title: Neurophysiology. Decoding motor imagery from the posterior parietal cortex of a tetraplegic human.
abstract: Nonhuman primate and human studies have suggested that populations of neurons in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) may represent high-level aspects of action planning that can be used to control external devices as part of a brain-machine interface. However, there is no direct neuron-recording evidence that human PPC is involved in action planning, and the suitability of these signals for neuroprosthetic control has not been tested. We recorded neural population activity with arrays of microelectrodes implanted in the PPC of a tetraplegic subject. Motor imagery could be decoded from these neural populations, including imagined goals, trajectories, and types of movement. These findings indicate that the PPC of humans represents high-level, cognitive aspects of action and that the PPC can be a rich source for cognitive control signals for neural prosthetics that assist paralyzed patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Tyson
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aflalo
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Spencer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kellis
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Klaes
authors.affiliation: USC Neurorestoration Center and the Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Kelsie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pejsa
authors.affiliation: Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA 90242, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shanfield
authors.affiliation: Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA 90242, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayes-Jackson
authors.affiliation: Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA 90242, USA.
authors.forename: Mindy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aisen
authors.affiliation: USC Neurorestoration Center and the Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Christi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heck
authors.affiliation: USC Neurorestoration Center and the Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA. andersen@vis.caltech.edu.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D062207:Brain-Computer Interfaces; D003071:Cognition; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008839:Microelectrodes; D009043:Motor Activity; D009068:Movement; D058117:Neural Prostheses; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*