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An exercise intervention to Reduce Neuropathic Pain and Brain Inflammation after Spinal Cord Injury

Award Number: R01HD097407
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2019
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2024

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An exercise intervention to Reduce Neuropathic Pain and Brain Inflammation after Spinal Cord Injury - Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) leads to alterations in brain structure and function by spinal nerve damage, secondary inflammatory responses, and by the consequences of living with paralysis and neuropathic pain. Physical inactivity due to lower body paralysis rapidly leads to loss of muscle, and risk of heart disease. The leading cause of death after a spinal cord injury is cardiovascular disease, and just a year after injury, those with SCI have a peak exercise capacity half that of the unfit general population. The good news is that aerobic exercise reduces the risk of chronic metabolic and cardiorespiratory diseases, reduces inflammation and pain, and increases mood and quality of life. Exercise can also reduce brain inflammation, enhance endogenous analgesia, and increases the size of the hippocampus. The issue is that muscle paralysis in SCI restricts the ability to achieve the levels of exercise that is necessary for broad analgesic, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective benefits. Arm exercise can have some effects on heart and lung capacity, but the small muscle mass is insufficient to produce more than modest aerobic work. With functional electrical stimulation (FES), leg muscles that are paralyzed can be made to contract, thereby allowing more of the body to be exercised. The full rowing stroke is produced by both the (stimulated) legs and arms, increasing the active muscle mass and resulting in an aerobic work-out that is intensive enough to improve heart, lung, and – maybe – brain function. In this clinical trial of sub-acute spinal cord injured subjects, we will study how 12 weeks of FES- RT, in comparisons to 12 weeks of wait-list, changes pain, brain structure, endogenous opioid function and brain inflammation. We will measure changes using positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging We hypothesize a decrease in pain interference, an increase in hippocampal volume, increased endogenous opioid transmission in the periaqueductal gray, and decreased hippocampus neuroinflammation.


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: 2024 ( Subtotal = -$661,764 )
2024	2023	THE SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL CORPORATION	300 1ST AVE	CHARLESTOWN	MA	02129	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	4	9/19/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2024	2023	THE SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL CORPORATION	300 1ST AVE	CHARLESTOWN	MA	02129	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	4	6/24/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$661,764
														Subtotal = -$661,764

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $792,272 )
2023	2023	SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL CORPORATION, THE	300 FIRST AVE	CHARLESTOWN	MA	02129	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	4	7/31/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$792,272
														Subtotal = $792,272

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2022	2021	SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL CORPORATION, THE	300 FIRST AVE	CHARLESTOWN	MA	02129	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	3	5/11/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $827,015 )
2021	2021	SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL CORPORATION, THE	300 FIRST AVE	CHARLESTOWN	MA	02129	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	3	8/11/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$827,015
														Subtotal = $827,015

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $843,893 )
2020	2020	SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL CORPORATION, THE	300 FIRST AVE	CHARLESTOWN	MA	02129	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	2	8/11/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$843,893
2020	2019	SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL CORPORATION, THE	300 FIRST AVE	CHARLESTOWN	MA	02129	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	2/26/2020	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $843,893

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $860,423 )
2019	2019	SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL CORPORATION, THE	300 FIRST AVE	CHARLESTOWN	MA	02129	SUFFOLK	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	8/30/2019	NEW	$860,423
														Subtotal = $860,423

Grand Total All Awards = $2,661,839

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An exercise intervention to Reduce Neuropathic Pain and Brain Inflammation after Spinal Cord Injury

Award Number: R01HD097407

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2019

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2024

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