​Recent clinical studies have shown that activation of 'central pattern generator' (CPG) networks of spinal neurons, known to produce rhythmic patterns of coordinated movements, may revive some of the lost motor function in patients of spinal cord injury. Our ability to reactivate undamaged components of the CPGs in spinal cord injury patients depends on multidisciplinary knowledge gained from clinical studies and from basic research of the pattern generating circuitry in experimental models of spinal cords that are disconnected from descending voluntary control. The basic research in our laboratory is focused on identification of pattern generating neurons in isolated spinal cord preparations of the neonatal rat and mouse, on characterization of their activity patterns and synaptic connectivity, and on possible ways to activate the pattern generators in these preparations. The clinical research in our laboratory, performed in collaboration with the Department of Rehabilitation Neurology at the Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, focuses at reducing the occurrence of spastic episodes and enhancing the motor capacity of spinal cord injury patients.