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Semin Neurol 2022; 42(03): 363-374
DOI: 10.1055/a-1900-7261
Review Article

Brain–Computer Interfaces for Awareness Detection, Auxiliary Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Rehabilitation in Patients with Disorders of Consciousness

Jiahui Pan
1   Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
2   School of Software, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
,
Jun Xiao
1   Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
3   School of Automation Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
,
Jing Wang
4   International Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome and Consciousness Science Institute, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
,
Fei Wang
1   Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
2   School of Software, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
,
Jingcong Li
1   Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
2   School of Software, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
,
Lina Qiu
2   School of Software, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
,
Haibo Di
4   International Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome and Consciousness Science Institute, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
,
Yuanqing Li
1   Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
3   School of Automation Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
› Author Affiliations Funding This work was supported by grants from the Science and Technology Innovation 2030–“Brain Science and Brain-like Research” Key Project (2022ZD0208900), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (62076103, 81920108023), and the Guangzhou Science and Technology Plan Project Key Field R&D Project (202007030005).
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Abstract

In recent years, neuroimaging studies have remarkably demonstrated the presence of cognitive motor dissociation in patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC). These findings accelerated the development of brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) as clinical tools for behaviorally unresponsive patients. This article reviews the recent progress of BCIs in patients with DoC and discusses the open challenges. In view of the practical application of BCIs in patients with DoC, four aspects of the relevant literature are introduced: consciousness detection, auxiliary diagnosis, prognosis, and rehabilitation. For each aspect, the paradigm design, brain signal processing methods, and experimental results of representative BCI systems are analyzed. Furthermore, this article provides guidance for BCI design for patients with DoC and discusses practical challenges for future research.

Keywords

disorders of consciousness - brain–computer interfaces - EEG-based BCIs - unresponsive wakefulness syndrome - minimally conscious state


Publication History

Accepted Manuscript online:
14 July 2022

Article published online:
13 September 2022

© 2022. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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