Clinical Research Directory

iBCI Optimization for Veterans With Paralysis

VA research has been advancing a high-performance brain-computer interface (BCI) to improve independence for Veterans and others living with tetraplegia or the inability to speak resulting from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal cord injury or stoke. In this project, the investigators enhance deep learning neural network decoders and multi-state gesture decoding for increased accuracy and reliability and deploy them on a battery-powered mobile BCI device for independent use of computers and touch-enabled mobile devices at home. The accuracy and usability of the mobile iBCI will be evaluated with participants already enrolled separately in the investigational clinical trial of the BrainGate neural interface.

Feasibility of the BrainGate2 Neural Interface System in Persons With Tetraplegia

The purpose of this study is to obtain preliminary device safety information and demonstrate proof of principle (feasibility) of the ability of people with tetraplegia to control a computer cursor and other assistive devices with their thoughts.

BrainGate2: Feasibility Study of an Intracortical Neural Interface System for Persons With Tetraplegia

The purpose of this study is to obtain preliminary device safety information and demonstrate proof of principle (feasibility) of the ability of people with tetraplegia to control a computer cursor and other assistive devices with their thoughts.

Feasibility of the BrainGate2 Neural Interface System in Persons With Tetraplegia (BG-Speech-02)

The goal of this study is to improve our understanding of speech production, and to translate this into medical devices called intracortical brain-computer interfaces (iBCIs) that will enable people who have lost the ability to speak fluently to communicate via a computer just by trying to speak.

Effect of Botulinum Toxin Injection Into Upper Esophageal Sphincter in Patients With Medullary Infarction

Dysphagia is an important complication in patients with medullary infarction, the incidence rate is 57%-69%. Compared with other brain infarctions, the medulla oblongata involves multiple swallowing-related nerve nuclei, and the possibility of brain remodeling after injury is small. Dysphagia has become a prominent clinical problem in patients with medullary infarction, which can lead to malnutrition, decrease the quality of life of patients and affect the prognosis of the disease. Solving this clinical problem is particularly important for patients with medullary infarction. The incidence of UES opening disorder in patients with medullary infarction is as high as 80%, and the clinical problem of UES opening disorder is enthusiastically studied at home and abroad. At present, the intervention measures include balloon dilatation, surgical incision and botulinum toxin injection. Balloon dilatation is easy to cause mucosal edema and damage, and cricopharyngeal myotomy often has complications such as local infection, massive hemorrhage and local nerve injury. There is no significant difference between the success rate of UES botulinum toxin injection and surgical incision. Among the above measures, UES botulinum toxin injection has a good clinical application prospect, but the drug dosage and injection method are still not unified in clinic. In particular, how to accurately locate has become a hot topic in current research. On this basis, this study uses ultrasound combined with balloon localization to inject UES botulinum toxin and make clinical observation.