First Use of Non-Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation in Motor Rehabilitation of Children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is characterized by the degeneration of spinal alpha motorneurons. Nusinersen demonstrated good efficacy in the early disease phases. The feasibility of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) in motor rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury has been de...

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Main Authors: Anton Novikov, Maria Maldova, Natalia Shandybina, Ivan Shalmiev, Elena Shoshina, Natalia Epoyan, Tatiana Moshonkina
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-02-01
Series:Life
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/2/449
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author Anton Novikov
Maria Maldova
Natalia Shandybina
Ivan Shalmiev
Elena Shoshina
Natalia Epoyan
Tatiana Moshonkina
author_facet Anton Novikov
Maria Maldova
Natalia Shandybina
Ivan Shalmiev
Elena Shoshina
Natalia Epoyan
Tatiana Moshonkina
author_sort Anton Novikov
collection DOAJ
description Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is characterized by the degeneration of spinal alpha motorneurons. Nusinersen demonstrated good efficacy in the early disease phases. The feasibility of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) in motor rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury has been demonstrated. We hypothesize that tSCS may activate intact and restored by nusinersen motorneurons and slow down the decline in motor activity, and may contribute to the development of motor skills in children with SMA. A case series is presented. Five children (6–13 years old) with SMA type II or III participated in the study. They were treated with nusinersen for ~2 years. Application of tSCS was carried out during physical therapy for 30–40 min per day in the course of 10–14 days. Outcome measures were goniometry of joints with contracture, forced vital capacity (FVC), RULM and HFMSE scales. The participants tolerated the stimulation well. The reduction of the contracture was ≥5 deg. RULM and HFMSE increased by ~1–2 points. Predicted FVC increased by 1–7% in three participants. Each participant expanded their range of active movements and/or learned new motor skills. Spinal cord stimulation may be an effective rehabilitation method in patients treated with nusinersen. More research is needed.
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spelling doaj.art-6b5c83e93c194fdc8af3b6799954d72b2023-11-16T21:41:25ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292023-02-0113244910.3390/life13020449First Use of Non-Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation in Motor Rehabilitation of Children with Spinal Muscular AtrophyAnton Novikov0Maria Maldova1Natalia Shandybina2Ivan Shalmiev3Elena Shoshina4Natalia Epoyan5Tatiana Moshonkina6EirMED, 10 Vsevolod Vishnevsky St., 197136 St. Petersburg, RussiaEirMED, 10 Vsevolod Vishnevsky St., 197136 St. Petersburg, RussiaEirMED, 10 Vsevolod Vishnevsky St., 197136 St. Petersburg, RussiaEirMED, 10 Vsevolod Vishnevsky St., 197136 St. Petersburg, RussiaEirMED, 10 Vsevolod Vishnevsky St., 197136 St. Petersburg, RussiaEirMED, 10 Vsevolod Vishnevsky St., 197136 St. Petersburg, RussiaPavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 6 Makarova Enb., 199034 St. Petersburg, RussiaSpinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is characterized by the degeneration of spinal alpha motorneurons. Nusinersen demonstrated good efficacy in the early disease phases. The feasibility of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) in motor rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury has been demonstrated. We hypothesize that tSCS may activate intact and restored by nusinersen motorneurons and slow down the decline in motor activity, and may contribute to the development of motor skills in children with SMA. A case series is presented. Five children (6–13 years old) with SMA type II or III participated in the study. They were treated with nusinersen for ~2 years. Application of tSCS was carried out during physical therapy for 30–40 min per day in the course of 10–14 days. Outcome measures were goniometry of joints with contracture, forced vital capacity (FVC), RULM and HFMSE scales. The participants tolerated the stimulation well. The reduction of the contracture was ≥5 deg. RULM and HFMSE increased by ~1–2 points. Predicted FVC increased by 1–7% in three participants. Each participant expanded their range of active movements and/or learned new motor skills. Spinal cord stimulation may be an effective rehabilitation method in patients treated with nusinersen. More research is needed.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/2/449spinal muscular atrophyspinal cord stimulationphysical therapynusinersen
spellingShingle Anton Novikov
Maria Maldova
Natalia Shandybina
Ivan Shalmiev
Elena Shoshina
Natalia Epoyan
Tatiana Moshonkina
First Use of Non-Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation in Motor Rehabilitation of Children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Life
spinal muscular atrophy
spinal cord stimulation
physical therapy
nusinersen
title First Use of Non-Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation in Motor Rehabilitation of Children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy
title_full First Use of Non-Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation in Motor Rehabilitation of Children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy
title_fullStr First Use of Non-Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation in Motor Rehabilitation of Children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy
title_full_unstemmed First Use of Non-Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation in Motor Rehabilitation of Children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy
title_short First Use of Non-Invasive Spinal Cord Stimulation in Motor Rehabilitation of Children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy
title_sort first use of non invasive spinal cord stimulation in motor rehabilitation of children with spinal muscular atrophy
topic spinal muscular atrophy
spinal cord stimulation
physical therapy
nusinersen
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/2/449
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