Citation

Boulay CB, Sarnacki WA, Wolpaw JR, McFarland DJ. Clin. Neurophysiol. 2011; 122(9): 1820-1826.

Affiliation

Laboratory of Neural Injury and Repair, The Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, P.O. Box 509, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12201-0509, USA; School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12222, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.clinph.2011.02.016

PMID

21411366

PMCID

PMC3132832

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology might be useful for rehabilitation of motor function. This speculation is based on the premise that modifying the EEG will modify behavior, a proposition for which there is limited empirical data. The present study examined the possibility that voluntary modulation of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) can affect motor behavior in normal human subjects. METHODS: Six individuals performed a cued-reaction task with variable warning periods. A typical variable foreperiod effect was associated with SMR desynchronization. SMR features that correlated with reaction times were then used to control a two-target cursor movement BCI task. Following successful BCI training, an uncued reaction time task was embedded within the cursor movement task. RESULTS: Voluntarily increasing SMR beta rhythms was associated with longer reaction times than decreasing SMR beta rhythms. CONCLUSIONS: Voluntary modulation of EEG SMR can affect motor behavior. SIGNIFICANCE: These results encourage studies that integrate BCI training into rehabilitation protocols and examine its capacity to augment restoration of useful motor function.

Language: en