Neuronal ensemble control of prosthetic devices by a human with tetraplegia

Leigh R. Hochberg, Mijail D. Serruya, Gerhard M. Friehs, Jon A. Mukand, Maryam Saleh, Abraham H. Caplan, Almut Branner, David Chen, Richard D. Penn, John P. Donoghue*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2690 Scopus citations

Abstract

Neuromotor prostheses (NMPs) aim to replace or restore lost motor functions in paralysed humans by routeing movement-related signals from the brain, around damaged parts of the nervous system, to external effectors. To translate preclinical results from intact animals to a clinically useful NMP, movement signals must persist in cortex after spinal cord injury and be engaged by movement intent when sensory inputs and limb movement are long absent. Furthermore, NMPs would require that intention-driven neuronal activity be converted into a control signal that enables useful tasks. Here we show initial results for a tetraplegic human (MN) using a pilot NMP. Neuronal ensemble activity recorded through a 96-microelectrode array implanted in primary motor cortex demonstrated that intended hand motion modulates cortical spiking patterns three years after spinal cord injury. Decoders were created, providing a 'neural cursorg' with which MN opened simulated e-mail and operated devices such as a television, even while conversing. Furthermore, MN used neural control to open and close a prosthetic hand, and perform rudimentary actions with a multi-jointed robotic arm. These early results suggest that NMPs based upon intracortical neuronal ensemble spiking activity could provide a valuable new neurotechnology to restore independence for humans with paralysis.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)164-171
Number of pages8
JournalNature
Volume442
Issue number7099
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 13 2006

Funding

Acknowledgements The authors thank J. Joseph and D. Morris for assistance; L. Mermel for clinical planning advice; V. Zerris and M. Park for surgical assistance; G. Polykoff for clinical trial assistance; W. Truccolo for power spectral density analysis development; and the employees of Cyberkinetics for device engineering, manufacturing and clinical trial design and management. The authors also thank MN for his participation in this trial, and the nursing staff at his assisted care facility for their assistance. The authors are grateful to M. Serra and Sargent Rehabilitation Center, the study site, for administrative support. The photograph of MN (Fig. 1) is copyright 2005 Rick Friedman. This work was supported by Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems, Inc.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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