Reconnecting the Hand and Arm to the Brain

The researchers from University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University are using functional electrical stimulation paired with a brain-computer interface to help paralyzed individuals regain the ability to move their previously immobile arm and hand, under direct control of the
brain.

Additionally, a team of researchers are working with a subset of these participants to study the use of these technologies to restore sensation in the arm or hand.

The work occurs in separate but linked research studies that are part of the ReHAB project, which stands for Reconnect the Hand and Arm to the Brain. Through this work, the researchers are hoping to give paralyzed people the ability to do more than ever before.

The movement study uses an array of several sensors surgically implanted into different brain areas along with high-density stimulating electrodes placed directly on hand, arm, and shoulder nerves.

The sensory study uses different kinds of electrical stimulation, alone and in combination, to help restore sensation in the affected limb.

Detailed study information related to the movement study is available at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03898804?term=reconnecting%20the%20hand%20and%20arm&aggFilters=status:rec&rank=1.

Detailed study information related to the sensation study is available at https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07225582?rank=5.

You can also find a detailed overview of the work at https://rehabstudy.org/.