Human Cervical Epidural Spinal Electrogram Topographically Maps Distinct Volitional Movements

• Published in: The Journal of neuroscience Vol. 44; no. 32; p. e2258232024
• Main Authors: Shukla, Poojan D., Burke, John F., Kunwar, Nikhita, Presbrey, Kara, Balakid, Jannine, Yaroshinsky, Maria, Louie, Kenneth, Jacques, Line, Shirvalkar, Prasad, Wang, Doris D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Society for Neuroscience 07.08.2024
• Subjects: Adult; Cervical Cord - physiology; Cervical Vertebrae - physiology; Electromyography - methods; Epidural; Epidural Space - physiology; Female; Human motion; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Movement - physiology; Spinal cord; Volition - physiology; spinal electrophysiology; tuning curve; spinal mapping; spine; spinal cord; epidural spinal recording
• ISSN: 0270-6474; 1529-2401; 1529-2401
• DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2258-23.2024

Little is known about the electrophysiologic activity of the intact human spinal cord during volitional movement. We analyzed epidural spinal recordings from a total of five human subjects of both sexes during a variety of upper extremity movements and found that these spinal epidural electrograms contain spectral information distinguishing periods of movement, rest, and sensation. Cervical epidural electrograms also contained spectral changes time-locked with movement. We found that these changes were primarily associated with increased power in the theta (4–8 Hz) band and feature increased theta phase to gamma amplitude coupling, and this increase in theta power can be used to topographically map distinct upper extremity movements onto the cervical spinal cord in accordance with established myotome maps of the upper extremity. Our findings have implications for the development of neurostimulation protocols and devices focused on motor rehabilitation for the upper extremity, and the approach presented here may facilitate spatiotemporal mapping of naturalistic movements.