title: A neurally-interfaced hand prosthesis tuned inter-hemispheric communication.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This work investigates how a direct bidirectional connection between brain and hand prosthesis modifies the bi-hemispheric sensorimotor system devoted to the movement control of the lost limb. Hand prostheses are often unable to satisfy users' expectations, mostly due to the poor performance of their interfacing system. Neural Interfaces implanted inside nerves of the stump offer the advantage of using the bidirectional neural pathways 'naturally' dispatching signals to control proper hand actions and feed-back sensations. Learning to control a neurally-interfaced hand prosthesis and decode sensory information was previously observed to reduce the inter-hemispheric asymmetry of cortical motor maps and the clinical symptoms of phantom limb syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electroencephalographic (EEG) data was analysed using Functional Source Separation (FSS), a semi-blind method that incorporates prior knowledge about the signal of interest into data decomposition to give access to cortical patch activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bi-hemispheric cortices showed normalization of their activity (topographical and spectral patterns) and of functional connectivity between homologous hand controlling areas, during the delivery of the motor command to the cybernetic prosthesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The re-establishment of central-peripheral communication with the lost limb induced by a neurally-interfaced hand prosthesis produces beneficial plastic reorganization, not only restructuring contralateral directly-connected control areas, but also their functional balance within the bi-hemispheric system necessary for motor control.
authors: Department of Neurology, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Di Pino
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Porcaro
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Tombini
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Assenza
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Pellegrino
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Tecchio
authors: P M
authors: PM
authors: Rossini
mesh_terms: D000674:Amputees / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006225:Hand / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009068:Movement; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D058117:Neural Prostheses; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D020127:Recovery of Function; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins; C100003:deoxyhemoglobin