草莓污视频导航

Jan. 28, 2021

Research study leads to dramatic quality of life improvement for man with spinal cord injury

草莓污视频导航 and Swiss researchers expect findings to lead to international clinical trials
Richi Gill no longer requires medication to control his blood pressure, thanks to research.
Richi Gill no longer requires medication to control his blood pressure, thanks to research. Quentin Collier, Department of Clinical Neurosciences

Dr. Richi Gill, MD, is back at work, able to enjoy time with his family in the evening and get a good night鈥檚 sleep, thanks to research. Three years ago, Gill broke his neck in a boogie board accident while on vacation with his young family. Getting mobile again with the use of a wheelchair is the first thing, Gill says, most people notice. However, for those with a spinal cord injury (SCI), what is happening inside the body also severely affects their quality of life.

鈥淲hat many people don鈥檛 realize is that a spinal cord injury prevents some systems within the body from regulating automatically,鈥 says the 40-year-old. 鈥淢y blood pressure would drop drastically, leaving me fatigued, dizzy, and unable to focus. The condition can be life threatening, requiring medication for life.鈥

Dr. Aaron Phillips, PhD, at the 草莓污视频导航鈥檚 (CSM) and Gr茅goire Courtine, PhD, at (EPFL) , co-led an international study which has shown that spinal cord stimulators can bridge the body鈥檚 autonomous regulation system, controlling blood pressure without medication. Findings are published in . 听

For people with SCI, the discovery is life changing.听鈥淭he spinal cord acts as a communication line allowing the brain to send signals to tell the body such as when and how to move, as well as how to control vital functions, including blood pressure,鈥 says Phillips, co-principal investigator and assistant professor at the CSM.听鈥淭his communication line is broken after a spinal cord injury. We created the first platform to understand the mechanisms underlying blood pressure instability after spinal cord injury, which allowed us to develop a new cutting-edge solution.鈥

Gill is the first study participant in a series of clinical trials planned for Calgary and Switzerland. 鈥淲e are going to collaborate with a company called Onward to develop a neurostimulation system dedicated to the management of blood pressure in people with spinal cord injury,鈥 says Courtine, co-principal investigator and professor at the EPFL.

In the study, targeted epidural electrical stimulation (EES) of the spinal cord was used to stabilize hemodynamics (blood flow throughout the body) allowing for vital organs to maintain an appropriate supply of blood. The researchers discovered the exact placement on the spine for their stimulator, and the circuitry of the sympathetic nervous system underlying blood pressure control. This new knowledge allowed for the development of a neuroprosthetic closed-loop communication system, to replace lost hemodynamic control.

鈥淲e are really excited that people with spinal cord injury are able to stop their blood pressure medication and get back to enjoying a full daily routine with improved blood flow to their brain and organs,鈥 says Dr. Sean Dukelow, MD, PhD, clinician scientist at the CSM and author on the study. 鈥淧eople feel more alert, are able to be upright and in their wheelchair without losing consciousness, and over the long term we think this will reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.鈥

鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to see the science help push things forward,鈥 says Gill. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited that Calgary will be one of the sites for a clinical trial. Research made a positive effect on my life and I鈥檓 glad others will benefit, too.鈥 Gill听continues to work as part of the Calgary Adult Bariatric Surgery Clinic and is now the director of the .

Phillips and Courtine are shareholders of . The company makes a neurostimulation system.

Brain and Mental Health research strategy
Led by the Hotchkiss Brain Institute,听听is one of six strategic research themes听guiding the university towards its听Eyes High听goals.

The 草莓污视频导航鈥檚 multidisciplinary听Engineering Solutions for Health: Biomedical Engineering听research strategy drives solutions to our most pressing health challenges in disease and injury prevention, diagnosis, and treatments. Our biomedical engineering researchers make a significant impact in our communities by extending lives, improving quality of life, promoting independence, and continuously improving the health system.

Aaron Phillips听is an assistant professor in the departments of and and a member of and at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM), 草莓污视频导航. He is also a 听lead of the .

Gr茅goire Courtine听is director of the (NeuroRestore) in Switzerland center where he is professor in the , School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland, and in the 听and , Lausanne, Switzerland.

Sean Dukelow听is an associate professor in the at the CSM, and a member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, the Libin Cardiovascular Institute and the at the CSM. He is also a lead of the RESTORE Network.