week for 6 weeks. Patients were evaluated by manual muscle testing (MMT) before and immediately after the therapy and at the 1- and 6-month follow-ups. Patients were also evaluated for spasticity, hand mechanical and digital dynamometry, pinch test and Box and Block test.

resultsMMT values of all patients improved at all post-PAS evaluations. The mean ± standard error MMT increase was 1.44 ± 0.37 points (p = 0.043) immediately after PAS, 1.57 ± 0.4 points (p = 0.043) at the 1-month follow-up and 1.71 ± 0.47 points (p = 0.043) at the 6-month follow-up. The pinch test, digital dynamometry and Box and Block test results also improved in all patients.

conclusionsLong-term PAS may be a safe and effective treatment for improving hand function in patients with non-traumatic tetraplegia. SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first report demonstrating the therapeutic potential of PAS for neurological SCI.

Indexed as

Paired Associative StimulationPlasticityRehabilitationSpinal CordSpinal cord injuryTMS

Identifiers

PMID31886442
PMCPMC6921158
OpenAlexW2967299778

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.