A Comprehensive Assessment of Altered Embodiment in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury

What this study involves

The registry does not currently label this study as recruiting. Ask about its status before planning a screening visit.

Study type

Observational

Phase

Not applicable / not listed

Age range

18 years - 65 years

Sex eligible

All sexes

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

Participants

80 Actual

These are starting points, not an eligibility decision. The research team must review the full requirements.

About the research

Spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs when trauma or other factors damage the spinal cord, disrupting the flow of sensory information from the body to the brain. This interruption can interfere with embodiment-the body awareness and physical sensations processed by the brain-sometimes leading to a phenomenon called disembodiment.

For people with SCI, disembodiment may appear as unusual body sensations, like feeling that a limb is in a different position than it actually is. Such changes in body awareness can impact daily life, mental health, and rehabilitation outcomes.

Despite its importance, the study of embodiment in SCI remains limited. This project aims to explore how SCI alters embodiment, focusing on its specific characteristics, the effects on daily life, and the underlying brain activity as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Both people with and without SCI will participate.

Procedure: Participants will complete a single examination lasting 2 to 2.5 hours, including approximately 55 minutes in the MRI scanner (with preparation and follow-up).

Who may be able to participate?

The list below is the sponsor’s full registry wording. It can include conditions, prior treatment, test results and other requirements. A match in search does not mean you qualify.

Inclusion Criteria for all participants:

• Age between 18 and 60
• Normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity
• German or Italian native speaker

Additional Inclusion Criteria only for individuals with SCI:

• Diagnosis of traumatic spinal cord injury
• Lesion level below T1 (first thoracic vertebra)
• Time since injury \>= 12 months
• Residual sensation on the upper leg (sensory capability of 1 or higher on at least one leg in the dermatomes L2 and L3 for both light touch and pin prick).

Exclusion Criteria for all participants:

• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Diagnosis of other psychiatric or neurological disorders (e.g. epilepsy, tumor in the central nervous system)
• Confirmed diagnosis of alcohol and/or drug abuse with active consumption within the last 6 months
• Confirmed diagnosis of traumatic brain injury, intended as visible changes in the brain diagnosed by a radiologist
• Stroke
• Inability to perform study procedures (e.g. inability to consent)

Additional Exclusion Criteria for both HC and SCI undergoing the fMRI procedure:

• Active medical devices (e.g. cardiac pacemaker)
• Inability to perform study procedures (e.g. claustrophobia)

Study population

Individuals with spinal cord injury and healthy controls.

Treatment, groups and participation

The registry may describe treatments and study duration without a complete visit calendar. Ask the study team for the exact schedule, procedures, risks, costs and alternatives. Keep your usual care plan unless your treating clinician tells you otherwise.

Assignment

Not reported

Masking

Not reported

What researchers are measuring

Outcome measures describe what is being studied. They are not proof that a treatment works.

Primary measures

Secondary measures

Research locations (1)

The overall study status and a local site’s status can differ. Confirm that location’s availability before traveling.

1 locations

Study team and timeline

Lead sponsor

Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil

Study start

Jun 4, 2025 Actual

Primary completion

Jul 30, 2026 Actual

Study completion

Jul 31, 2026 Actual

First posted

Nov 14, 2024 Actual

Last updated

Nov 10, 2026 Actual

Official study contacts

No central contact is listed. Check the locations and the official record.