James J. Peters Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if perfusion index (PI) can reliably predict changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP) in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) during a cool temperature challenge. Participants with SCI can be 18-75 years of age, male or female, neurological level of injury C4-T12, ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS: A or B: motor complete) or gender and healthy age-matched able-bodied (AB) controls.
The main question this study aims to answer is: can PI reliably predict change in SBP during a cool temperature challenge? We hypothesize that PI can be used as a biomarker of SBP in persons with SCI.
Researchers will compare the relationship of 1) changes in PI and SBP and 2) relationship of changes in other vital signs to SBP, during the cool temperature challenge. The researchers aim to determine if PI can be used as a biomarker of SBP in persons with SCI during a cool temperature challenge (experimental group/arm). Able-bodied controls (control group/arm) will receive the same intervention (cool challenge) as the experimental group.
During the study, participants will be asked to wear only shorts and a T-shirt so that their skin can be exposed to the warm and cool temperatures of the 2 rooms.
We will put put on non-invasive sensors (taped or attached on the surface of your body) to measure PI, BP, and other vital signs. We will record these measurements while you are seated in a wheelchair for 10 minutes in a warm room and up to 90 minutes in a cool room.

Immobilization following spinal cord injury (SCI) results in muscle and bone loss below the level of injury, which ultimately predisposes to fracture at several sites throughout the legs and can lead to several medical complications that can devastate quality of life. There is a scarcity of research that has successfully implemented rehabilitation and/or exercise training interventions to preserve the musculoskeletal system during the acute phase SCI, or possibly reverse the muscle and bone loss that has already occurred in chronic SCI. This study will compare the effect of exoskeleton-assisted walking (EAW) training combined with transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) (EAW + active tSCS), to that of EAW + sham tSCS, on measures of muscle and bone health in a cohort of chronically injured motor incomplete SCI. A successful outcome would expand treatment options to improve musculoskeletal health over the lifetime.

The main goal of this study is to determine if psilocybin is safe for use in people with SCI. The study will measure how people with SCI respond to three psilocybin doses: low (5mg), medium (10mg), and high (25mg).
The main question the study aims to answer is: does psilocybin increase the number and severity of adverse (bad) events reported by people with SCI? These may include pain, muscle spasms, symptoms of depression, and symptoms of low or high blood pressure. The investigators will also measure how well people with SCI tolerate the psychedelic experience, and compare responses between the low (5mg), medium (10mg), and high (25mg) doses.
Participants will:
* Agree to be enrolled in the study for up to 13 months.
* Agree to complete the seven (7) visits that are included in the psilocybin-assisted therapy.
* Agree to complete follow-up study visits, including in-person visits to the James J Peters VA Medical Center, located in the Bronx, New York and remote visits.
* Agree to keep a log of how they are feeling and any change in the frequency or severity of adverse events.