Electrical spinal cord stimulation promotes focal sensorimotor activation that accelerates brain–computer interface skill learning

Abstract

Injuries affecting the central nervous system may disrupt neural pathways to muscles causing motor deficits. Yet the brain exhibits sensorimotor rhythms (SMRs) during movement intents, and brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) can decode SMRs to control assistive devices and promote functional recovery. However, noninvasive BCIs suffer from the instability of SMRs, requiring longitudinal training for users to learn proper SMR modulation. Here, we accelerate this skill learning process by applying cervical transcutaneous electrical spinal stimulation (TESS) to inhibit the motor cortex prior to longitudinal upper-limb BCI training. Results support a mechanistic role for cortical inhibition in significantly increasing focality and strength of SMRs leading to accelerated BCI control in healthy subjects and an individual with spinal cord injury. Improvements were observed following only two TESS sessions and were maintained for at least one week in users who could not otherwise achieve control. Our findings provide promising possibilities for advancing BCI-based motor rehabilitation.