US researchers have developed a technological interface that links the brain to a computer, enabling some patients suffering from acute brain injuries and who do not respond clinically to control the frequency of a sound tone through brain activity, a step that may pave the way for developing means to help them communicate with doctors and family members in the future.
Study and Application Details
The website "NR Times," specializing in neurology and rehabilitation news, reported the day before yesterday that the study conducted by researchers from Columbia University in the US and published in the scientific journal "Brain" included 41 patients who did not respond clinically after suffering acute brain injuries.
Thirteen of them, approximately one-third, were able to control the sound tone using their brain activity alone, representing a technical achievement in the field of brain-machine interaction.
Technical Mechanism
Researchers explained that the technology relies on electrodes placed on the scalp to record the brain's electrical activity, after which computer software analyzes the signals in real time.
Patients were asked to try opening and closing their hands to change the tone's frequency, while the system provided auditory feedback to help them learn to control it accurately.
Consciousness and Clinical Conditions
Researchers pointed out that some patients who appear unable to respond may retain a degree of consciousness, despite their inability to move or speak.
This condition is known as "cognitive-motor dissociation," where the brain can process and understand commands, but the injury prevents their execution through movement.
Future Prospects
The research team hopes to develop the technology to allow patients to directly express their needs, such as feeling pain or hunger, and to communicate with doctors and family members.
This possibility still requires further research and development, as current results are limited to proving that some patients can control a sound tone using brain signals.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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