Neural Interface Technology for Rehabilitation: Exploiting and Promoting Neuroplasticity (original) (raw)

2010, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America

clinicians and researchers together to discuss key issues and future directions related to neural interface technology 4 . This review classifies neural interface devices and systems into two categories, neural recording systems and neural stimulation systems, based on the direction of information flow. Neural recording systems retrieve information from the nervous system through electrophysiological recording methods, such as electroencephalography (EEG) and microelectrode recording of single-neuron activities. Neural stimulation systems feed information into the nervous system by electrically or magnetically activating or inhibiting neural activity. This is a simplified classification scheme, as certain neural interface devices are capable of both neural recording and stimulation, such as implantable responsive neurostimulators for epilepsy treatment 5,6 . As the term neural interface technology covers a broad range of devices and systems, it is a daunting task to provide a detailed and informative discussion on each device and system in one review paper. Furthermore, there exist multiple books, special journal issues, and review papers that are excellent references for neural interface technology 7-15 . Hence, this paper aims to review neural interface technology from three unique perspectives. First, it will focus primarily on neural interface systems that are currently under active research but have not yet reached clinical practice, hoping to illustrate not only where we are, but also where we will be in the near future. Second, this paper will exemplify neural interface technology with systems that the authors have directly worked with in their rehabilitation research and clinical practice to provide a first-hand view of neural interface technology. Last and the most important, this paper will review neural interface technology in association with neuroplasticity, a foundation for neurological rehabilitation, and demonstrate that those two concepts work symbiotically to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities, as illustrated in . Neuroplasticity will help those individuals to make better use of their neural interface devices , and neural interface technology can also promote neuroplasticity for functional recovery 7,20 .