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Decoding Hindlimb Movement for a Brain Machine Interface after a Complete Spinal Transection
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Decoding Hindlimb Movement for a Brain Machine Interface after a Complete Spinal Transection

Anitha Manohar, Robert D. Flint, Eric Knudsen and Karen A. Moxon
PloS one, v 7(12), e52173
27 Dec 2012
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0052173
PMID: 23300606
url
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0052173View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)CC BY V4.0,  Open

Abstract

Multidisciplinary Sciences Science & Technology Science & Technology - Other Topics
Stereotypical locomotor movements can be made without input from the brain after a complete spinal transection. However, the restoration of functional gait requires descending modulation of spinal circuits to independently control the movement of each limb. To evaluate whether a brain-machine interface (BMI) could be used to regain conscious control over the hindlimb, rats were trained to press a pedal and the encoding of hindlimb movement was assessed using a BMI paradigm. Off-line, information encoded by neurons in the hindlimb sensorimotor cortex was assessed. Next neural population functions, or weighted representations of the neuronal activity, were used to replace the hindlimb movement as a trigger for reward in real-time (on-line decoding) in three conditions: while the animal could still press the pedal, after the pedal was removed and after a complete spinal transection. A novel representation of the motor program was learned when the animals used neural control to achieve water reward (e.g. more information was conveyed faster). After complete spinal transection, the ability of these neurons to convey information was reduced by more than 40%. However, this BMI representation was relearned over time despite a persistent reduction in the neuronal firing rate during the task. Therefore, neural control is a general feature of the motor cortex, not restricted to forelimb movements, and can be regained after spinal injury.

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