Brain-state dependent peripheral nerve stimulation for plasticity induction targeting upper-limb

Brain-computer interfaces have increasingly found applications within the rehabilitation of lost motor function in stroke patients. Most studies have targeted upper limb muscles and used sensorimotor rhythms as the control signal. In a series of studies, we have introduced an associative BCI modeled on known theories of memory and learning that implements the movement related cortical potential (MRCP) as a way to control an external device that provides afferent generated feedback to the user’s brain at the time of the peak negative phase of the MRCP. In its application to lower limb muscles it demonstrates significant plasticity induction that requires no user training. In the current study, we tested if this associative BCI is effective when targeting upper limb muscles. Further, we explored if there is a difference when the MRCP is gen- erated as part of a simple (wrist extension) versus a complex (reach and grasp) movement.