Ryan J. Solinsky, M.D.

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SUMMARY

The research of Ryan J. Solinsky, M.D., centers on characterizing deficits in the autonomic nervous system and better understanding how these deficits impact clinical presentations. His previous work showed significant autonomic nervous system dysfunction in individuals with spinal cord injury. Dr. Solinsky is currently conducting clinical trials on how to improve autonomic nervous system regulation for these individuals with paralysis.

Focus areas

• Autonomic dysfunction after spinal cord injury. To inform treatment approaches, Dr. Solinsky aims to better understand the clinical implications of autonomic deficits after spinal cord injury. His research includes the development of a comprehensive battery of autonomic tests to evaluate sympathoexcitation and sympathoinhibition, excitement and inhibition of the sympathetic nervous system. Dr. Solinsky's work to date has focused on direct measures of baroreflex sensitivity using neck suction, and heart rate and blood pressure variability.
• Autonomic dysreflexia. Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is a serious medical condition that occurs in individuals with spinal cord injury, but it's not well studied. Dr. Solinsky's groundbreaking studies over eight years evaluated treatments for AD. These included the use of vasodilators such as nitroglycerin or hydralazine. In a treatment protocol these vasodilators were effective in over 97% of study participants. The research also characterized diastolic blood pressure changes during AD.
• Neuroprostheses for improving care after spinal cord injury. Dr. Solinsky has a background in biomedical engineering and is developing engineering solutions to address concerns of people with spinal cord injury. His research includes designing a bidirectional optogenetic-based neuroprosthesis to restore voluntary control of urination and testing a soft robotic exoskeleton glove for individuals with quadriplegia. He also has reviewed evidence for epidural stimulation for cardiovascular control and collaborated with an engineering team to assess autonomic changes in individuals with spinal cord injury undergoing closed-loop epidural stimulation.

Significance to patient care

Dr. Solinsky's work is aimed at improving treatment outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injury. By characterizing deficits in the autonomic nervous system and better understanding how these deficits impact clinical presentations, Dr. Solinsky's research informs the development of more-effective treatments for individuals with spinal cord injury. In particular, his work on autonomic dysreflexia has led to the development of a protocol for the treatment of this serious condition that is over 97% effective. Additionally, Dr. Solinsky's collaboration with engineering teams has led to the development of innovative neuroprostheses, such as the soft-robotic exoskeleton glove, that improve functional tasks for individuals with quadriplegia from spinal cord injury.

Professional highlights

• The Richard S. Materson Education Research Fund (ERF) New Investigator Research Grant, Foundation for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2022.
• Claire M. Donaldson Young Investigator Award, Department of PM&R, Harvard Medical School, 2021.
• Best Young Investigator Original Research Paper, PM&R journal, 2019.Post-Doctoral Fellow Research Award, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, 2017.
• Ernest Bors Award for Scientific Development, The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2016.
• Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals Interdisciplinary Champion Award, 2014.