Authors:
Bethel C. A. Osuagwu
1
;
Leslie Wallace
2
;
Matthew Fraser
2
and
Aleksandra Vuckovic
1
Affiliations:
1
University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
;
2
Southern General Hospital and Glasgow, United Kingdom
Keyword(s):
Brain Computer Interface, Functional Electrical Stimulation, Neurorehabilitation, Tetraplegia, Hand
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Applications
;
Assistive Technologies
;
Biomedical Engineering
;
Biomedical Instruments and Devices
;
Brain-Computer Interfaces
;
Devices
;
Electrical Stimulation
;
Health Engineering and Technology Applications
;
Human-Computer Interaction
;
Neural Rehabilitation
;
Neuromodulation and Neural Prosthesis
;
Neurotechnology, Electronics and Informatics
;
Outcome Measures
;
Pattern Recognition
;
Physiological Computing Systems
;
Software Engineering
Abstract:
The aim of this paper is to compare neurological and functional outcomes between two groups of subacute
hospitalised patients with incomplete tetraplegia receiving two experimental therapies. Seven patients
received 20 sessions of Brain Computer Interface (BCI) controlled Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)
while five patients received 20 sessions of passive FES. The treatment assessment measures were EEG during
movement attempt, Somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) of the ulnar and median nerve and the range of
movement of both wrists. Patients in both groups initially had intense cortical activity during a movement
attempt, which was wide-spread, not restricted to the sensory-motor cortex. Following the treatment, cortical
activity restored towards the activity in able-bodied people in BCI-FES group only. SSEP also returned in 3
patients in BCI-FES group while in FES group no changes were noticed. The range of movement improved
in both groups and results are inconclus
ive due to the small number of participants. This study confirms the
feasibility of prolonged BCI-FES therapy in a hospital setting. The results indicate better neurological
recovery in BCI-FES group. Larger and longer studies are required to assess the potential advantage of BCI-FES
on functional recovery.
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