The goal of this study is to determine the effectiveness of repeatedly breathing mild bouts of low oxygen for brief periods (termed acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH)) combined with non-invasive transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation (TESS) on restoring hand function in persons with chronic incomplete SCI.~The fundamental hypothesis guiding this proposal is that daily AIH+TESS engage excitatory and inhibitory pathways, which converge on a common plasticity-promoting cascade that induces greater recovery of hand function than either one alone.~Both treatments appear to enhance motor function in persons with cervical SCI. Despite their independent effects on promoting functional benefits, it is not yet know if they may promote greater functional benefits when combined. To be effective as a long-term rehabilitation strategy, it is essential to determine the efficacy of combined protocols of recurring AIH+TESS.
The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of mild breathing bouts of low oxygen (intermittent hypoxia) combined with transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation on restoring hand function in persons with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury.