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Effects of Upper-Extremity Functional Training with Brain-Machine Interface on Hand Motor Function in Patients with Subacute Stroke and Hemiplegia: A Historical Control Study

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51094/jxiv.1100

Keywords:

stroke, subacute, Upper-Extremity Motor Function, Brain-Machine Interface , neuromuscular electrical stimulation

Abstract

In a previous study, hand function improved in patients with chronic stroke after 10 days of upper-extremity functional training using a Brain-Machine Interface (BMI). In this study, we compared BMI training effects with those of a historical control group (before BMI introduction) to assess its impact on patients with subacute stroke. The BMI group included 13 patients, while the control (CON) group comprised 13 patients discharged before BMI implementation, matched for age, time since onset, and pre-evaluation Fugl–Meyer Assessment (FMA) upper-limb motor scores . As an intervention, the BMI group performed BMI training for 10 sessions (40 minutes/day) over 2 weeks. In weeks 3–4, upper-extremity functional training was conducted using either an electromyogram-controlled neuromuscular electrical stimulation (EMG-NMES) device or an NMES device if EMG-NMES was unavailable (40 minutes/day, 10 sessions). Upper-extremity motor function was assessed using the FMA. The BMI group was evaluated at pre-evaluation (day before intervention) and post-evaluation (30 days after pre-evaluation). The CON group used FMA results from periodic evaluations at 30-day intervals. Statistical analysis included repeated-measures two-way analysis of variance. In the case of interactions, a paired t-test to the time factor was used as a post hoc test. The significance level was set at 5% . At the end of the BMI period, 10 of 13 patients (76.9%) transitioned to the EMG-NMES device. FMA hand scores in the pre- and post-evaluation groups were 0.92±0.83 and 2.77±2.19 for the BMI group and 0.92±0.83 and 1.46±1.39 for the CON group, respectively, with a significant interaction (p = 0.025). Post hoc analysis showed a significant increase only in the BMI group (BMI group: p = 0.001; CON group: p = 0.110). These results suggest that upper-extremity functional training combined with BMI improves hand motor function in patients with subacute stroke after 1 month .

Conflicts of Interest Disclosure

Hayashi and Hirose are employed by a company that sells the BMI equipment used in this study. Hayashi and Hirose only provided advice on BMI training methods and EEG analysis but were not involved in data measurement, data analysis, or statistical processing for this study. . LIFESCAPES Inc. has not provided any equipment. These matters were disclosed to and approved by the Ethics Committee. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest with LIFESCAPES Inc. or other companies.

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日本脳卒中学会 脳卒中ガイドライン委員会：上肢機能障害，脳卒中治療ガイドライン2021．日本脳卒中学会 脳卒中ガイドライン委員会（編），協和企画，東京，2021；pp. 266-267.

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Submitted: 2025-02-21 07:12:03 UTC

Published: 2025-03-03 04:53:08 UTC

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Copyright (c) 2025 Ryosuke Takahashi
Yosuke Ara
Senshu Abe
Shunsuke Ebisu
Masayuki Abe
Masaaki Hayashi
Ryotaro Hirose
Tomohide Shirasaka

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.