Publications

Objectives: Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are no longer only used by healthy participants under controlled conditions in laboratory environments, but also by patients and end-users, controlling applications in their homes or clinics, without the BCI experts around. But are the technology and the field mature enough for this? Especially the successful operation of applications – like text entry systems or assistive mobility devices such as tele-presence robots – requires a good level of BCI control. How much training is needed to achieve such a level? Is it possible to train naïve end-users in 10 days to successfully control such applications? Materials and methods: In this work, we report our experiences of training 24 motor-disabled participants at rehabilitation clinics or at the end-users’ homes, without BCI experts present. We also share the lessons that we have learned through transferring BCI technologies from the lab to the user’s home or clinics. Results: The most important outcome is that 50% of the participants achieved good BCI performance and could successfully control the applications (tele-presence robot and text-entry system). In the case of the tele-presence robot the participants achieved an average performance ratio of 0.87 (max. 0.97) and for the text entry application a mean of 0.93 (max. 1.0). The lessons learned and the gathered user feedback range from pure BCI problems (technical and handling), to common communication issues among the different people involved, and issues encountered while controlling the applications. Conclusion: The points raised in this paper are very widely applicable and we anticipate that they might be faced similarly by other groups, if they move on to bringing the BCI technology to the end-user, to home environments and towards application prototype control. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Authors: repository Transferring brain-computer interfaces beyond the laboratory: Successful application control for motor-disabled users; 2013 Ctr Neuroprosthet; Ctr Neuroprosthet

Journal: Transferring brain-computer interfaces beyond the laboratory: Successful application control for motor-disabled users

Published: Leeb, R; Perdikis, S; Tonin, L; Biasiucci, A; Tavella, M; Creatura, M; Molina, A; Al-Khodairy, A; Carlson, T; Milián, JD;

DOI: false

Abstract ▼

Volume: Leeb||Perdikis||Tonin||Biasiucci||Tavella||Creatura||Molina||Al-Khodairy||Carlson||Millán Pages: 109900823||109900823||109900823||109900823||109900823||109900823||109900823||109900823||109900823-green

Keywords: 2013

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Authors: publisher Haptic-based neurorehabilitation in poststroke patients: A feasibility prospective multicentre trial for robotics hand rehabilitation; 2013 Osped San Camillo; AMTC; Osped San Camillo; Movement & Brain Lab; IRCCS Casimiro Mondino Inst Neurol Fdn

Journal: cc-by

Published: Turolla, A; Albasini, OAD; Oboe, R; Agostini, M; Tonin, P; Paolucci, S; Sandrini, G; Venneri, A; Piron, L;

DOI: false

Abstract ▼

Volume: https://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/cmmm/2013/895492.pdf Pages: 113940077||103061604||114073536||114073536||114073601||113940077||114073536-hybrid

Keywords: 2013

Motor-disabled end users have successfully driven a telepresence robot in a complex environment using a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). However, to facilitate the interaction aspect that underpins the notion of telepresence, users must be able to voluntarily and reliably stop the robot at any moment, not just drive from point to point. In this work, we propose to exploit the user’s residual muscular activity to provide a fast and reliable control channel, which can start/stop the telepresence robot at any moment. Our preliminary results show that not only does this hybrid approach increase the accuracy, but it also helps to reduce the workload and was the preferred control paradigm of all the participants. © 2013 IEEE.

Authors: A hybrid BCI for enhanced control of a telepresence robot; 2013 Chair Noninvas Brain Machine Interface; Chair Noninvas Brain Machine Interface

Journal: A Hybrid BCI for Enhanced Control of a Telepresence Robot

Published: Carlson, T; Tonin, L; Perdikis, S; Leeb, R; Millán, JD;

DOI: English

Abstract ▼

Volume: Carlson||Tonin||Perdikis||Leeb||Millan Pages: 109068152||109068152||109068152||109068152||109068152-closed

Keywords: 2013

cc-by

Authors: publisher

Journal: cc-by

Published: publishedVersion

DOI: true

Volume: https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/1471-2474-14-S2-P13

AREA MIN. 09 – Ingegneria industriale e dell’informazione – ITA||AUT||ESP

Authors: AREA MIN. 09 - Ingegneria industriale e dell'informazione; ITA; AUT; ESP; title_year; MATCH; 1775143579489; 1

Published: Proceedings of the TOBI Workshop IV

AREA MIN. 09 – Ingegneria industriale e dell’informazione – ITA||AUT||ESP||GBR||GRC

Authors: 2013 Chair Noninvas Brain Machine Interface; Chair Noninvas Brain Machine Interface

Journal: A Hybrid BCI for Enhanced Control of a Telepresence Robot

Published: Carlson, T; Tonin, L; Perdikis, S; Leeb, R; Millán, JD;

DOI: English

Abstract ▼

Anomia, a word-finding difficulty, is a frequent consequence of poststroke linguistic disturbance, associated with fluent and nonfluent aphasia that needs long-term specific and intensive speech rehabilitation. The present study explored the feasibility of telerehabilitation as compared to a conventional face-to-face treatment of naming, in patients with poststroke anomia. Five aphasic chronic patients participated in this study characterized by: strictly controlled crossover design; well-balanced lists of words in picture-naming tasks where progressive phonological cues were provided; same kind of the treatment in the two ways of administration. ANOVA was used to compare naming accuracy in the two types of treatment, at three time points: baseline, after treatment, and followup. The results revealed no main effect of treatment type (P = 0.844) indicating that face-to-face and tele-treatment yielded comparable results. Moreover, there was a significant main effect of time (P = 0.0004) due to a better performance immediately after treatment and in the followup when comparing them to baseline. These preliminary results show the feasibility of teletreatment applied to lexical deficits in chronic stroke patients, extending previous work on telerehabilitation and opening new vistas for future studies on teletreatment of language functions. © 2014 Michela Agostini et al.

Authors: publisher Telerehabilitation in poststroke anomia; 2014 Lab Kinemat & Robot; Lab Kinemat & Robot; Dept Neurosci

Journal: cc-by

Published: Agostini, M; Garzon, M; Benavides-Varela, S; De Pellegrin, S; Bencini, G; Rossi, G; Rosadoni, S; Mancuso, M; Turolla, A; Meneghello, F; Tonin, P;

DOI: false

Abstract ▼

Volume: https://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2014/706909.pdf Pages: 110185926||110185926||112078058||112078058||110185926||114386506||114386506||114386506||110185926||110185926||110185926-hybrid

Keywords: 2014

Myoclonus is a possible manifestation of mitochondrial disorders, and its presence is considered, in association with epilepsy and the ragged red fibers, pivotal for the syndromic diagnosis of MERRF (myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red fibers). However, its prevalence in mitochondrial diseases is not known. The aims of this study are the evaluation of the prevalence of myoclonus in a big cohort of mitochondrial patients and the clinical characterization of these subjects. Based on the database of the “Nation-wide Italian Collaborative Network of Mitochondrial Diseases,” we reviewed the clinical and molecular data of mitochondrial patients with myoclonus among their clinical features. Myoclonus is a rather uncommon clinical feature of mitochondrial diseases (3.6% of 1,086 patients registered in our database). It is not strictly linked to a specific genotype or phenotype, and only 1 of 3 patients with MERRF harbors the 8344A>G mutation (frequently labeled as “the MERRF mutation”). Finally, myoclonus is not inextricably linked to epilepsy in MERRF patients, but more to cerebellar ataxia. In a myoclonic patient, evidences of mitochondrial dysfunction must be investigated, even though myoclonus is not a common sign of mitochondriopathy. Clinical, histological, and biochemical data may predict the finding of a mitochondrial or nuclear DNA mutation. Finally, this study reinforces the notion that myoclonus is not inextricably linked to epilepsy in MERRF patients, and therefore the term “myoclonic epilepsy” seems inadequate and potentially misleading. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Authors: Myoclonus in mitochondrial disorders; 2014 Neurol Clin; Neurol Clin; IRCCS Ist Sci Neurol Bologna; Dept Pathophysiol & Transplantat DEPT; Neuropediat & Muscle Disorders Unit; Dino Ferrari Ctr; Dept Neurosci; Inst Neurol; Child Neurol Unit; Neurol Inst; Unit Mol Neurogenet

Journal: Myoclonus in Mitochondrial Disorders

Published: Mancuso, M; Orsucci, D; Angelini, C; Bertini, E; Catteruccia, M; Pegoraro, E; Carelli, V; Valentino, ML; Comi, GP; Minetti, C; Bruno, C; Moggio, M; Ienco, EC; Mongini, T; Vercelli, L; Primiano, G; Servidei, S; Tonin, P; Scarpelli, M; Toscano, A; Musumeci, O; Moroni, I; Uziel, G; Santorelli, FM; Nesti, C; Filosto, M; Lamperti, C; Zeviani, M; Siciliano, G;

DOI: false

Abstract ▼

Volume: Mancuso||Orsucci||Angelini||Bertini||Catteruccia||Pegoraro||Carelli||Valentino||Comi||Minetti||Bruno||Moggio||Ienco||Mongini||Vercelli||Primiano||Servidei||Tonin||Scarpelli||Toscano||Musumeci||Moroni||Uziel||Santorelli||Nesti||Filosto||Lamperti||Zeviani||Siciliano Pages: 104458839||104458839||112781907||112781907||104534016||113263551||113263551||113240986||104458839||113699239||113699239||110185689||110185689||104638385||104638385||113142508||113142508||106952425||106952425||103894101||103894101||104458839-closed

Keywords: 2014

Background: This pilot study compared the effects of lexical-semantic stimulation through telecommunication technology (LSS-tele) with in-person LSS (LSS-direct) and unstructured cognitive treatment (UCS) in patients with early Alzheimer’s disease.Methods: Twenty-seven patients with Alzheimer’s disease in the very early stage (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] >26/30) were divided into three groups: seven patients received LSS-tele treatment, ten received standard LSS-direct intervention, and ten participants underwent UCS as control condition. Intervention treatments consisted of two weekly sessions of LSS (through teleconference or face to face depending on group assignment) or UCS exercises administered to small groups throughout a 3-month period. The main outcome measures were changes of global cognitive performance, language abilities, and memory function. Secondary outcome measures were changes in attention, working memory, executive functions, and visual-spatial abilities tests.Results: The mean MMSE score improved significantly in LSS-tele and LSS-direct treatments; LSS-tele improved language abilities, both phonemic and semantic, and stabilized delayed verbal episodic memory with respect to an improved performance after the LSS-direct intervention and to a memory decline observed in the control group. Improvement was not achieved in any neuropsychological test score after UCS.Conclusion: Clinical application of telecommunication technology to cognitive rehabilitation of elderly patients with neurodegenerative cognitive impairment is feasible and may improve global cognitive performance. Technical aspects to ameliorate efficacy of delivery may further improve its impact on domain-specific cognitive abilities.

Authors: publisher Feasibility and efficacy of cognitive telerehabilitation in early Alzheimer’s disease: A pilot study; 2014 Lab Kinemat & Robot; Lab Kinemat & Robot; Sci NPSRR

Journal: cc-by-nc

Published: Jelcic, N; Agostini, M; Meneghello, F; Busssé, C; Parise, S; Galano, A; Tonin, P; Dam, M; Cagnin, A;

DOI: true

Abstract ▼

Volume: https://www.dovepress.com/getfile.php?fileID=21744 Pages: 114681371||114681371||114681371||113433518||113433518||113433518||114681371||114681371||113433518-gold

Keywords: 2014

Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) encompass a broad spectrum of conditions. Because infections may be relevant to the final prognosis of most NMDs, vaccination appears to be the simplest and most effective solution for protecting NMD patients from vaccine-preventable infections. However, very few studies have evaluated the immunogenicity, safety, tolerability, and efficacy of different vaccines in NMD patients; therefore, detailed vaccination recommendations for NMD patients are not available. Here, we present vaccination recommendations from a group of Italian Scientific Societies for optimal disease prevention in NMD patients that maintain high safety levels. We found that NMD patients can be classified into two groups according to immune function: patients with normal immunity and patients who are immunocompromised, including those who intermittently or continuously take immunosuppressive therapy. Patients with normal immunity and do not take immunosuppressive therapy can be vaccinated as healthy subjects. In contrast, immunocompromised patients, including those who take immunosuppressive therapy, should receive all inactivated vaccines as well as influenza and pneumococcal vaccines; these patients should not be administered live attenuated vaccines. In all cases, the efficacy and long-term persistence of immunity from vaccination in NMD patients can be lower than in normal subjects. Household contacts of immunocompromised NMD patients should also be vaccinated appropriately.

Authors: Vaccination recommendations for patients with neuromuscular disease; 2014 Osped Maggiore Policlin; Ctr Traslaz Miol & Patol Neurodegenerat; Neurol Natl Inst C Mondino; Sect Neuromuscular Dis & Neuropathies; Azienda Osped; Immunol & Neuromuscolar Dis Unit; Dept Neurosci; NPSRR; Dept Clin & Expt Med; Dept Neurol Sci & Movement; Multiple Sclerosis Ctr; Pediat Neurol & Neuromuscolar Dis Unit; Fdn IRCCS Ca Granda; Mol Med Unit; IRCCS AOU San Martino IST; Resp Pathophysiol Div; Osped Maggiore Policlin

Journal: Vaccination recommendations for patients with neuromuscular disease

Published: Esposito, S; Bruno, C; Berardinelli, A; Filosto, M; Mongini, T; Morandi, L; Musumeci, O; Pegoraro, E; Siciliano, G; Tonin, P; Marrosu, G; Minetti, C; Servida, M; Fiorillo, C; Conforti, G; Scapolan, S; Ansaldi, F; Vianello, A; Castaldi, S; Principi, N; Toscano, A; Moggio, M;

DOI: false

Abstract ▼

Volume: Esposito||Bruno||Berardinelli||Filosto||Mongini||Morandi||Musumeci||Pegoraro||Siciliano||Tonin||Marrosu||Minetti||Servida||Fiorillo||Conforti||Scapolan||Ansaldi||Vianello||Castaldi||Principi||Toscano||Moggio Pages: 104534016||113702973||114133667||127233992||114695923||113142508||113433518||113774660||112649785||114696203||114436169||114695773||108791176||127234247||127234247||117641962||104386205||105110405||104534016||113142508||114695773-closed

Keywords: 2014