Transcutaneous Electrical Neuromodulation of the Cervical Spinal Cord Depends Both on the Stimulation Intensity and the Degree of Voluntary Activity for Training. A Pilot Study

Abstract

Electrical enabling motor control (eEmc) through transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation offers promise in improving hand function. However, it is still unknown which stimulus intensity or which muscle force level could be better for this improvement. Nine healthy individuals received the following interventions: (i) eEmc intensities at 80%, 90% and 110% of abductor pollicis brevis motor threshold combined with hand training consisting in 100% handgrip strength; (ii) hand training consisting in 100% and 50% of maximal handgrip strength combined with 90% eEmc intensity. The evaluations included box and blocks test (BBT), maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), F wave persistency, F/M ratio, spinal and cortical motor evoked potentials (MEP), recruitment curves of spinal MEP and cortical MEP and short-interval intracortical inhibition. The results showed that: (i) 90% eEmc intensity increased BBT, MVC, F wave persistency, F/M ratio and cortical MEP recruitment curve; 110% eEmc intensity increased BBT, F wave persistency and cortical MEP and recruitment curve of cortical MEP; (ii) 100% handgrip strength training significantly modulated MVC, F wave persistency, F/M wave and cortical MEP recruitment curve in comparison to 50% handgrip strength. In conclusion, eEmc intensity and muscle strength during training both influence the results for neuromodulation at the cervical level.