{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,10]],"date-time":"2026-02-10T19:23:02Z","timestamp":1770751382575,"version":"3.50.0"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,10]],"date-time":"2026-02-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1770681600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Universidad An\u00e1huac M\u00e9xico"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Neurology International"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Central cord syndrome (CCS) is the most common incomplete spinal cord injury, producing more severe motor deficits in the upper than lower extremities and impairing sensory and autonomic function. Although transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) has shown benefits in motor and sensory recovery after spinal cord injury, studies have not explicitly documented whether CCS subjects were included. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of tSCS over 12 weeks on motor and sensory outcomes in a subject with CCS. Methods: A 20-year-old male with a C7 injury was evaluated at baseline and after 12 weeks with the American Spinal Cord Injury Impairment scale, Modified Ashworth Scale, Penn and Spasm Frequency Scale, 3-Meter Walk Test and 6-Minute Walk Test, 9-Hole Peg Test, Box and Block Test, hand dynamometry, and lower-limb EMG. tSCS was applied between T9 and L1 at 30 Hz. Results: At 12 weeks, upper-limb motor and sensory scores improved, while spasm frequency and hand spasticity were reduced. Manual dexterity improved bilaterally in the 9-Hole Peg and Box and Block Tests, with a 2 kg gain in right-hand grip strength. In the 6-Minute Walk Test, the distance covered increased from 224.4 m to 295.2 m, and a 1.36 s reduction in 3-Meter walking time was achieved. Conclusions: tSCS improved motor and sensory function and reduced spasticity and spasms. These findings suggest that tSCS may serve as an effective complementary intervention for motor and sensory rehabilitation in individuals with mild cervical injuries, including CCS.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/neurolint18020031","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,10]],"date-time":"2026-02-10T12:07:06Z","timestamp":1770725226000},"page":"31","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation Improves Upper and Lower Limbs\u2019 Motor and Sensory Function in a Subject with Central Cord Syndrome: A Case Report"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Fernando","family":"Reyes","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad An\u00e1huac M\u00e9xico, Huixquilucan 52786, Mexico"},{"name":"Becario de la Direcci\u00f3n General de Calidad y Educaci\u00f3n en Salud, Secretar\u00eda de Salud, Mexico City 11570, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Camila","family":"Parker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad An\u00e1huac M\u00e9xico, Huixquilucan 52786, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tania","family":"Turquie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad An\u00e1huac M\u00e9xico, Huixquilucan 52786, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-7733-5232","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aldo","family":"Chimal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma del Estado de M\u00e9xico, Toluca 50000, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-0113-4265","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lorermy","family":"Villalobos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma del Estado de M\u00e9xico, Toluca 50000, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Frida","family":"Bailey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad An\u00e1huac M\u00e9xico, Huixquilucan 52786, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2489-4689","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Antonio","family":"Ibarra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investigaci\u00f3n en Ciencias de la Salud (CICSA), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad An\u00e1huac M\u00e9xico, Huixquilucan 52786, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Igor","family":"Lavrov","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurology Department, Radiology Department, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9404-3914","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carlos A.","family":"Cuellar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Sport Sciences, Universidad An\u00e1huac M\u00e9xico, Huixquilucan 52786, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1687","DOI":"10.1089\/neu.2022.0196","article-title":"Incomplete Spinal Cord Syndromes: Current Incidence and Quantifiable Criteria for Classification","volume":"39","author":"Botticello","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Neurotrauma"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1575","DOI":"10.1007\/s00586-023-07626-3","article-title":"Treatment of acute traumatic central cord syndrome: A score-based approach based on the literature","volume":"32","author":"Kumar","year":"2023","journal-title":"Eur. Spine J."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"214","DOI":"10.1179\/2045772314Y.0000000233","article-title":"The changing demographics of traumatic spinal cord injury: An 11-year study of 831 patients","volume":"38","author":"Thompson","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Spinal Cord Med."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"579","DOI":"10.1038\/s41393-023-00894-2","article-title":"Central cord syndrome definitions, variations and limitations","volume":"61","author":"Snider","year":"2023","journal-title":"Spinal Cord"},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Ameer, M.A., Tessler, J., Munakomi, S., and Gillis, C.C. (2018, December 18). Central Cord Syndrome, StatPearls, Available online: http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK441932\/."},{"key":"ref_6","first-page":"18","article-title":"Traumatic central cord syndrome: Clinical features and functional outcomes","volume":"71","author":"Roth","year":"1990","journal-title":"Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"407","DOI":"10.1097\/BSD.0000000000000731","article-title":"Current Concepts: Central Cord Syndrome","volume":"31","author":"Hashmi","year":"2018","journal-title":"Clin. Spine Surg. Spine Publ."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1267","DOI":"10.1089\/neu.2020.7473","article-title":"Characterizing Natural Recovery after Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury","volume":"38","author":"Kirshblum","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Neurotrauma"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1263","DOI":"10.1038\/s41393-020-0491-x","article-title":"Comparison of outcomes between people with and without central cord syndrome","volume":"58","author":"Blasetti","year":"2020","journal-title":"Spinal Cord"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Meyer, C., Hofstoetter, U.S., Hubli, M., Hassani, R.H., Rinaldo, C., Curt, A., and Bolliger, M. (2020). Immediate Effects of Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation on Motor Function in Chronic, Sensorimotor Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury. J. Clin. Med., 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm9113541"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1186\/s42234-025-00183-8","article-title":"Multi-system benefits of non-invasive spinal cord stimulation following cervical spinal cord injury: A case study","volume":"11","author":"Samejima","year":"2025","journal-title":"Bioelectron. Med."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"128","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.00422.2024","article-title":"Transcutaneous stimulation of the cervical spinal cord facilitates motoneuron firing and improves hand-motor function after spinal cord injury","volume":"134","author":"Verma","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Neurophysiol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kumru, H., Ros-Alsina, A., Garc\u00eda Al\u00e9n, L., Vidal, J., Gerasimenko, Y., Hernandez, A., and Wrigth, M. (2024). Improvement in Motor and Walking Capacity during Multisegmental Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation in Individuals with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 25.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms25084480"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chandrasekaran, S., Bhagat, N.A., Ramdeo, R., Ebrahimi, S., Sharma, P.D., Griffin, D.G., Stein, A., Harkema, S.J., and Bouton, C.E. (2023). Targeted transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation promotes persistent recovery of upper limb strength and tactile sensation in spinal cord injury: A pilot study. Front. Neurosci., 17.","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2023.1210328"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tharu, N.S., Wong, A.Y.L., and Zheng, Y.-P. (2024). Transcutaneous Electrical Spinal Cord Stimulation Increased Target-Specific Muscle Strength and Locomotion in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury. Brain Sci., 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci14070640"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"310","DOI":"10.1109\/TNSRE.2021.3049133","article-title":"Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation Restores Hand and Arm Function After Spinal Cord Injury","volume":"29","author":"Inanici","year":"2021","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Neural Syst. Rehabil. Eng."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"637","DOI":"10.1109\/TNSRE.2010.2054112","article-title":"Stimulation of the Human Lumbar Spinal Cord With Implanted and Surface Electrodes: A Computer Simulation Study","volume":"18","author":"Ladenbauer","year":"2010","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Neural Syst. Rehabil. Eng."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hofstoetter, U.S., Freundl, B., Binder, H., and Minassian, K. (2018). Common neural structures activated by epidural and transcutaneous lumbar spinal cord stimulation: Elicitation of posterior root-muscle reflexes. PLoS ONE, 13.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0192013"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1177\/1545968319893298","article-title":"Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation and Motor Rehabilitation in Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review","volume":"34","author":"Taylor","year":"2020","journal-title":"Neurorehabilit. Neural Repair"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1002\/mus.20700","article-title":"Posterior root\u2013muscle reflexes elicited by transcutaneous stimulation of the human lumbosacral cord","volume":"35","author":"Minassian","year":"2007","journal-title":"Muscle Nerve"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104","DOI":"10.1038\/s41394-020-00359-1","article-title":"Feasibility and utility of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation combined with walking-based therapy for people with motor incomplete spinal cord injury","volume":"6","author":"McHugh","year":"2020","journal-title":"Spinal Cord Ser. Cases"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1968","DOI":"10.1089\/neu.2015.4008","article-title":"Noninvasive Reactivation of Motor Descending Control after Paralysis","volume":"32","author":"Gerasimenko","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Neurotrauma"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"233","DOI":"10.1177\/1545968315591706","article-title":"Spinal Rhythm Generation by Step-Induced Feedback and Transcutaneous Posterior Root Stimulation in Complete Spinal Cord\u2013Injured Individuals","volume":"30","author":"Minassian","year":"2016","journal-title":"Neurorehabil. Neural Repair"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"E176","DOI":"10.1111\/aor.12615","article-title":"Augmentation of Voluntary Locomotor Activity by Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation in Motor-Incomplete Spinal Cord-Injured Individuals: Augmentation of Locomotion by tSCS in Incomplete SCI","volume":"39","author":"Hofstoetter","year":"2015","journal-title":"Artif. Organs"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"399","DOI":"10.1006\/exnr.1997.6689","article-title":"Central Cord Syndrome of Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: Widespread Changes in Muscle Recruitment Studied by Voluntary Contractions and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation","volume":"148","author":"Alexeeva","year":"1997","journal-title":"Exp. Neurol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101805","DOI":"10.1016\/j.xcrm.2024.101805","article-title":"Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation neuromodulates pre- and postsynaptic inhibition in the control of spinal spasticity","volume":"5","author":"Minassian","year":"2024","journal-title":"Cell Rep. Med."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2194","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.00569.2017","article-title":"Non-gait-specific intervention for the rehabilitation of walking after SCI: Role of the arms","volume":"119","author":"Zhou","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Neurophysiol."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3172","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.00509.2017","article-title":"Effect of cervicolumbar coupling on spinal reflexes during cycling after incomplete spinal cord injury","volume":"120","author":"Zhou","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Neurophysiol."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"158","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.00433.2019","article-title":"Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation of the cervical cord modulates lumbar networks","volume":"123","author":"Barss","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Neurophysiol."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Anjaria, M., Momeni, K., Ravi, M., Bheemreddy, A., Zhang, F., and Forrest, G. (2023, January 24\u201327). Improved Gait symmetry with spinal cord transcutaneous stimulation in individuals with spinal cord injury. Proceedings of the 2023 45th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (EMBC), Sydney, Australia. Available online: https:\/\/ieeexplore.ieee.org\/document\/10340236\/.","DOI":"10.1109\/EMBC40787.2023.10340236"},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"H116","article-title":"Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation and its Impact on Cardiovascular Autonomic Regulation after Spinal Cord Injury","volume":"326","author":"Solinsky","year":"2023","journal-title":"Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol."}],"container-title":["Neurology International"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2035-8377\/18\/2\/31\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,10]],"date-time":"2026-02-10T12:57:44Z","timestamp":1770728264000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2035-8377\/18\/2\/31"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,10]]},"references-count":31,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2]]}},"alternative-id":["neurolint18020031"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/neurolint18020031","relation":{},"ISSN":["2035-8377"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2035-8377","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,10]]}}}