Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 26, 2026
Soft Pneumatic Robot Modulates Graph Theory Metrics of Brain Network for Hand Rehabilitation After Stroke
Published on: October 10, 2025
Changes in functional connectivity correlate with behavioral gains in stroke patients after therapy using a
Brittany Mei Young1, Zack Nigogosyan2, Alexander Remsik2
1Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI, USA ; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI, USA ; Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI, USA.
Brain-computer interface (BCI) therapy shows changes in brain connectivity for stroke patients. These functional connectivity changes correlate with improvements in motor function and daily activities after stroke rehabilitation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Stroke often results in persistent upper extremity motor impairment.
- Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is emerging in stroke rehabilitation, but its neural effects are not well understood.
- Understanding brain changes is crucial for optimizing BCI-based therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate brain changes, specifically functional connectivity (FC), associated with BCI therapy in stroke patients.
- To explore the relationship between altered brain connectivity and motor function recovery.
- To assess the impact of BCI therapy on neural networks involved in motor control.
Main Methods:
- Nine stroke patients with upper extremity motor impairment underwent BCI therapy.
- Anatomical and functional MRI (fMRI) were collected before, during, and after therapy.
- fMRI tasks included finger tapping of the impaired hand; behavioral assessments included ARAT, 9-HPT, and SIS (HF and ADL).
- Group-level analyses examined changes in whole-brain task-based FC, seeded in the thalamus and motor network.
Main Results:
- BCI therapy led to increased functional connectivity (FC) from baseline in the thalamus at mid- and post-therapy.
- Average motor network FC increased post-therapy and correlated significantly with improvements in ARAT, 9-HPT, SIS Hand Function, and SIS Activities of Daily Living.
- Individual thalamic connections showed significant correlations between changes in FC and behavioral outcomes, suggesting a brain-behavior relationship.
Conclusions:
- BCI therapy induces changes in brain functional connectivity in stroke patients.
- These connectivity changes are associated with improvements in motor function and daily living activities.
- The findings suggest that BCI therapy may modulate neural plasticity, potentially leading to both adaptive and maladaptive brain changes that influence rehabilitation outcomes.
