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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Assessment and Communication for People with Disorders of Consciousness

Assessment and Communication for People with Disorders of Consciousness

Published on: August 1, 2017

Brain-computer interfaces in the continuum of consciousness.

Andrea Kübler¹, Boris Kotchoubey

¹Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioural Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. andrea.kuebler@uni-tuebinger.de

Current Opinion in Neurology

|November 10, 2007

Summary

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) aid paralyzed patients by enabling communication and device control. BCIs also offer a novel method for assessing cognition in disorders of consciousness.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Biomedical Engineering
Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are advancing rapidly, primarily focusing on assisting individuals with severe paralysis.
These technologies enable communication and control for patients with conditions ranging from limited motor function to complete nonresponsiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent advancements in BCIs.
To explore future directions and applications of BCI technology.
To investigate the potential of BCIs in understanding consciousness disorders.

Main Methods:

Review of current BCI research and applications.
Analysis of BCI capabilities in motor paralysis and disorders of consciousness.
Proposal of a hierarchical neurophysiological assessment protocol using BCIs.

Main Results:

BCIs empower severely paralyzed patients to communicate and interact with digital environments and neuroprosthetics.
Recent studies highlight the spectrum of consciousness in nonresponsive patients, challenging traditional dichotomies.
Transition states between motor paralysis and disorders of consciousness are increasingly recognized.

Conclusions:

BCIs can serve as a crucial tool for investigating cognitive functions in patients with disorders of consciousness.
A continuum of consciousness exists, necessitating advanced neurophysiological methods for assessment.
A proposed hierarchical BCI-based protocol can aid in evaluating cognitive states in nonresponsive individuals.