We are investigating the potential for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), to be used as an assessment to help us understand the extent of spinal cord damage that has occurred after spinal cord injury. To use TMS, we place a coil next to a person’s scalp; an electric current is passed through the coil, generating a magnetic field. This magnetic field can activate the nervous tissue in the brain, creating different effects depending on the area of the brain being stimulated. TMS is safe, painless and has been used in research and clinical applications for over 30 years.

For the purposes of our research, we want to know if there is a connection between the muscles and the area of the brain that controls movement. To find this out, we will stimulate a brain area called the motor cortex and see if this leads to any activity in the muscles. We can measure this with stick-on electrodes. If we detect activity, this shows that there are connections from the brain to the muscles; that some of the spinal pathways are still intact. Knowing this could help patients and clinicians work out how much potential a person has to recover function. This could help with planning rehabilitation or targeting specific treatments.