Ricerc@Sapienza

Acronym: STAND-ALONE

Functional recovery of paralyzed limbs has a high priority in the rehabilitation of spinal cord injuries (SCIs). In recent years, there has been an increased focus on robotic technologies for recovery and rehabilitative treating. Several complex lower limb exoskeletons (EXO) are commercially available, and others are in the prototype stage. The connection between the EXO and the body residual potential in SCI may play a substantial role in promoting human machine interactions and in potentiating plasticity mechanisms to sustain recovery. Walking with a powered EXO also requires specialist training and practice. These operations call for intensive sensorimotor learning in SCI patients, and STAND-ALONE provides an important scientific platform to study neural plasticity.
According to a growing evidence on the cortical (plastic) changes during sleep associated to sensorimotor learning, the project addresses some crucial aspects of the consolidation of learning and memory during sleep in shaping/reshaping new learning, contributing to basic research on sleep functions and potentially maximizing the success of neurorehabilitation via EXO prototypes.
Due to the expected cortical changes during sleep as a consequence of sensorimotor training, the projects crucially needs of an EEG with higher spatial resolution (SR). The acquisition of a 64 ch polygraph (by expanding a pre-existing 32ch polygraph) will guarantee higher SR.

Based on various approaches ranging from hd-EEG and multisensory methods, the project will be aimed to
Aims 1: Study topographical EEG changes during sleep that are strictly linked to modifications related to the use of EXO, and examine how these measures predict the extent of rehabilitation.
Aims 2: Develop new methods for enriching bodily perceptions in patients with an SCI, thus inducing strong senses of identification and agency that are crucial for making the inclusion of a robotic EXO much more flexible and effective.