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Schiff ND, Diringer M, Diserens K, Edlow BL, Gosseries O, Hill NJ, Hochberg LR, Ismail FY, Meyer IA, Mikell CB, Mofakham S, Molteni E, Polizzotto L, Shah SA, Stevens RD, Thengone D. Brain-Computer Interfaces for Communication in Patients with Disorders of Consciousness: A Gap Analysis and Scientific Roadmap. Neurocrit Care 2024:10.1007/s12028-023-01924-w. [PMID: 38286946 PMCID: PMC11284251 DOI: 10.1007/s12028-023-01924-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We developed a gap analysis that examines the role of brain-computer interfaces (BCI) in patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC), focusing on their assessment, establishment of communication, and engagement with their environment. METHODS The Curing Coma Campaign convened a Coma Science work group that included 16 clinicians and neuroscientists with expertise in DoC. The work group met online biweekly and performed a gap analysis of the primary question. RESULTS We outline a roadmap for assessing BCI readiness in patients with DoC and for advancing the use of BCI devices in patients with DoC. Additionally, we discuss preliminary studies that inform development of BCI solutions for communication and assessment of readiness for use of BCIs in DoC study participants. Special emphasis is placed on the challenges posed by the complex pathophysiologies caused by heterogeneous brain injuries and their impact on neuronal signaling. The differences between one-way and two-way communication are specifically considered. Possible implanted and noninvasive BCI solutions for acute and chronic DoC in adult and pediatric populations are also addressed. CONCLUSIONS We identify clinical and technical gaps hindering the use of BCI in patients with DoC in each of these contexts and provide a roadmap for research aimed at improving communication for adults and children with DoC, spanning the clinical spectrum from intensive care unit to chronic care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D Schiff
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Michael Diringer
- Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Karin Diserens
- Neurology and Acute Neurorehabilitation Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Brian L Edlow
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Olivia Gosseries
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, Centre du Cerveau, University Hospital of Liège, University of Liège & Centre du Cerveau, Liège, Belgium
| | - N Jeremy Hill
- National Center for Adaptive Neurotechnologies, Stratton VA Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA
- Electrical & Computer Engineering Department, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Leigh R Hochberg
- Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research & Development Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Rehabilitation Research & Development Service, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA
- School of Engineering and Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Fatima Y Ismail
- Department of Pediatrics, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Neurology, Adjunct Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ivo A Meyer
- Neurology and Acute Neurorehabilitation Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Centre for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine and Integrated Trauma Centre, Integrated University Health and Social Services Centre (CIUSSS) du Nord-de-L'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Charles B Mikell
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Sima Mofakham
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Erika Molteni
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, and Centre for Medical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Leonard Polizzotto
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Sudhin A Shah
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert D Stevens
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Si J, Yang Y, Xu L, Xu T, Liu H, Zhang Y, Jing R, Li J, Wang D, Wu S, He J. Evaluation of residual cognition in patients with disorders of consciousness based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy. NEUROPHOTONICS 2023; 10:025003. [PMID: 37064779 PMCID: PMC10091901 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.10.2.025003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Accurate evaluation of consciousness in patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (DOC) is critical for designing therapeutic plans, determining rehabilitative services, and predicting prognosis. Effective ways for detecting consciousness in patients with DOC are still needed. AIM Evaluation of the residual awareness in patients with DOC and investigation of the spatiotemporal differences in the hemodynamic responses between the minimally conscious state (MCS) and the unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) groups using active command-driven motor imagery (MI) tasks. APPROACH In this study, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to measure the changes of hemodynamic responses in 19 patients with DOC (9 MCS and 10 UWS) using active command-driven MI tasks. The characteristics of the hemodynamic responses were extracted to compare the differences between the MCS and UWS groups. Moreover, the correlations between the hemodynamic responses and the clinical behavioral evaluations were also studied. RESULTS The results showed significant differences in the spatiotemporal distribution of the hemodynamic responses between the MCS and UWS groups. For the patients with MCS, significant increases in task-evoked hemodynamic responses occurred during the "YES" questions of the command-driven MI tasks. Importantly, these changes were significantly correlated with their coma-recovery scale-revised (CRS-R) scores. However, for the patients with UWS, no significant changes of the hemodynamic responses were found. Additionally, the results did not show any statistical correlation between the hemodynamic responses and their CRS-R scores. CONCLUSIONS The fNIRS-based command-driven MI tasks can be used as a promising tool for detecting residual awareness in patients with DOC. We hope that the findings and the active paradigm used in this study will provide useful insights into the diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of this challenging patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanning Si
- Beijing Information Science and Technology University, School of Instrumentation Science and Opto-Electronics Engineering, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing, China
| | - Long Xu
- Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing, China
| | - Tianshuai Xu
- Beijing Information Science and Technology University, School of Instrumentation Science and Opto-Electronics Engineering, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Automation, Brainnetome Center, Beijing, China
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Automation, National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Beijing, China
| | - Yujin Zhang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Automation, Brainnetome Center, Beijing, China
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Automation, National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Beijing, China
| | - Rixing Jing
- Beijing Information Science and Technology University, School of Instrumentation Science and Opto-Electronics Engineering, Beijing, China
| | - Jinglian Li
- Sanhe Yanjiao Fuhe First Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Langfang, China
| | - Dongdong Wang
- Sanhe Yanjiao Fuhe First Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Langfang, China
| | - Sijin Wu
- Beijing Information Science and Technology University, School of Instrumentation Science and Opto-Electronics Engineering, Beijing, China
| | - Jianghong He
- Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing, China
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Chen H, Miao G, Wang S, Zheng J, Zhang X, Lin J, Hao C, Huang H, Jiang T, Gong Y, Liao W. Disturbed functional connectivity and topological properties of the frontal lobe in minimally conscious state based on resting-state fNIRS. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1118395. [PMID: 36845431 PMCID: PMC9950516 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1118395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Patients in minimally conscious state (MCS) exist measurable evidence of consciousness. The frontal lobe is a crucial part of the brain that encodes abstract information and is closely related to the conscious state. We hypothesized that the disturbance of the frontal functional network exists in MCS patients. Methods We collected the resting-state functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data of fifteen MCS patients and sixteen age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC). The Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) scale of MCS patients was also composed. The topology of the frontal functional network was analyzed in two groups. Results Compared with HC, the MCS patients showed widely disrupted functional connectivity in the frontal lobe, especially in the frontopolar area and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Moreover, the MCS patients displayed lower clustering coefficient, global efficiency, local efficiency, and higher characteristic path length. In addition, the nodal clustering coefficient and nodal local efficiency in the left frontopolar area and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were significantly reduced in MCS patients. Furthermore, the nodal clustering coefficient and nodal local efficiency in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were positively correlated to auditory subscale scores. Conclusion This study reveals that MCS patients' frontal functional network is synergistically dysfunctional. And the balance between information separation and integration in the frontal lobe is broken, especially the local information transmission in the prefrontal cortex. These findings help us to understand the pathological mechanism of MCS patients better.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sirui Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jun Zheng
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Junbin Lin
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chizi Hao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hailong Huang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ting Jiang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Wu Y, Li Z, Qu R, Wang Y, Li Z, Wang L, Zhao G, Feng K, Cheng Y, Yin S. Electroencephalogram-Based Brain Connectivity Analysis in Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness. Neural Plast 2023; 2023:4142053. [PMID: 37113750 PMCID: PMC10129427 DOI: 10.1155/2023/4142053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDOC) are common in neurology and place a heavy burden on families and society. This study is aimed at investigating the characteristics of brain connectivity in patients with pDOC based on quantitative EEG (qEEG) and extending a new direction for the evaluation of pDOC. Methods Participants were divided into a control group (CG) and a DOC group by the presence or absence of pDOC. Participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T1 three-dimensional magnetization with a prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo (3D-T1-MPRAGE) sequence, and video EEG data were collected. After calculating the power spectrum by EEG data analysis tool, DTABR ((δ + θ)/(α + β) ratio), Pearson's correlation coefficient (Pearson r), Granger's causality, and phase transfer entropy (PTE), we performed statistical analysis between two groups. Finally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of connectivity metrics were made. Results The proportion of power in frontal, central, parietal, and temporal regions in the DOC group was lower than that in the CG. The percentage of delta power in the DOC group was significantly higher than that in the CG, the DTABR in the DOC group was higher than that in the CG, and the value was inverted. The Pearson r of the DOC group was higher than that of CG. The Pearson r of the delta band (Z = -6.71, P < 0.01), theta band (Z = -15.06, P < 0.01), and alpha band (Z = -28.45, P < 0.01) were statistically significant. Granger causality showed that the intensity of directed connections between the two hemispheres in the DOC group at the same threshold was significantly reduced (Z = -82.43, P < 0.01). The PTE of each frequency band in the DOC group was lower than that in the CG. The PTE of the delta band (Z = -42.68, P < 0.01), theta band (Z = -56.79, P < 0.01), the alpha band (Z = -35.11, P < 0.01), and beta band (Z = -63.74, P < 0.01) had statistical significance. Conclusion Brain connectivity analysis based on EEG has the advantages of being noninvasive, convenient, and bedside. The Pearson r of DTABR, delta, theta, and alpha bands, Granger's causality, and PTE of the delta, theta, alpha, and beta bands can be used as biological markers to distinguish between pDOC and healthy people, especially when behavior evaluation is difficult or ambiguous; it can supplement clinical diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhang Wu
- Clinical College of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Neurorehabilitation, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Zhitao Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Ruowei Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Reliability and Intelligence of Electrical Equipment, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Yangang Wang
- Clinical College of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Neurorehabilitation, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Zhongzhen Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Le Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Guangrui Zhao
- Clinical College of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Neurorehabilitation, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Keke Feng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Yifeng Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Shaoya Yin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin 300000, China
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Increase in Low-Frequency Oscillations in fNIRS as Cerebral Response to Auditory Stimulation with Familiar Music. Brain Sci 2021; 12:brainsci12010042. [PMID: 35053789 PMCID: PMC8773668 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12010042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recognition of typical patterns of brain response to external stimuli using near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) may become a gateway to detecting covert consciousness in clinically unresponsive patients. This is the first fNIRS study on the cortical hemodynamic response to favorite music using a frequency domain approach. The aim of this study was to identify a possible marker of cognitive response in healthy subjects by investigating variations in the oscillatory signal of fNIRS in the spectral regions of low-frequency (LFO) and very-low-frequency oscillations (VLFO). The experiment consisted of two periods of exposure to preferred music, preceded and followed by a resting phase. Spectral power in the LFO region increased in all the subjects after the first exposure to music and decreased again in the subsequent resting phase. After the second music exposure, the increase in LFO spectral power was less distinct. Changes in LFO spectral power were more after first music exposure and the repetition-related habituation effect strongly suggest a cerebral origin of the fNIRS signal. Recognition of typical patterns of brain response to specific environmental stimulation is a required step for the concrete validation of a fNIRS-based diagnostic tool.
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Abdalmalak A, Milej D, Norton L, Debicki DB, Owen AM, Lawrence KS. The Potential Role of fNIRS in Evaluating Levels of Consciousness. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:703405. [PMID: 34305558 PMCID: PMC8296905 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.703405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last few decades, neuroimaging techniques have transformed our understanding of the brain and the effect of neurological conditions on brain function. More recently, light-based modalities such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy have gained popularity as tools to study brain function at the bedside. A recent application is to assess residual awareness in patients with disorders of consciousness, as some patients retain awareness albeit lacking all behavioural response to commands. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy can play a vital role in identifying these patients by assessing command-driven brain activity. The goal of this review is to summarise the studies reported on this topic, to discuss the technical and ethical challenges of working with patients with disorders of consciousness, and to outline promising future directions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Androu Abdalmalak
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel Milej
- Imaging Program, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Loretta Norton
- Department of Psychology, King's College, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Derek B Debicki
- Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Adrian M Owen
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Keith St Lawrence
- Imaging Program, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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Rupawala M, Dehghani H, Lucas SJE, Tino P, Cruse D. Shining a Light on Awareness: A Review of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness. Front Neurol 2018; 9:350. [PMID: 29872420 PMCID: PMC5972220 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Qualitative clinical assessments of the recovery of awareness after severe brain injury require an assessor to differentiate purposeful behavior from spontaneous behavior. As many such behaviors are minimal and inconsistent, behavioral assessments are susceptible to diagnostic errors. Advanced neuroimaging tools can bypass behavioral responsiveness and reveal evidence of covert awareness and cognition within the brains of some patients, thus providing a means for more accurate diagnoses, more accurate prognoses, and, in some instances, facilitated communication. The majority of reports to date have employed the neuroimaging methods of functional magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and electroencephalography (EEG). However, each neuroimaging method has its own advantages and disadvantages (e.g., signal resolution, accessibility, etc.). Here, we describe a burgeoning technique of non-invasive optical neuroimaging—functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)—and review its potential to address the clinical challenges of prolonged disorders of consciousness. We also outline the potential for simultaneous EEG to complement the fNIRS signal and suggest the future directions of research that are required in order to realize its clinical potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Rupawala
- Centre for Doctoral Training in Physical Sciences for Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Hamid Dehghani
- Centre for Doctoral Training in Physical Sciences for Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.,School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel J E Lucas
- School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Tino
- School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Damian Cruse
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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