EPIDURAL STIMULATION FOR FACILITATION OF LOCOMOTION, POSTURE, VOLUNTARY MOVEMENT, AND RECOVERY OF AUTONOMIC, SEXUAL, VASOMOTOR, AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION AFTER NEUROLOGICAL INJURY
Methods are described comprising: administering to a mammal with a paralysis an electrical enabling motor control stimulation to at a sub-threshold location, wherein the electrical enabling motor control stimulation provides spontaneous voluntary movement of at least one body part.
1 . A method comprising:
administering to a mammal with a paralysis an electrical enabling motor control stimulation to at a sub-threshold location, wherein the electrical enabling motor control stimulation provides spontaneous voluntary movement of at least one body part.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one body part is a toe, ankle, leg, knee, finger, elbow, shoulder, hand, hip, chest, trunk, neck, or a combination thereof.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the paralysis is a motor complete paralysis.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the paralysis is a motor incomplete paralysis.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the paralysis was caused by a spinal cord injury classified as motor complete.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the paralysis was caused by a spinal cord injury classified as motor incomplete.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the paralysis was caused by a neurodegenerative brain injury.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the neurodegenerative brain injury is associated with at least one of Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's, ischemia, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), and cerebral palsy.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical enabling motor control stimulation is applied by one or more electrode or electrode array that is implanted epidurally in the spinal cord of the mammal.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
administering one or more neuropharmaceutical agents to the mammal.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more neuropharmaceutical agents comprise at least one of a serotonergic drug, a dopaminergic drug, a noradrenergic drug, a GABAergic drug, and glycinergic drugs.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more neuropharmaceutical agents comprise at least one of 8-OHDPAT, Way 100.635, Quipazine, Ketanserin, SR 57227A, Ondanesetron, SB 269970, Methoxamine, Prazosin, Clonidine, Yohimbine, SKF-81297, SCH-23390, Quinpirole, Busiprone, and Eticlopride.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the administration of the electrical enabling motor control stimulation makes the mammal at least 2 times more active than without the electrical enabling motor control stimulation.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the administration of the electrical enabling motor control stimulation makes the mammal at least 5 times more active than without the electrical enabling motor control stimulation.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spontaneous voluntary movement is a stepping-like activity, a partial weight bearing standing activity, a reaching activity, a grasping activity, a pulling activity, a pushing activity, extending activity, a flexing activity, a rotating activity, or a movement of a erect penis.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical enabling motor control stimulation is applied by one or more electrode or electrode array that is applied transcutaneously over a region of the spinal cord of the mammal.
17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
administering the electrical enabling motor control stimulation in a positive environment.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the positive environment is a location familiar to the mammal.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the positive environment assists in attaining spontaneous voluntary movement.
20 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
Administering the electrical enabling motor control stimulation based on at least one sensory input.