Contusive cervical spinal cord injury (cSCI) impairs upper limb function (reach-and-grasp)
which limits daily-life activities and thus decreases the quality of life. Promoting
neuroplasticity may support upper limb recovery after SCI. Repetitive exposure to acute
intermittent hypoxia (rAIH) combined with motor training promotes recovery of motor function
after SCI; however, the overall effects of rAIH/training are limited. The investigators will
use an adult rat model of long-term contusive cSCI to study novel approaches to enhance the
effect of rAIH/training on forelimb function and study the neuronal substrate underlying the
effects. The findings will be used to direct the development of more effective rAIH/training
approaches for people with contusive, functionally incomplete, cSCI. Because deficits in
upper limb function are a major problem after stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple
sclerosis, and other motor disorders, this work may also be relevant for patients with other
types of central nervous system (CNS) lesions.