Written by: Albert Westbrook
Image by: ALS Association
INTRODUCTION
Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have proven to be promising tools for enhancing neuroplasticity in stroke rehabilitation. Neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, plays a crucial role in the recovery process following a stroke. BCIs facilitate this process by providing direct communication pathways between the brain and external devices, enabling targeted therapies that can enhance motor function and recovery outcomes. Despite the growing body of research on BCIs and neuroplasticity, there remains a surprising lack of studies supplying a comprehensive meta-analysis of BCI-induced plasticity for stroke rehabilitation, as previous studies have focused on individual trials and outcomes without aggregating data to evaluate overall efficacy and identifying the most effective methods. This study conducts a meta-analysis using data from prominent institutions to assess the impact of BCI-induced plasticity on stroke recovery, aiming to identify effective methods and overall efficacy by comparing standard recovery groups with those undergoing BCI training.
ABSTRACT
As we enter a modern age of technology, Brain-computer Interfaces (BCIs) have emerged as promising tools for enhancing neuroplasticity in stroke rehabilitation. With research gathered from previous studies, this study investigates the impact of BCI-induced plasticity on stroke recovery using a comprehensive analysis of citation metrics and data gathered from other institutions. This study integrates data from Web of Science Core Collection and a multitude of databases to not only assess the citation impact of relevant research but also give a deep analysis of prevalent keywords throughout papers. Key institutions such as the University of Tübingen, Stanford University, Brown University, and the National Institutes of Health served as prominent contributors to our exploration of this topic, providing a collective 21 papers used for investigation throughout our research. The most prevalent method described in these papers, found in roughly 41% of the research papers used to gather our data, was the use of two groups, one acting as a control group who went through typical steps of stroke recovery, and a test group who was exposed to training with both BCIs and similar technology, from a range of roughly 14 to 20 days to both view the effects of BCIs in recovery as well as trace the hypothesized beneficial effects BCIs have on physiotherapy. While findings differed from multiple studies the general consensus was BCIs, and similar technology, greatly benefited the recovery of patients, allowing a wider range of functional movement in comparison to those we weren't exposed to BCI training.
OBJECTIVES
Conduct a meta-analysis assessing the impact of BCI-induced plasticity on stroke recovery
Identify and evaluate different methods used in BCI training by comparing outcomes of control groups undergoing standard stroke recovery
Analyze patterns and identify prevalent keywords when comparing papers from highly accredited institutions in attempts to gain a better understanding of the benefits and overall efficacy of BCI technology in stroke rehabilitation
METHODS
DATA COLLECTION ON WEB OF SCIENCE CORE COLLECTION
Keywords: neuroplasticity, motor recovery, functional improvement
Labels: Citation Count (since 2018, Total, and in the past. year), Author Keyword/Keyword, and Area of Study
100 Eligible papers studied in total
DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS
Tools: Bibliometrics package via R Studio Platform and Excel
CONCLUSION/RESULTS
Through the meta-analysis conducted in this study, we found that Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) significantly enhance neuroplasticity and improve motor function in stroke recovery in comparison to traditional physiotherapy. Yet, it was found that the use of BCIs in addition to conventional physiotherapy and stroke rehabilitation practices proved almost twice as effective as either individually. To conduct our study, we chose to aggregate data from 21 papers provided by leading institutions such as the University of Tübingen, Stanford University, Brown University, and the National Institutes of Health. The most common approach, found in 41% of the studies, involved comparing a control group undergoing standard recovery protocols with a test group receiving BCI training for 14 to 20 days. In which, the test group consistently showed greater improvement in functional movement, reinforcing the hypothesis that BCIs facilitate more effective neural reorganization.
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