Spinal cord injury (SCI) research has increasingly shifted from compensatory rehabilitation strategies to interventions that harness the intrinsic potential of neural networks for reorganization and recovery. Activity-Based Recovery Therapy (ABRT; also referred to as Activity-Based Therapy, ABT) and electrical neuromodulation are emerging as pivotal approaches built on the foundation of activity-dependent plasticity and task-specific sensory input. Unlike general or high-intensity rehabilitation programs, ABRT relies on sensory cues that are directly linked to the motor task being practiced, thereby promoting adaptive neural responses. Concurrently, electrical neuromodulation—through epidural or transcutaneous stimulation—has shown the capacity to enhance and amplify the recovery processes initiated by ABRT, contributing to more comprehensive whole-body outcomes. However, the field continues to face challenges related to inconsistent definitions, unclear mechanistic integration, and varied therapeutic application, emphasizing the urgent need for a unified and coherent conceptual and experimental framework.
This Research Topic aims to consolidate the scientific and clinical knowledge underlying ABRT and the role of electrical neuromodulation as an amplifying strategy within ABRT-based recovery for SCI. It seeks to define core mechanistic principles grounded in activity-dependent plasticity, elucidate how neuromodulation can amplify recovery processes, and clearly distinguish ABRT from broader exercise or intensity-focused rehabilitation paradigms. By integrating preclinical, translational, and clinical research, the topic will foster shared terminology, methodological alignment, and optimized therapeutic combinations. Through collaborative efforts, this initiative intends to promote a more unified understanding of whole-body recovery encompassing sensory-motor and autonomic systems across the lifespan.
To gather further insights into the mechanistic, translational, and clinical intersections of ABRT (ABT) and electrical neuromodulation, we welcome studies across preclinical and clinical domains, including research in pediatric and adult populations. Contributions should clearly describe the therapeutic approach, intervention rationale, and mechanistic foundation. We especially encourage works addressing, but not limited to, the following subthemes:
- Mechanisms of sensory-motor and autonomic recovery in SCI
- Epidural and transcutaneous spinal stimulation techniques
- Task-specific sensory cue integration in ABRT design
- Combined rehabilitation and neuromodulation approaches for maximal outcomes
- Whole-body systems strategies for multi-domain recovery
- Neural plasticity and circuit-level reorganization mechanisms
- Translational studies linking preclinical and human recovery evidence
- Standardization of definitions and methodological frameworks for ABRT and neuromodulation
- Pediatric and lifespan-oriented approaches to SCI rehabilitation
We welcome original research articles, brief research reports, translational studies, and clinical trials.
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Case Report
Clinical Trial
Editorial
FAIR² Data
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
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Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
