An All-in-One BCI-Supported Motor Imagery Training Station: Validation in a Real Clinical Setting with Chronic Stroke Patients

Sensorimotor Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) systems can be beneficial for post-stroke motor recovery. A successful trial on subacute stroke patients carried out at Fondazione Santa Lucia demonstrated clinical and neurophysiological benefits derived from BCI-supported motor imagery (MI) training of the upper limb. A further translational effort led to the implementation of the Promotœr, an all-in-one BCI-supported MI training station dedicated to patients with upper limb motor impairment due to central nervous system injury of different etiology. The BCI training is delivered in add-on to standard rehabilitation therapy. We present here the results on 12 chronic stroke patients who underwent clinical, neurophysiological and neuropsychological evaluation before and after such training. Results are promising in terms of feasibility of a BCI training in the context of a real rehabilitation program and in terms of clinical benefits observed in the patients.