Surface electromyography to identify top-down modulation in complete chronic spinal cord injury

Complete spinal cord injury (SCI) typically results in the permanent loss of voluntary muscle control due to disrupted nerve signals. However, this study explores whether some level of brain-controlled muscle activity, undetectable by standard clinical exams, might still exist in patients with complete SCI. The study uses surface electromyography (sEMG) to measure electrical activity in muscles. The researchers looked for subtle sEMG signals that might indicate a connection between the brain and muscles, even when voluntary movement seems impossible. The findings suggest that even in complete SCI, there may be some preserved pathways that allow the brain to influence muscle activity. This could have implications for how we evaluate and treat SCI patients, potentially opening doors for new rehabilitation strategies.

• 1
  The study found that a patient with complete chronic SCI showed voluntary modulation of sEMG signals during a task-specific activity involving sensory input.
• 2
  The behavior of sEMG signals varied depending on the kinematic properties of the movement, suggesting a voluntary influence of efferent pathways on motor output.
• 3
  Statistical analysis showed that sEMG spectral and temporal properties of those muscles presenting modulation changed according to kinematic characteristics of verbal commands.