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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Hum. Neurosci.
Sec. Brain-Computer Interfaces
Volume 19 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2025.1525293
This article is part of the Research Topic Clinical Applications and Ethical Considerations of Brain-Computer Interfaces View all 3 articles
Efficacy and Safety of Brain-Computer Interface for Stroke Rehabilitation: An Overview of Systematic Reviews
Provisionally accepted- 1 Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- 2 The Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- 3 Clinical School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Background: Stroke is a major global health challenge that significantly influences public health. In stroke rehabilitation, brain-computer interfaces (BCI) offer distinct advantages over traditional training programs, including improved motor recovery and greater neuroplasticity. Here, we provide a first re-evaluation of systematic reviews and meta-analyses to further explore the safety and clinical efficacy of BCI in stroke rehabilitation.Methods: A standardized search was conducted in major databases up to October 2024. We assessed the quality of the literature based on the following aspects: AMSTAR-2, PRISMA, publication year, study design, homogeneity, and publication bias. The data were subsequently visualized as radar plots, enabling a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the literature.Results: We initially identified 908 articles and, after removing duplicates, we screened titles and abstracts of 407 articles. A total of 18 studies satisfied inclusion criteria were included. The re-evaluation showed that the quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses concerning stroke BCI training is moderate, which can provide relatively good evidence.Conclusion: It has been proven that BCI-combined treatment can improve upper limb motor function and the quality of daily life for stroke patients, especially those in the subacute phase, demonstrating good safety. However, its effects on improving speech function, lower limb motor function, and long-term outcomes require further evidence. Multicenter, long-term follow-up studies are needed to increase the reliability of the results.
Keywords: stroke1, brain computer interface2, rehabilitation therapy3, umbrella review4, motor recovery5
Received: 09 Nov 2024; Accepted: 21 Feb 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Liu, Li, Zhao, Zhong, Wang, Hao and Ma. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Man Hao, Clinical School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Jianxiong Ma, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.