Changes in cortical network connectivity with long-term brain-machine interface exposure after chronic amputation.

ABSTRACT: Studies on neural plasticity associated with brain-machine interface (BMI) exposure have primarily documented changes in single neuron activity, and largely in intact subjects. Here, we demonstrate significant changes in ensemble-level functional connectivity among primary motor cortical (MI) neurons of chronically amputated monkeys exposed to control a multiple-degree-of-freedom robot arm. A multi-electrode array was implanted in M1 contralateral or ipsilateral to the amputation in three animals. Two clusters of stably recorded neurons were arbitrarily assigned to control reach and grasp movements, respectively. With exposure, network density increased in a nearly monotonic fashion in the contralateral monkeys, whereas the ipsilateral monkey pruned the existing network before re-forming a

SUBMITTER: Balasubramanian K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5703974 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature