Clinical Validation of a Hybrid BCI-controlled FES for Upper Limb Rehabilitation After Stroke

Summary

The RECOMMENCER project aims at developing and testing a novel hybrid Brain Computer Interface device based on cortico-muscular connectivity, that will be employed to activate Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) of upper limb muscles. After the technical implementation of the device and its preliminary testing on healthy subject, the investigators will evaluate the effects of a 1 month training with the device (RECOM) on post-stroke patients undergoing standard rehabilitation (add-on). The proposed intervention will be compared with an active physiotherapy training including FES (CTRL) which will be focused on upper limb with similar intensity as the target intervention (also delivered in add-on).

Conditions

• Stroke Sequelae
• Motor Disorders

Interventions

DEVICE

RECOM - hBCI training

The RECOM device is a h-BCI system that controls FES of upper limb muscles: the patient is asked to attempt simple upper limb movements (eg extension of fingers); the device recognizes (in correct trials) close-to-normal EEG-EMG activation and initiates FES of extensor muscles in the forearm. RECOM training consists in a set of trial repetition for a total duration per session of approximately 20-30 minutes (excluding set up time and calibration). FES parameters will be set specifically for each patients according to standard guidelines to achieve full movement and so as to avoid any kind of discomfort for the patients. The intervention regimen will be 2-3 times per week for 4 consecutive weeks.

OTHER

CTRL - upper limb training with FES

An expert physiotherapist will define a set of active exercises focused on upper limb function; the exercises will be combined with FES of forearm muscles. FES parameters will be set specifically for each patients according to standard guidelines to achieve the full required movement and so as to avoid any kind of discomfort for the patients. Session duration will be approximately 20-30 minutes (excluding FES calibration time). The intervention regimen will be 2-3 times per week for 4 consecutive weeks.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Roma La Sapienza

  collaborator OTHER

• Donatella Mattia

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Floriana Pichiorri, MD, PhD · Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS

• Jlenia Toppi, Prof · University of Roma La Sapienza

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-03-01

Primary Completion

2024-12-31

Completion

2024-12-31

Countries

• Italy

Study Locations