Efficacy of brain-computer interfaces on upper extremity motor function rehabilitation after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: The recovery of upper limb function is crucial to the daily life activities of stroke patients. Brain-computer interface technology may have potential benefits in treating upper limb dysfunction. OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of brain-computer interfaces (BCI) in the rehabilitation of upper limb motor function in stroke patients. METHODS: Six databases up to July 2023 were reviewed according to the PRSIMA guidelines. Randomized controlled trials of BCI-based upper limb functional rehabilitation for stroke patients were selected for meta-analysis by pooling standardized mean difference (SMD) to summarize the evidence. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. RESULTS: Twenty-five studies were included. The studies showed that BCI had a small effect on the improvement of upper limb function after the intervention. In terms of total duration of training, <  12 hours of training may result in better rehabilitation, but training duration greater than 12 hours suggests a non significant therapeutic effect of BCI training. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests that BCI has a slight efficacy in improving upper limb function and has favorable long-term outcomes. In terms of total duration of training, <  12 hours of training may lead to better rehabilitation.