Efficacy of a Brain-Computer Interface Controlled Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury Neurorehabilitation

Efficacy of a Therapy With Brain-Computer Interface Controlled Functional Electrical Stimulation for Neurorehabilitation of Patients With Spinal Cord Injury (Eficacia de Una Terapia Con estimulación eléctrica Funcional Controlada Con Interfaz Cerebro-computadora Para neurorrehabilitación de Pacientes Con lesión Medular)

The study's main goal is to determine the efficacy of a therapy with brain-computer interface controlled functional electrical stimulation for neurorehabilitation of spinal cord injury patients' upper limbs. For this purpose, a randomized controlled trial will be performed to compare the clinical and physiological effects of the brain-computer interface therapy with those of a sham intervention comprised by the application of functional electrical stimulation independently of brain-computer interface control.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Spinal Cord Injury at neurological levels C6 or C7
• American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) classification A, B, C or D
• Upper limb spasticity of less or equal to +1 measured with the Modified Ashworth Scale
• Time since disease onset of more than 6 months and less than 60 months
• Normal or corrected to normal vision

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severe attention deficits
• Previous diagnosis of traumatic brain injury
• Previous diagnosis of peripheral nerve injury
• Previous stroke diagnosis
• Previous diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases
• History of fractures in upper extremities
• Skin lesions
• Contractures in upper extremities that hamper mobility
• Excessive muscle spasms