Brain-Computer Interfaces for Rehabilitation After Stroke

The field of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) has advanced rapidly over the past two decades. For the most severely disabled patients, studies have demonstrated the feasibility of motor and communication BCIs. For stroke specifically, studies have also shown that BCI-based approaches can augment motor rehabilitation. One approach has been to combine physical therapy with BCI neurofeedback of sensorimotor rhythms recorded with electroencephalography (EEG); multiple small clinical trials have also shown that this approach can result in significant benefits over a sham condition. An alternate possible approach, which is at a preclinical stage, aims to use BCI technology as an assistive device to augment injured network dynamics and thus improve motor function. Together, it is increasingly clear that BCI-based technology will likely benefit stroke patients with chronic motor deficits. Ongoing and future studies should help better define specific approaches. This will hopefully lead to larger clinical studies to definitively demonstrate benefits.