Spinal Cord InjuriesNCT03045744
Long-term PAS in Rehabilitation After SCI
A study testing long-term paired associative stimulation in people with Spinal Cord Injuries, run by Helsinki University Central Hospital at 1 site in Finland.
Trial summary
The investigators have recently shown in two pilot incomplete SCI patients that long-term paired associative stimulation is capable of restoring voluntary control over some paralyzed muscles and enhancing motor output in the weak muscles (1). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- What is being tested?
- long-term paired associative stimulation
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 5 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFinland
- Study dates
- 10 Feb 2017to 1 Dec 2023
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- incomplete SCI
Who cannot join
- epilepsy
- metal inclusion in the head area
- pacemaker
- hearing device
- high intracranial pressure
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Finland1 site
BioMag laboratory, Helsinki University Central Hospital
Helsinki, Uusimaa, 00029
About this study
Official title: Long-term Paired Associative Stimulation in Rehabilitation of Spinal Cord Injury Patients
The investigators have recently shown in two pilot incomplete SCI patients that long-term paired associative stimulation is capable of restoring voluntary control over some paralyzed muscles and enhancing motor output in the weak muscles (1). In this study, the investigators will administer long-term paired associative stimulation to incomplete SCI patients in a long-term manner, keeping each patient in the study for as long as continuous improvement is observed.
- Conditions
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Being tested
- long-term paired associative stimulation
- Medical subject headings
- Spinal Cord Injuries
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
long-term paired associative stimulationDevice
Paired associative stimulation (PAS) administered 3 times per week. PAS comprises transcranial magnetic stimulation (eXimia magnetic stimulator, Nexstim Ltd, Helsinki, Finland) and peripheral nerve stimulation (given with Dantec Keypoint® electroneuromyography device (Natus Medical Incorporated, Pleasanton, CA, USA)).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| incomplete SCI patients | Experimental | Not described Receives: Device: long-term paired associative stimulation |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Daniels and Worthingham's Muscle Testing
Measured: 2 days after the last stimulation session
Daniels and Worthingham's Muscle Testing
Measured: 1 month after the last stimulation session
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Feb 2017 (estimated)
- Study start10 Feb 2017
- Primary completion1 Jun 2023
- Study completion1 Dec 2023
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Spinal Cord InjuriesStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Helsinki University Central HospitalThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 5 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Helsinki University Central Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Validia Rehabilitation, University of Helsinki
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Anastasia Shulga, Helsinki University Central Hospital
- Investigators
- Anastasia Shulga, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, Helsinki University Central Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03045744
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- ULD 8100014
- Status last verified
- May 2025
- First submitted
- 2 Feb 2017
- Last updated
- 13 May 2025
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Publications
Rodionov A, Savolainen S, Kirveskari E, Makela JP, Shulga A. Restoration of hand function with long-term paired associative stimulation after chronic incomplete tetraplegia: a case study. Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2019 Oct 1;5:81. doi: 10.1038/s41394-019-0225-5. eCollection 2019.
PubMed 31632739Holopainen K, Tolmacheva A, Bersch I, Haakana P, Pohjonen M, Kirveskari E, Arokoski J, Shulga A. Stable improvement in hand muscle strength in incomplete spinal cord injury patients by long-term paired associative stimulation-a case series study. Front Neurol. 2025 Feb 4;16:1486591. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1486591. eCollection 2025.
PubMed 39968455
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 May 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Long-term Paired Associative Stimulation in Rehabilitation of Spinal Cord Injury Patients
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03045744
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ULD 8100014
- Conditions
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 5 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Helsinki University Central HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Validia Rehabilitation, University of Helsinki
- Study start
- 10 Feb 2017 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jun 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Dec 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 7 Feb 2017 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The investigators have recently shown in two pilot incomplete SCI patients that long-term paired associative stimulation is capable of restoring voluntary control over some paralyzed muscles and enhancing motor output in the weak muscles (1). In this study, the investigators will administer long-term paired associative stimulation to incomplete SCI patients in a long-term manner, keeping each patient in the study for as long as continuous improvement is observed.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| incomplete SCI patients | Experimental | Device: long-term paired associative stimulation |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- incomplete SCI
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- epilepsy
- metal inclusion in the head area
- pacemaker
- hearing device
- high intracranial pressure
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| long-term paired associative stimulationPaired associative stimulation (PAS) administered 3 times per week. PAS comprises transcranial magnetic stimulation (eXimia magnetic stimulator, Nexstim Ltd, Helsinki, Finland) and peripheral nerve stimulation (given with Dantec Keypoint® electroneuromyography device (Natus Medical Incorporated, Pleasanton, CA, USA)). | Device | incomplete SCI patients |
Primary outcome
Daniels and Worthingham's Muscle Testing
Time frame: 2 days after the last stimulation session
Daniels and Worthingham's Muscle Testing
Time frame: 1 month after the last stimulation session
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 May 2025.
- Results publication: PubMed 31632739Rodionov A, Savolainen S, Kirveskari E, Makela JP, Shulga A. Restoration of hand function with long-term paired associative stimulation after chronic incomplete tetraplegia: a case study. Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2019 Oct 1;5:81. doi: 10.1038/s41394-019-0225-5. eCollection 2019.
- Results publication: PubMed 39968455Holopainen K, Tolmacheva A, Bersch I, Haakana P, Pohjonen M, Kirveskari E, Arokoski J, Shulga A. Stable improvement in hand muscle strength in incomplete spinal cord injury patients by long-term paired associative stimulation-a case series study. Front Neurol. 2025 Feb 4;16:1486591. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1486591. eCollection 2025.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Anastasia Shulga, MD, PhD principal investigator
Helsinki University Central Hospital
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing long-term paired associative stimulation in people with Spinal Cord Injuries, run by Helsinki University Central Hospital at 1 site in Finland.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 May 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Finland. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Daniels and Worthingham's Muscle Testing (time frame: 2 days after the last stimulation session). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03045744, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 May 2025.