Spinal cord injuries (SCI), particularly cervical ones (60%), often lead to respiratory paralysis. Patients with injuries at C4 or higher are dependent on mechanical ventilation (MV), which worsens diaphragmatic weakness and limits respiratory recovery.
Dr. Isabelle Vivodtzev has developed rSynES, a non-invasive system that stimulates intercostal and abdominal muscles in synchronization with breathing. This system may activate spinal neuronal networks and promote axonal regeneration.
The project aims to investigate the effects of rSynES in a mouse model of unilateral cervical injury (C3), enabling longitudinal evaluation of physiological and molecular responses.
Respiration will be measured using plethysmography and EMG, before and after treatment.
Dr. Julien Flament will contribute his expertise in CEST-MRI glutamate imaging (gluCEST), which is useful for spinal cord mapping and detecting neuronal energy deficits.
Synaptic markers, motoneuron plasticity, descending pathways, and inflammation will also be analyzed (immunostaining, western blotting, axonal tracing).
The project will combine the expertise of the NEAR laboratory (respiratory neuroplasticity) and MIRCen-CEA (advanced MRI).
MRI sequences are already available, and quantification tools are in place.
The project aims to demonstrate the therapeutic effectiveness of rSynES for ventilator-dependent patients.
It will also explore whether MRI can provide novel sensitive biomarkers of neuroplasticity.
The results could pave the way for innovative therapeutic approaches following SCI.
This multidisciplinary work combines neuroscience, MRI, data analysis, and modeling.