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Restoration of Postural Control After Spinal Cord Injury

Award Number: R01NS064964
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2011
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2026

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Restoration of Postural Control After Spinal Cord Injury - Project Summary/Abstract The inability to maintain upright body posture and balance is one of the major motor disorders following spinal cord injury (SCI). In our previous, NIH-supported studies, specific distortions in operation of spinal postural mechanisms (networks) underlying each of three main phenomena related to SCI – spinal shock, the development of spasticity, and the recovery of postural functions have been demonstrated in an animal model (rabbit). We also demonstrated a crucial role of supraspinal postural networks in control of posture. A general goal of the present project is to explain effects of SCI on postural functions on the basis of SCI-caused changes in the operation of the corresponding supraspinal neuronal postural networks. Clinical data suggest that most SCIs are incomplete. Incomplete SCIs cause severe distortions in the interaction between the brain and the spinal cord. This leads to a dramatic decrease or asymmetry of muscle tone and postural limb reflexes resulting in the inability to stand and maintain balance. Our Aim 1 is to analyze the effects of incomplete SCIs (lateral and dorsal hemisection, LHS and DHS) on the operation of supraspinal postural networks, and to explain postural deficits by the changes in the activity of specific ascending and descending pathways. We have developed a novel technique that allows to perform “reversible LHS or DHS” repeatedly many times. This allows studying postural responses and the activity of individual neurons of the ascending and descending pathways under two conditions: (i) when the brain is connected to the spinal cord and (ii) during LHS or DHS, when the connection between the spinal cord and the brain through lateral or dorsal pathways, respectively, is temporarily blocked. Previously we have shown that, after DHS and LHS, postural functions recover in a few weeks. Our Aim 2 is to analyze the activity of supraspinal postural networks in recovered LHS- and DHS- subjects, and to explain the recovery by changes in the activity of specific populations of ascending and descending neurons. For this purpose, we will (i) record the activity of individual neurons of the supraspinal postural networks during postural performance in recovered LHS- and DHS-subjects, and (ii) compare the results with those obtained in intact subjects and in subjects after acute LHS and DHS. Our Aim 3 is to analyze the role of different descending pathways in control of specific aspects of postural behavior in recovered LHS- and DHS-subjects, and to explain the recovery by the changes in the functional role of particular pathways. For this purpose, the effects of the chemogenetic activation/inactivation of different supraspinal pathways on the performance of various postural tasks in intact and recovered LHS- and DHS-subjects will be compared. This study will provide unique information about the SCI-caused changes in the activity of supraspinal neuronal networks, which are responsible for the motor deficits, as well as about the changes underlying functional recovery in subjects with incomplete SCI. This information is clinically relevant as a basis for designing new rehabilitation strategies for recuperating postural functions in patients with postural deficits.


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: 2025 ( Subtotal = $270,000 )
2025	2025	KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET	NOBELS VAG 6	SOLNA				SWE	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	10	6/5/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$270,000
														Subtotal = $270,000

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $261,900 )
2024	2024	KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET	NOBELS VAG 6	SOLNA				SWE	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	9	7/26/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$261,900
														Subtotal = $261,900

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $272,523 )
2023	2023	KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET	NOBELS VAG 6	SOLNA				SWE	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	8	8/18/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$272,523
														Subtotal = $272,523

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $278,722 )
2022	2022	KAROLINSKA INST	NOBELS VAG 6	SOLNA				SWE	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	7	8/16/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$278,722
														Subtotal = $278,722

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $285,120 )
2021	2021	KAROLINSKA INST	NOBELS VAG 6	SOLNA	STOCKHOLM			SWE	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	6	7/22/2021	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$285,120
														Subtotal = $285,120

Issue Date FY: 2018 ( Subtotal = -$2,608 )
2018	2015	KAROLINSKA INST	SOLNAVAGEN 1	SOLNA		17165		SWE	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	5	10/21/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$2,608
														Subtotal = -$2,608

Issue Date FY: 2017 ( Subtotal = -$1,074 )
2017	2015	KAROLINSKA INST	SOLNAVAGEN 1	SOLNA		17165		SWE	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	5	7/27/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$1,074
														Subtotal = -$1,074

Issue Date FY: 2015 ( Subtotal = $240,359 )
2015	2015	KAROLINSKA INSTITUTE, RYLCAR INST OF MEDICINE & SURGERY	DEPT OF NEUROSCIENCE S-171 77	STOCKHOLM				SWE	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	5	6/9/2015	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$240,359
														Subtotal = $240,359

Issue Date FY: 2014 ( Subtotal = $237,870 )
2014	2014	KAROLINSKA INSTITUTE, RYLCAR INST OF MEDICINE & SURGERY	DEPT OF NEUROSCIENCE S-171 77	STOCKHOLM				SWE	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	4	6/11/2014	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$237,870
														Subtotal = $237,870

Issue Date FY: 2013 ( Subtotal = $230,006 )
2013	2013	KAROLINSKA INSTITUTE, RYLCAR INST OF MEDICINE & SURGERY	DEPT OF NEUROSCIENCE S-171 77	STOCKHOLM				SWE	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	3	6/14/2013	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$230,006
2013	2012	KAROLINSKA INSTITUTE, RYLCAR INST OF MEDICINE & SURGERY	DEPT OF NEUROSCIENCE S-171 77	STOCKHOLM		00000		SWE	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	2	11/1/2012	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $230,006

Issue Date FY: 2012 ( Subtotal = $240,491 )
2012	2012	KAROLINSKA INSTITUTE, RYLCAR INST OF MEDICINE & SURGERY	DEPT OF NEUROSCIENCE S-171 77	STOCKHOLM				SWE	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	2	6/5/2012	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$240,491
														Subtotal = $240,491

Issue Date FY: 2011 ( Subtotal = $242,374 )
2011	2011	KAROLINSKA INSTITUTE, RYLCAR INST OF MEDICINE & SURGERY	DEPT OF NEUROSCIENCE S-171 77	STOCKHOLM				SWE	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	1	6/20/2011	NEW	$242,374
														Subtotal = $242,374

Grand Total All Awards = $2,555,683

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Restoration of Postural Control After Spinal Cord Injury

Award Number: R01NS064964

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

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

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2011

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2026

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