Academic Journal
Using a functional near-infrared spectroscopy-guided brain-computer interface to facilitate observational imitation after stroke.
| Τίτλος: | Using a functional near-infrared spectroscopy-guided brain-computer interface to facilitate observational imitation after stroke. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Zhang JJ; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China. Electronic address: jack-jiaqi.zhang@polyu.edu.hk., Lin R; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China., Zeng RR; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China., Tang M; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Division of Rehabilitation, Tung Wah Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China., Chan SSY; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China., Zhang BB; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China., Sun R; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China., Kranz GS; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China., Lau SCL; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China., Lührs M; Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands., Fong KNK; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China; Research Center of Assistive Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China. Electronic address: rsnkfong@polyu.edu.hk., Mathiak K; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany., Mehler DMA; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Institute of Translational Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom. Electronic address: dmehler@ukaachen.de., Lau GKK; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. |
| Πηγή: | Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicine [Ann Phys Rehabil Med] 2026 Sep; Vol. 69 (6), pp. 102149. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jun 26. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Elsevier Masson Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 101502773 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1877-0665 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 18770657 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Ann Phys Rehabil Med Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: Amsterdam : Elsevier Masson |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Stroke Rehabilitation*/methods , Stroke*/physiopathology , Imitative Behavior*/physiology , Brain-Computer Interfaces*, Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared/methods ; Upper Extremity/physiopathology ; Imagination/physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Feedback, Sensory ; Aged |
| Περίληψη: | Background: A brain-computer interface (BCI) shows promise for facilitating motor imagery (MI) during observational imitation motor relearning of the upper extremity in people after stroke. Objective: To investigate the efficacy and mechanisms of a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)-based BCI in augmenting MI during observational imitation for poststroke upper extremity rehabilitation. Methods: A randomized trial was conducted among participants after stroke. In the real fNIRS-BCI group, participants engaged in kinesthetic MI. When the activation level over the corticomotor areas recorded by fNIRS surpassed a predefined threshold, an instructional video showing the target movement was triggered, and participants were instructed to observe and imitate the movement. The sham group received feedback at constant intervals without being contingent on individual brain signals. Upper extremity motor tests and mirror visual feedback (MVF)-induced sensorimotor event-related desynchronization (ERD) were assessed before and after intervention. MI-induced oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) concentrations were extracted from participants receiving fNIRS-BCI. Results: Forty-four participants were enrolled. Observational imitation with or without BCI was effective in enhancing upper extremity function. However, there were no between-group differences in upper extremity motor improvement. fNIRS-BCI-driven observational imitation significantly enhanced MVF-induced beta sensorimotor ERD bilaterally more than sham BCI did. In participants receiving fNIRS-BCI, the capacity to upregulate MI-induced HbO over the ipsilesional sensorimotor cortex and supplementary motor area was significantly enhanced post-intervention. Conclusion: fNIRS-BCI shows promise for monitoring real-time brain activity during rehabilitation and enhancing the participants' ability to upregulate corticomotor activity through neurofeedback; however, it did not yield superior benefits in upper extremity measures. fNIRS-BCI may improve brain responsiveness to visual feedback after stroke. Future research should determine how these neurophysiological effects can be translated into better clinical outcomes. Trial Registration: NCT06503484. (Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.) |
| Competing Interests: | Declaration of competing interest Michael Lührs is COO of Brain Innovation B.V., Maastricht, The Netherlands. This has not affected the content or quality of this work. All other authors declare no conflict of interest. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Brain-computer interfaces; Motor imagery; Observational imitation; Stroke; Supplementary motor area; Visual feedback |
| Molecular Sequence: | ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06503484 |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260625 Date Completed: 20260924 Latest Revision: 20260929 |
| Update Code: | 20260929 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.rehab.2026.102149 |
| PMID: | 42349111 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1877-0665 |
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| DOI: | 10.1016/j.rehab.2026.102149 |