Spinal cord injury affects around 300,000 people in the United States, with roughly 18,000 new injuries each year. Most injuries result from trauma — car crashes, falls, sports injuries. Treatment has long focused on rehabilitation and managing complications, because the damaged spinal cord does not naturally regenerate. Research now aims to restore function through cell therapies, nerve-stimulating devices, and drugs that promote repair.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing stem cell injections to replace damaged nerve cells, epidural stimulators that deliver electrical pulses to awaken dormant circuits below the injury, and drugs that clear debris or encourage nerve fibers to regrow. Researchers are also studying exoskeleton devices for walking, brain-computer interfaces that bypass the injury entirely, and combination approaches that pair cells with rehabilitation or stimulation.
Epidural stimulation
Devices implanted on the spinal cord can restore voluntary movement in some people with complete injuries. Trials are refining the stimulation patterns and identifying who benefits most.
Stem cell therapies
Studies are injecting different cell types — neural stem cells, mesenchymal cells, oligodendrocyte precursors — into or near the injury site. Early results show safety, and some suggest modest functional gains.
Brain-computer interfaces
Implanted electrodes decode brain signals and send commands to computers or exoskeletons, allowing paralyzed individuals to move a cursor, control a robotic arm, or trigger muscle stimulation in their own limbs.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on injury level (cervical, thoracic, lumbar), completeness of injury, time since injury, and whether the trial targets acute or chronic phases.
What types of trials are currently open
- Cell therapy trials — Testing stem cells or other cell types injected into the spinal cord to replace lost neurons or support repair.
- Stimulation trials — Studies of epidural or transcutaneous stimulators that deliver electrical pulses to reactivate circuits below the injury.
- Drug trials — Testing medications that remove scar tissue, promote nerve growth, or reduce inflammation in the acute or chronic phase after injury.
- Device trials — Studies of exoskeletons, brain-computer interfaces, or functional electrical stimulation systems that restore movement or independence.
- Rehabilitation trials — Testing new physical therapy approaches, often combined with stimulation or robotics, to maximize recovery.
Recently added Spinal Cord Injury trials
Complete tests measuring how your nerves respond to stimulation
This study will investigate how aging and spinal cord injury (SCI) affect the transmission and plasticity of the corticospinal and reticulospinal tracts, which are important pathways for motor control. The study includes two experiments. Experiment 1 will assess corticospinal and reticulospinal tract transmission to lower-limb muscles in older adults with and without SCI. Experiment 2 will examine how aging and spinal cord injury affect the body's ability to strengthen nerve pathways involved in movement. The investigators will compare two pathways that help control leg movement, the corticospinal and reticulospinal pathways, to determine whether aging affects these pathways differently and whether spinal cord injury has a greater effect on the corticospinal pathway.
Complete radiation treatments and follow-up scans for spine cancer
This study observes the effectiveness of high-precision radiation therapy using the Edge system after surgery for patients with spinal metastases. Spinal metastases can press on the spinal cord and cause pain, weakness, or paralysis. This treatment uses higher doses of radiation in fewer sessions (hypofractionated stereotactic body radiotherapy) delivered precisely by the Edge machine to target remaining tumor cells while protecting the spinal cord. The study aims to see if this approach improves local tumor control, improves neurological function, shortens treatment duration, and improves quality of life in these patients. The study is observational, meaning patients receive standard care, and data is collected to evaluate the outcomes.
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