Body-Machine Interfaces after Spinal Cord Injury: Rehabilitation and Brain Plasticity

This study explores how people with spinal cord injuries can improve their motor skills through the use of a body-machine interface (BMI). Participants used upper-body movements to control a cursor on a screen, practicing tasks like reaching, typing, and playing games. The research found that with training, participants improved their performance in these tasks. They were able to move the cursor more smoothly, accurately, and quickly. Additionally, the training seemed to increase the strength of their shoulders and upper arms. Brain scans revealed changes in the white matter of the brain, specifically in an area called the cingulum. These changes suggest that the brain is adapting and reorganizing itself in response to the motor skill training, which could lead to long-term improvements in motor function.

• 1
  Subjects with SCI improved their performance on visuo-spatial motor training tasks using a BMI, showing increased smoothness, accuracy, and speed in cursor control.
• 2
  Motor training with the BMI led to increased Manual Muscle Test scores and isometric force in the subjects' shoulders and upper arms, indicating improved upper-body ability.
• 3
  Motor training increased fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the cingulum of the left hemisphere by 6.02% on average, suggesting localized white matter microstructure changes.