Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40163080›Full record

ArticleThe journal of spinal cord medicine2025

Priming with transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation followed by robotic exoskeleton gait training in individuals with spinal cord injury: A case series.

Marcie Kern, Catherine Velasquez-Ignacio, Taimoor Afzal, Shih-Chiao Tseng, Gerard E Francisco, Shuo-Hsiu Chang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The journal of spinal cord medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Marcie KernCenter for Wearable Exoskeletons, Neurorecovery Research Center at TIRR Memorial Hermann, Houston, Texas, USA.
Catherine Velasquez-IgnacioDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
Taimoor AfzalCenter for Wearable Exoskeletons, Neurorecovery Research Center at TIRR Memorial Hermann, Houston, Texas, USA.
Shih-Chiao TsengDepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
Gerard E FranciscoCenter for Wearable Exoskeletons, Neurorecovery Research Center at TIRR Memorial Hermann, Houston, Texas, USA.
Shuo-Hsiu ChangCenter for Wearable Exoskeletons, Neurorecovery Research Center at TIRR Memorial Hermann, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9173-2044

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo investigate the safety and feasibility of repeated transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS) as priming strategy during exoskeleton-assisted locomotor training in individuals with SCI and evaluate potential neurophysiologic and functional gait changes. STUDY

designCase series experimental design.

settingResearch laboratory at a post-acute rehabilitation hospital.

participantsFour participants with chronic incomplete SCI.

interventionsFour participants with chronic incomplete SCI received three weeks of training consisting of two types of interventions after baseline (A): 20-minute tsDCS (anode or cathode) applied over the spinous processes of T10 followed by 20-minute exoskeleton-assisted locomotor training (B, B1, B2) and 20-minute exoskeleton-assisted locomotor training (C, C1, C2). Each phase consisted of five consecutive intervention sessions. Two participants underwent sequence A-B1-C-B2 and two sequence A-C1-B-C2. Soleus Hoffmann Reflex (H-reflex) and gait speed (10-m walk test) were assessed on the first and fifth days of training for each training type. OUTCOME MEASURES: Adverse skin reactions or other events, H-reflex (Hmax/Mmax ratio), and gait speed (10-m walk test).

resultsNo adverse events occurred. All participants tolerated tsDCS with no negative effects on their skin. Participants demonstrated varied responses in their H/M ratios after tsDCS followed by exoskeleton-assisted locomotor training as well as after exoskeleton-assisted locomotor training. No consistent pattern can be identified in this case series. Three participants showed an increase in gait speed after tsDCS combined with exoskeleton-assisted locomotor training.

conclusionsNoninvasive repeated spinal stimulation can safely be used in individuals with incomplete SCI. Further large-scale research is necessary to determine the efficacy of tsDCS for priming the spinal cord in facilitating recovery of gait in individuals with SCI.

Indexed as

Exercise TherapyExoskeleton DeviceGait Disorders, NeurologicRoboticsSpinal Cord InjuriesTranscutaneous Electric Nerve StimulationAdultFemaleGaitH-ReflexHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeuromodulationSpinal cord injuryTranscutaneous spinal direct current stimulationWearable exoskeleton

Identifiers

PMID40163080
PMCPMC12628658

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.