(Research Hub Theater) Effect of Brain-Computer Interface and Robot-aided Rehabilitation in Stroke Patients with Foot Drop

Background and/or Objectives: The foot drop in stroke patients is one of the most important interfering factors for ambulation recovery. The objective is to explore the effect of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) and Robot-Aided Rehabilitation on foot drop in stroke patients.

Design: Randomized, controlled study

Setting: Ankle foot physical therapy course

Participants: 53 stroke patients with foot drop were randomly assigned to the BCI group(n=27) or control group(n=26).

Interventions: The BCI group performed four weeks of training with BCI and a robot-aided device, and the control group received four weeks of Robot-Aided ankle stretching training.

Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measure was dorsiflexor muscle strength. The secondary outcome measures were passive dorsiflexion ranges of motion (dorsiflexion PROM), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment of Lower Extremity (FMA-LE), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Modified Barthel Index (MBI).

Results: After training, two groups showed significant within-group improvements in dorsiflexor muscle strength, dorsiflexion PROM, MAS, FMA-LE, BBS, and MBI (P < 0.05). The between-group comparison showed the BCI group significantly improved ankle dorsiflexion muscle strength, FMA-LE, and BBS compared with the control group. (Change Δ=Post-Pre, BCI vs the Robot-Aided training: 3.77±3.50 vs 1.69±3.00; 5.74±3.89 vs 2.65±2.31; 8.59±6.20 vs 4.69±4.13, P=0.024, 0.010, and 0.001 respectively).

Conclusions: Compared with the Robot-Aided ankle stretching training, the BCI of the ankle provided significant improvements in the active ankle property, the motor function of lower limb, and balance post-stroke.