Neural Control of Movement - Copenhagen > Research > Spasticity

Spasticity

We have studied the spinal pathophysiology of spasticity in animal and human research during the past 15 years. We have found that several mechanisms contribute to the development of hyperreflexia, including reduced reciprocal inhibition, reduced post-activation depression and increased persistent inward currents (PICs) in the spinal motoneurones. These findings now make a basis for the development of antispastic interventions that we evaluate in collaboration with clinical departments. Through this collaboration we have also realized that spasticity is difficult – if not impossible - to assess correctly clinically and that – partially as a consequence of this - the term ´spasticity´ is used clinically to designate several different symptoms that require different treatment. We therefore work to optimize the assessment of spasticity both in the laboratory and in the clinic.

Research group members:
Jakob Lorentzen (Coordinator)
Svend Sparre Geertsen
Michael James Grey
Jens Bo Nielsen
Liqun Ren
Jacob Wienecke
Maria Willerslev-Olsen
Mengliang Zhang