EEG-based brain-computer interface with immersive virtual reality for phantom limb pain: a single-center pilot...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a difficult neuropathic pain condition.
• Existing non-pharmacological treatments like mirror therapy have debated efficacy.
• A novel EEG-based brain-computer interface (BCI) coupled with virtual reality (VR) was developed for PLP rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the GHOST BCI-VR system for treating chronic upper-limb PLP.
• To evaluate the system's safety and usability in patients with PLP.
• To explore the short-term and medium-term effects of the intervention on pain and related symptoms.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory pilot trial involving seven patients with chronic upper-limb PLP.
• 10 training sessions over 2 weeks using the EEG-BCI-VR system for real-time virtual limb control via motor imagery.
• Collection of daily pain diaries, motor imagery ability, anxiety-depression (HADS), and quality of life (SF-36) scores pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• The GHOST system was feasible and safe, with six of seven patients completing at least 8 sessions and achieving high BCI control success rates (>70%).
• Significant short-term reduction in paroxysmal pain (frequency and intensity) was observed (p < 0.001).
• Some patients reported improvement in average daily pain, but effects largely returned to baseline by 3-6 months post-intervention.

Conclusions:

• The EEG-BCI with VR system is safe and feasible for PLP treatment.
• The intervention shows potential for short-term analgesic effects, particularly for paroxysmal pain.
• Findings support sensorimotor re-engagement for PLP, warranting further investigation in controlled trials.