Monday, April 28, 2025 4/28/2025

Influence of neuromodulatory input on ankle control and spasticity in persons with spinal cord injury.

Award Number: F31HD101151
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Influence of neuromodulatory input on ankle control and spasticity in persons with spinal cord injury. - People with spinal cord injury (SCI) may have some walking ability, however, they are often challenged with a spastic gait pattern, characterized by poor voluntary control of the muscles that lift the foot (dorsiflexors) and spasms of the muscles that control push-off (plantar flexors). Both deficits contribute to impaired ability to achieve foot-ground clearance, making walking laborious and unstable. Two major neural contributors to spastic gait include disrupted descending corticospinal tract (CST) drive to the ankle dorsiflexors and impaired modulation of the plantar flexor spinal reflex circuit (SRC). It is still unknown whether diminished descending volitional drive or impairment of reflex modulation contributes more to spastic gait. Afferent input has a strong neuromodulatory effect on the excitability of both the CST and SRC. Whole body vibration (WBV) is a robust form of afferent input that provides a probe to understand the neurophysiologic mechanisms underlying spastic gait. The long-term goal of this research is to develop rehabilitation strategies to enhance walking function and mobility in persons with SCI by improving ankle control. The overall objective of this proposal is to understand the roles of the CST and SRC in volitional and reflex control of the ankle. The rationale for this project is that understanding the neurophysiological contributions to increased volitional control and decreased spasticity in the ankles will be the first step to developing important non-invasive rehabilitation strategies to improve spastic gait in persons with SCI and other upper motor neuron disorders. The central hypothesis is that improvements in ankle function will have a greater association with changes in the CST than with changes in SRC modulation, as corticospinal drive influences both volitional control and reflex modulation. Using WBV to activate cortical and spinal circuits, the central hypothesis will be tested via two specific aims: 1) Determine the contribution of dorsiflexors CST and plantar flexor SRC excitability to ankle volitional control in individuals with SCI; and 2) Determine the contribution of dorsiflexors CST and plantar flexor SRC excitability to ankle spasticity in individuals with SCI. The proposed research is innovative, because there has yet to be a study examining how an intervention that targets the CST and SRC simultaneously, impacts the different components of spastic gait after SCI. Understanding the mechanisms underlying spastic gait is significant because it provides a foundation for the development of targeted non-invasive therapies to increase the functional outcomes of the people impacted by this impaired gait pattern. Overall, the knowledge gained in this proposal will provide more insight in the underlying mechanisms of ankle control and spasticity in persons with SCI.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2023	2022	SHEPHERD CENTER, INC.	2020 PEACHTREE RD NW	ATLANTA	GA	30309	FULTON	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	3	9/27/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $46,752 )
2022	2022	SHEPHERD CENTER, INC.	2020 PEACHTREE RD NW	ATLANTA	GA	30309	FULTON	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	3	11/17/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$46,036
2022	2022	SHEPHERD CENTER, INC.	2020 PEACHTREE RD NW	ATLANTA	GA	30309	FULTON	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	3	4/19/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$717
2022	2022	SHEPHERD CENTER, INC.	2020 PEACHTREE RD NW	ATLANTA	GA	30309	FULTON	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	002	3	6/3/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$1
														Subtotal = $46,752

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $46,036 )
2021	2021	SHEPHERD CENTER, INC.	2020 PEACHTREE RD NW	ATLANTA	GA	30309	FULTON	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	2	3/18/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$516
2021	2021	SHEPHERD CENTER, INC.	2020 PEACHTREE RD NW	ATLANTA	GA	30309	FULTON	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	2	12/2/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$45,520
														Subtotal = $46,036

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $45,016 )
2019	2019	SHEPHERD CENTER, INC.	2020 PEACHTREE RD NW	ATLANTA	GA	30309	FULTON	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	9/17/2019	NEW	$45,016
2019	2019	SHEPHERD CENTER, INC.	2020 PEACHTREE RD NW	ATLANTA	GA	30309	FULTON	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	1	9/17/2019	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $45,016

Grand Total All Awards = $137,804

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Influence of neuromodulatory input on ankle control and spasticity in persons with spinal cord injury.

Award Number: F31HD101151

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer