ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of motor imagery based brain computer interface with wrist passive movement in chronic stroke patients with wrist extension impairment.MethodsFifteen chronic stroke patients with a mean age of (47.60±14.66) years were recruited from March 2017 to June 2018. At baseline, motor imagery ability was assessed first. Then motor imagery based brain computer interface with wrist passive movement was given as an intervention. Both range of motion of paretic wrist and Barthel index was assessed before and after the intervention.ResultsAmong the 15 chronic stroke patients admitted in the study, 12 finished the whole therapy, and 3 failed to pass the initial assessment. After the therapy, the 12 participants who completed the whole sessions of the treatment and follow up had improved ability of control electroencephalogram, in whom 9 regained the ability to actively extend the affected wrist, and the other 3 failed to actively extend their wrist (the rate of active extending wrist was 75%). The activity of daily life of all the participants did not change significantly before and after intervention, and no discomfort was found after daily treatment.ConclusionIn chronic stroke patients with wrist extension impairment, motor imagery based brain computer interface with wrist passive movement training is feasible and effective.
