title: From spinal central pattern generators to cortical network: integrated BCI for walking rehabilitation.
abstract: Success in locomotor rehabilitation programs can be improved with the use of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Although a wealth of research has demonstrated that locomotion is largely controlled by spinal mechanisms, the brain is of utmost importance in monitoring locomotor patterns and therefore contains information regarding central pattern generation functioning. In addition, there is also a tight coordination between the upper and lower limbs, which can also be useful in controlling locomotion. The current paper critically investigates different approaches that are applicable to this field: the use of electroencephalogram (EEG), upper limb electromyogram (EMG), or a hybrid of the two neurophysiological signals to control assistive exoskeletons used in locomotion based on programmable central pattern generators (PCPGs) or dynamic recurrent neural networks (DRNNs). Plantar surface tactile stimulation devices combined with virtual reality may provide the sensation of walking while in a supine position for use of training brain signals generated during locomotion. These methods may exploit mechanisms of brain plasticity and assist in the neurorehabilitation of gait in a variety of clinical conditions, including stroke, spinal trauma, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Neurophysiologie et de Biomécanique du Mouvement, Université Libre de Bruxelles, CP 168, 50 Avenue F Roosevelt, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. gcheron@ulb.ac.be
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheron
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duvinage
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Saedeleer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Castermans
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bengoetxea
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petieau
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seetharaman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hoellinger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dan
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dutoit
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sylos Labini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lacquaniti
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ivanenko
mesh_terms: D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D014584:User-Computer Interface