Kessler Foundation scientists received three spinal cord research grants from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, to ensure their ability to complete projects with the pandemic. The grants were awarded to Amanda Botticello, PhD, MPH, Denise Fyffe, PhD, and Jeanne Zanca, PhD, MPT, who conducts research in the Centers for Spinal Cord Injury Research and Outcomes and Evaluation.
Early in the pandemic, many of our research studies were postponed for a period of time to follow government guidelines to stay at home and reduce the risk to our partners. The Neilsen Foundation recognized these challenges and generously provided additional support to ensure that we can successfully deliver these projects despite the delays. This is another great example of how a partnership with the Neilsen Foundation has allowed us to make measurable progress towards the lives of people living with spinal cord injuries. “
Trevor Dyson-Hudson, MD, Director, Centers for Spinal Cord Injury Research and Outcomes and Evaluation
Amanda Botticello, PhD, MPH, deputy director, received $ 43,596 in funding for her ongoing study titled, “Mapping Context for a Better Understanding of Community Integration and Participation after Spinal Cord Injury.” People living with chest paralysis after a spinal cord injury (SCI) often experience barriers to community integration and participation. The study seeks to understand the role of the environment in tackling these barriers. Going forward, the project will include assessments of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social isolation and identify areas to develop interventions for people with disabilities during health emergencies. people.
Denise Fyffe, PhD, senior research scientist, received additional funding of $ 35,000 to support her project entitled, “Exploring Contextual / Racial Factors Related to Functional Independence in Spinal Cord Injury. ”People who are racially / ethnically diverse with SCI are not allowed to engage in functional independence for personal, cultural and contextual reasons.
This study seeks to identify which features influence their self-care and independence by using new technologies to collect wheelchair use data on the mobility of participants at the home and community. The aim is to develop proposals for culture-conscious interventions that promote autonomy and promote community-based strategies that encourage independence of action and community participation.
Jeanne Zanca, PhD, MPT, senior research scientist received $ 35,000 funding to support her project titled, “Neurofeedback to Help Self-Management of Post-Spinal Neuropathic Cord Injury.” Although medications are often the mainstay of treatment, they are not sufficient to control neuropathic pain and its negative impact on quality of life. Dr. Zanca’s study seeks to identify modern non-pharmacologic strategies for pain management.
The study uses neuroimaging to test whether neurofeedback (a way of informing a person about their brain activity during a thought activity) can help people with SCI to control activity in brain areas related to pain, and learning to the intense and unpleasant the pain they are experiencing.