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BCI-Guided Tibialis Anterior FES for Gait Training in Spinal Cord Injury

12. august 2026 oppdatert av: Caroline Cunha, Santos Dumont Institute

Use of Brain Interface-Guided Functional Electrical Stimulation - Gait Training Machine in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI)-guided Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) in improving muscle activation and gait kinematics in individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI).

Studieoversikt

Status

Aktiv, ikke rekrutterende

Forhold

Intervensjon / Behandling

Detaljert beskrivelse

Introduction:

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) causes serious motor and sensory deficits, affecting thousands of people globally. Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) combined with Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) emerges as a promising strategy to rehabilitate individuals with SCI. This mechanism will simultaneously stimulate the affected regions of the lower limbs, causing the compromised muscles to contract, causing movement. The FES technique, with its proven effectiveness in improving muscle strength, stands out as a crucial resource in this process of improving approaches integrated with advanced technology and physiotherapeutic principles to offer a promising perspective in neuromuscular rehabilitation.

Objective:

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI)-guided Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) in improving muscle activation and gait kinematics in individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI).

Methodology:

This is a quasi-experimental study that will be conducted with four (n=4) volunteers with Spinal Cord Injury (age range: 18-60 years), of both sexes. Data collection will take place at the Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neurosciences (IIN-ELS), Macaíba/RN, Brazil. For the characterization and eligibility of volunteers, the following instruments will be used: Modified Ashworth Scale, Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire (DN4), and the Visual-10, Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire-10 (KVIQ-10). For clinical outcomes, the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA), Spinal Cord Independence Measure - version III (SCIM-III), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) will be used. At the end of the protocol, the following questionnaires will be administered: System Usability Scale (SUS), Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI), and Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) to assess system usability, intrinsic motivation, and perceived workload. The intervention will consist of 24 sessions aiming to use a brain-computer interface based on kinesthetic motor imagery of dorsiflexion associated with neurofeedback (visual and tactile), focused on the functional outcomes of individuals with paraplegia. During the intervention, volunteers will be instructed to imagine performing the dorsiflexion movement. An electroencephalogram (EEG) will be used to monitor brain activity through sensorimotor rhythms. When activity reaches a minimum threshold, functional electrical stimulation (FES) will be triggered, causing contraction of the tibialis anterior muscle.

Expected Results:

It is expected that BCI-guided FES targeting tibialis anterior muscle activation in individuals with SCI will contribute to the rehabilitation process by promoting improvements in neurological function, functional independence, and cortical activity. Changes are expected in clinical outcomes assessed by the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI/ASIA) and the Spinal Cord Independence Measure III (SCIM III), as well as in EEG patterns associated with sensorimotor cortical activation. Furthermore, this innovative approach will not only provide improvements in the physical performance of individuals with SCI, but will also contribute to the continuous evolution of rehabilitation strategies, highlighting the fundamental role of technological advances in promoting the quality of life and autonomy of these individuals.

Studietype

Intervensjonell

Registrering (Antatt)

10

Fase

  • Ikke aktuelt

Kontakter og plasseringer

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Studiesteder

    • Rio Grande do Norte
      • Macaíba, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil, 59288-999
        • Santos Dumont Institute

Deltakelseskriterier

Forskere ser etter personer som passer til en bestemt beskrivelse, kalt kvalifikasjonskriterier. Noen eksempler på disse kriteriene er en persons generelle helsetilstand eller tidligere behandlinger.

Kvalifikasjonskriterier

Alder som er kvalifisert for studier

  • Voksen

Tar imot friske frivillige

Nei

Beskrivelse

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Clinical diagnosis of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), classified as AIS grades A to D
  • Male or female participants
  • Age between 18 and 60 years

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Skin lesions that preclude the use of functional electrical stimulation (FES)
  • Lower-limb contractures that preclude the use of FES
  • Lower-limb spasticity that precludes the use of FES
  • Osteoporosis
  • Recent surgical procedure

Studieplan

Denne delen gir detaljer om studieplanen, inkludert hvordan studien er utformet og hva studien måler.

Hvordan er studiet utformet?

Designdetaljer

  • Primært formål: Behandling
  • Tildeling: N/A
  • Intervensjonsmodell: Enkeltgruppeoppdrag
  • Masking: Ingen (Open Label)

Våpen og intervensjoner

Deltakergruppe / Arm
Intervensjon / Behandling
Eksperimentell: Spinal Cord Injury

The intervention protocol will last 26 min. The first 2 min are used to collect EEG data under baseline conditions, during which the participant does not perform mental tasks or receive electrical stimulation. Then there is 6 min of motor training with Neurofeedback (NFB). During this time, two 10s periods: one in which the FES devices are activated without motor imagery (MI), and another in which the FES is activated by the MI to induce movements in the feet. This includes six separate attempts for the right foot, left foot, and both feet, for a total of 18 attempts. After completing the NFB phase, the participant rests for 6 min to avoid mental and muscular fatigue.

Subsequently, the user performs 12 min of training with BCI. This involves 20s intervals of MI to trigger the FES devices to dorsiflex the feet, followed by 20s rest periods. This cycle is repeated for a total of 18 exercises, six for each movement (right foot, left foot and both feet).

Andre navn:
  • Nevrofeedback
  • Motoriske bilder
  • Brain - Computer Interface
  • Functional electrical stimulation

Hva måler studien?

Primære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury
Tidsramme: Baseline (before start of the intervention) At 12 week after baseline At 24 week after baseline
The International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury/ASIA will be used to assess the neurological level and severity of spinal cord injury, including motor and sensory function. The sensory score ranges from 0 (absent) to 2 (normal). The ASIA sensory scores for light touch and pinprick are calculated by summing the scores across 28 dermatomes, with a total score ranging from 0 to 112 for each modality. Higher scores indicate better sensory function. Motor function will be assessed bilaterally using the 10 key muscles corresponding to the C5-T1 and L2-S1 myotomes. Muscle strength is graded from 0 (total paralysis) to 5 (normal movement against maximum resistance). The ASIA Lower Extremity Motor Score (LEMS; range 0-50) will be used to assess lower-extremity motor function, with higher scores indicating better motor function.
Baseline (before start of the intervention) At 12 week after baseline At 24 week after baseline
Spinal Cord Independence Measure III
Tidsramme: Baseline (before start of the intervention) At 12 week after baseline At 24 week after baseline
To assess functional independence in individuals with spinal cord injury. The instrument evaluates self-care, respiration and sphincter management, and mobility. The total Spinal Cord Independence Measure III score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater levels of independence.
Baseline (before start of the intervention) At 12 week after baseline At 24 week after baseline

Sekundære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Electroencephalography Analysis
Tidsramme: Baseline (before start of the intervention); At 24 week after baseline.
Verify the clinical effects and cortical activity of mu and beta rhythms through electroencephalography analysis. Power Spectral Density (PSD) will be estimated using Welch's periodogram. Mean power will be calculated across trials for the mu (8-12 Hz) and beta (18-24 Hz) frequency bands. Power values will then be normalized to the mean power across the 8-30 Hz passband. The percentage change in power during kinesthetic motor imagery relative to the resting condition will then be calculated.
Baseline (before start of the intervention); At 24 week after baseline.
System Usability Scale
Tidsramme: At 24 week after baseline.
To evaluate participants' perception and satisfaction in relation to the intervention protocol, using the System Usability Scale questionnaire, with the aim of identifying the most relevant and impactful aspects of the intervention for volunteers with SCI. The final score ranges from 0 to 100, with scores above 68 indicating good system usability.
At 24 week after baseline.
World Health Organization Quality of Life
Tidsramme: Baseline (before start of the intervention); At 12 week after baseline; At 24 week after baseline
The World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF will be used to assess participants' perceived quality of life. The questionnaire evaluates four domains: physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment. The raw domain score will be converted into a standardized score, ranging from 0 to 100, with a higher score indicating a better perceived quality of life.
Baseline (before start of the intervention); At 12 week after baseline; At 24 week after baseline
Task Load Index
Tidsramme: At 24 week after baseline
The Task Load Index will be used to assess participants' perceived workload during the intervention. The questionnaire evaluates six dimensions: mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, performance, effort, and frustration. The sum of the weighted mean scores across these dimensions results in a total perceived workload score ranging from 0 to 100, classified as very low (0-20), low (21-40), moderate (41-60), high (61-80), and very high (81-100). Higher scores indicate greater perceived workload.
At 24 week after baseline
Intrinsic Motivation Inventory
Tidsramme: At 24 week after baseline.
It consists of 10 items rated on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 to 7, with higher scores indicating greater motivation and reflecting the level of agreement or satisfaction regarding different aspects of the motivational experience. The domains assessed include interest/enjoyment, effort/importance, and value/usefulness.
At 24 week after baseline.

Andre resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire
Tidsramme: Baseline (before start of the intervention).
To identify the presence of neuropathic pain. The score ranges from 0 to 10, with scores ≥4 indicating the presence of neuropathic pain. For the eligibility criteria.
Baseline (before start of the intervention).
Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire-10
Tidsramme: Baseline (before start of the intervention).
To assess the volunteer's ability to generate and manipulate mental images. The questionnaire score ranges from 0 to 25, with higher scores indicating greater motor imagery ability.. For the eligibility criteria.
Baseline (before start of the intervention).
Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS)
Tidsramme: Baseline (before start of the intervention).
To assess muscle spasticity, with scores ranging from 0 to 4, where 0 indicates no increase in muscle tone and 4 indicates severe spasticity, for eligibility assessment.
Baseline (before start of the intervention).

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Studierekorddatoer

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Studer hoveddatoer

Studiestart (Faktiske)

1. november 2024

Primær fullføring (Faktiske)

30. november 2025

Studiet fullført (Antatt)

6. desember 2026

Datoer for studieregistrering

Først innsendt

6. august 2026

Først innsendt som oppfylte QC-kriteriene

12. august 2026

Først lagt ut (Faktiske)

17. august 2026

Oppdateringer av studieposter

Sist oppdatering lagt ut (Faktiske)

17. august 2026

Siste oppdatering sendt inn som oppfylte QC-kriteriene

12. august 2026

Sist bekreftet

1. august 2026

Mer informasjon

Begreper knyttet til denne studien

Andre studie-ID-numre

  • 79344824.8.0000.0129

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