Effect of Feedback Type on the Effectiveness of a Novel Associative BCI Protocol Targeting the Tibialis Anterior Muscle

By continuous pairing of user intend (interpreted with a Brain-computer-interface—BCI system) and artificial reproduction of that movement BCIs for neuromodulation follow the principle of Hebbian association that underlies motor learning leading to neuroplasticity and associated functional changes. In the current study, movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs) were detected using elecroencephalography (EEG) during repetitions of foot dorsiflexion. Detection triggered a either a robotic actuator or a functional electrical stimulator timed so that the resulting afferent volley arrived at the peak negative phase of the MRCP. The tibialis anterior motor evoked potentials increased significantly following both types of interventions (p = 0.006) and there was no difference between their effectiveness (p = 0.344). Results have implications for the design of BCIs intended for neuromodulation.