Deciphering Preserved Autonomic Function After Spinal Cord Injury
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- STATUS
- Recruiting
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- End date
- Aug 1, 2024
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- participants needed
- 69
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- sponsor
- Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Summary
This study looks to characterize gradients of dysfunction in the autonomic nervous system after spinal cord injury. The autonomic nervous system plays key roles in regulation of blood pressure, skin blood flow, and bladder health- all issues that individuals with spinal cord injury typically suffer. Focusing on blood pressure regulation, the most precise metric with broad clinical applicability, the investigators will perform a combination of laboratory, ambulatory, and imaging-based tests to probe the body's ability to generate autonomic responses. For both individuals with spinal cord injury and uninjured controls, laboratory-based experiments will utilize multiple parallel recordings to identify how the autonomic nervous system is able to inhibit and activate signals. The investigators anticipate that those with autonomic dysfunction after spinal cord injury will exhibit abnormalities in these precise metrics. The investigators will further have research participants wear a smart watch that tracks skin electrical conductance, heart rate, and skin temperature, which can all provide clues as to the degree of autonomic dysfunction someone may suffer at home. The investigators will look to see if any substantial connections exist between different degrees of preserved autonomic function and secondary autonomic complications from spinal cord injury. Finally, functional magnetic resonance imaging scans will be attained to characterize patterns of connectivity within the injured spinal cord. In a similar manner, the investigators will look to see if different patterns of spinal cord connectivity are more closely related to groupings of secondary autonomic complications. In accomplishing this, the investigators hope to give scientists important insights to how the autonomic nervous system works after spinal cord injury and give physicians better tools to manage these secondary autonomic complications.
Description
This study looks to characterize gradients of dysfunction in the autonomic nervous system after spinal cord injury. To accomplish this, we are enrolling both individuals with and without spinal cord injuries (see inclusion criteria). Individuals will undergo the listed diagnostics as part of a battery of laboratory testing. These will be correlated to clinical histories of autonomic dysfunction the ADFSCI and COMPASS-31 surveys (noted in outcome measures). Imaging-based tests will further probe the body's ability to generate autonomic responses.
Details
| Condition | Spinal Cord Injuries, Autonomic Imbalance, Autonomic Dysreflexia, Orthostatic Hypotension |
|---|---|
| Treatment | Tests of sympathetic inhibition, Tests of sympathetic activation, Testing of autonomic dysreflexia |
| Clinical Study Identifier | NCT04493372 |
| Sponsor | Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital |
| Last Modified on | 7 July 2022 |
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