Brain-Computer Interface in chronic stroke: an application of sensorimotor closed-loop with contingent force feedback

Stroke injury is one of the leading causes of motor impairment in the modern society. Recently Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) have been used in the recovery of motor functions [1], [2]: indeed, the closed loop involving sensorimotor brain rhythms (SMR), assistive-robot training and proprioceptive feedback in an operant learning fashion might potentially be one of the most effective way to promote the neural plasticity of the damaged brain hemisphere and to restore motor abilities [3]. Thank to such a BCI treatment, one stroke patient learnt to control μ and lower β rhythms in his ipsilesional brain hemisphere and improved his upper limb control in a standard 2D reaching task.