Drug tests for spasticity

What are we studying?

Two drugs--amphetamine and citalopram--are being used to understand how neurons change after a spinal cord injury to produce spasticity.

How will we do that?

After being administered the respective drug, participants will perform basic movements, like raising or lowering a foot. Small electrical impulses will be used to produce reflexes in the leg muscle, while a fine wire in the shin muscle will be used to record motor unit responses.

Who can participate?

Adults with complete or incomplete SCI >1 year ago who have some spasticity in their legs.

What are some potential benefits?

You will likely not receive any direct benefit from this experiment, although you may learn which anti-spastic drugs do or do not work for you. These experiments will help us understand why spasticity develops after spinal cord injury. This may help us develop better anti-spastic drugs.

How much time does it take?

Two days for 3 to 4 hours.