A preliminary study exploring the effects of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation on spinal excitability and phantom limb pain in people with a transtibial amputation

Author:

Dalrymple Ashley NORCID,Fisher Lee EORCID,Weber Douglas JORCID

Abstract

Abstract Objective. Phantom limb pain (PLP) is debilitating and affects over 70% of people with lower-limb amputation. Other neuropathic pain conditions correspond with increased spinal excitability, which can be measured using reflexes and F-waves. Spinal cord neuromodulation can be used to reduce neuropathic pain in a variety of conditions and may affect spinal excitability, but has not been extensively used for treating PLP. Here, we propose using a non-invasive neuromodulation method, transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS), to reduce PLP and modulate spinal excitability after transtibial amputation. Approach. We recruited three participants, two males (5- and 9-years post-amputation, traumatic and alcohol-induced neuropathy) and one female (3 months post-amputation, diabetic neuropathy) for this 5 d study. We measured pain using the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), visual analog scale (VAS), and pain pressure threshold (PPT) test. We measured spinal reflex and motoneuron excitability using posterior root-muscle (PRM) reflexes and F-waves, respectively. We delivered tSCS for 30 min d−1 for 5 d. Main Results. After 5 d of tSCS, MPQ scores decreased by clinically-meaningful amounts for all participants from 34.0 ± 7.0–18.3 ± 6.8; however, there were no clinically-significant decreases in VAS scores. Two participants had increased PPTs across the residual limb (Day 1: 5.4 ± 1.6 lbf; Day 5: 11.4 ± 1.0 lbf). F-waves had normal latencies but small amplitudes. PRM reflexes had high thresholds (59.5 ± 6.1 μC) and low amplitudes, suggesting that in PLP, the spinal cord is hypoexcitable. After 5 d of tSCS, reflex thresholds decreased significantly (38.6 ± 12.2 μC; p < 0.001). Significance. These preliminary results in this non-placebo-controlled study suggest that, overall, limb amputation and PLP may be associated with reduced spinal excitability and tSCS can increase spinal excitability and reduce PLP.

Funder

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

National Institutes of Health National Center of Neuromodulation

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Medical University of South Carolina

Publisher

IOP Publishing

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