Motor Unit Coherence at Low Frequencies Increases Together with Cortical Excitability Following a Brain-Computer Interface Intervention in Acute Stroke Patients

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the neurophysiological correlates of increased cortical excitability following a Brain-Computer interface based intervention in three acute stroke survivors. The analysis was performed on high-density EMG signals recorded from the Tibialis Anterior muscle. All patients showed an increased excitability in the motor cortex area of interest following the BCI intervention. Moreover, coherence between motor unit spike trains increased in the frequency band 1–5, Hz, suggesting an increase in the common oscillatory drive to the target muscle.