Author Spotlight: Using Motor Imagery Brain-Computer Interface to Improve Motor and Cognitive Function in Stroke Patients

This study focus on the clinical application of MI-BCI in stroke patients with moderate to severe upper limb motor dysfunction. And it provides ideas and references for the standardized clinical operation and mechanism research by demonstrating the operation process and intervention effect of MI-BCI. MI-BCI has present a positive effect on improving motor dysfunction in stroke patients.

However, more clinical researches of this field will be done in the future to more appropriate treatment protocols for this different level of function in stroke patients. In this study, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, fNIRS, was used to monitor the concentration changes of hemoglobin and the oxygenating hemoglobin in the cerebral cortex in real time under different stimulation task. Thus providing imaging evidence for the clinical effect of MI-BCI.

We present a protocol to use MI-BCI training on stroke patients for upper limb motor rehabilitation. The scores of Fugi-Meyer assessment of upper extremity and Wolf Motor Function Test was both improved after MI-BCI treatment. Meanwhile, the fNIRS assessment also showed more activation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, primary motor cortex, and primary sensory cortex.

The findings suggest potential improvement in motor and cognitive function in stroke patients upon MI-BCI intervention. Original upper limb rehabilitation intervention methods, either peripheral intervention or central intervention. Whereas MI-BCI is based on the closed-loop principle of center, peripheral and center, or combined central model with peripheral motor feedback.

The closed-loop principle is more fit for the characteristic of central nervous system disease.