Publications

Objective. In this work we present – for the first time – the online operation of an electroencephalogram (EEG) brain-computer interface (BCI) system based on covert visuospatial attention (CVSA), without relying on any evoked responses. Electrophysiological correlates of pure top-down CVSA have only recently been proposed as a control signal for BCI. Such systems are expected to share the ease of use of stimulus-driven BCIs (e.g. P300, steady state visually evoked potential) with the autonomy afforded by decoding voluntary modulations of ongoing activity (e.g. motor imagery). Approach. Eight healthy subjects participated in the study. EEG signals were acquired with an active 64-channel system. The classification method was based on a time-dependent approach tuned to capture the most discriminant spectral features of the temporal evolution of attentional processes. The system was used by all subjects over two days without retraining, to verify its robustness and reliability. Main results. We report a mean online accuracy across the group of 70.6 ± 1.5%, and 88.8 ± 5.8% for the best subject. Half of the participants produced stable features over the entire duration of the study. Additionally, we explain drops in performance in subjects showing stable features in terms of known electrophysiological correlates of fatigue, suggesting the prospect of online monitoring of mental states in BCI systems. Significance. This work represents the first demonstration of the feasibility of an online EEG BCI based on CVSA. The results achieved suggest the CVSA BCI as a promising alternative to standard BCI modalities. © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Authors: publisher An online EEG BCI based on covert visuospatial attention in absence of exogenous stimulation; 2013 Chair Noninvas Brain Machine Interface; Chair Noninvas Brain Machine Interface

Journal: An online EEG BCI based on covert visuospatial attention in absence of exogenous stimulation

Published: Tonin, L; Leeb, R; Sobolewski, A; Millán, JD;

DOI: false

Abstract ▼

Volume: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1741-2560/10/5/056007/pdf Pages: 109900823||109900823||109900823||109900823-bronze

Keywords: 2013

Objectives: Myoclonic epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF) is a rare mitochondrial syndrome, mostly caused by the 8344A>G mitochondrial DNA mutation. Most of the previous studies have been based on single case/family reports or series with few patients. The primary aim of this study was the characterization of a large cohort of patients with the 8344A>G mutation. The secondary aim was revision of the previously published data. Methods: Retrospective, database-based study (Nation-wide Italian Collaborative Network of Mitochondrial Diseases) and systematic revision. Results: Forty-two patients carrying the mutation were identified. The great majority did not have full-blown MERRF syndrome. Myoclonus was present in 1 of 5 patients, whereas myopathic signs and symptoms, generalized seizures, hearing loss, eyelid ptosis, and multiple lipomatosis represented the most common clinical features. Some asymptomatic mutation carriers have also been observed. Myoclonus was more strictly associated with ataxia than generalized seizures in adult 8344A.G subjects. Considering all of the 321 patients so far available, including our dataset and previously published cases, at the mean age of approximately 35 years, the clinical picture was characterized by the following signs/symptoms, in descending order: myoclonus, muscle weakness, ataxia (35%-45% of patients); generalized seizures, hearing loss (25%-34.9%); cognitive impairment, multiple lipomatosis, neuropathy, exercise intolerance (15%-24.9%); and increased creatine kinase levels, ptosis/ophthalmoparesis, optic atrophy, cardiomyopathy, muscle wasting, respiratory impairment, diabetes, muscle pain, tremor, migraine (5%-14.9%). Conclusions: Our results showed higher clinical heterogeneity than commonly thought. Moreover, MERRF could be better defined as a myoclonic ataxia rather than a myoclonic epilepsy. © 2013 American Academy of Neurology.

Authors: Phenotypic heterogeneity of the 8344A>G mtDNA "MERRF" mutation; 2013 Neurol Clin; Neurol Clin; IRCCS Ist Sci Neurol; IRCCS Fdn Ca Granda Osped Maggiore Policlin; Neuropediat & Muscle Disorders Unit; Neuromuscular Unit; Dept Neurosci; Inst Neurol; Child Neurol Unit; Unit Mol Neurogenet

Journal: Phenotypic heterogeneity of the 8344A>G mtDNA "MERRF" mutation

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

DOI: false

Abstract ▼

Volume: Mancuso||Orsucci||Angelini||Bertini||Carelli||Comi||Minetti||Moggio||Mongini||Servidei||Toninc||Toscano||Uziel||Bruno||Ienco||Filosto||Lamperti||Martinelli||Moroni||Musumeci||Pegoraro||Ronchi||Santorelli||Sauchelli||Scarpelli||Sciacco||Spinazzi||Valentino||Vercelli||Zeviani||Siciliano Pages: 104458839||104458839||112781907||104427007||104534016||113263551||113240986||113699239||110185689||104638385||103618984||113263551||104458839||113699233||110051846||103618984||112781907||104534016||110185689||104638385||113240986||112781907||104427007||113699239||110051846||104458839-closed

Keywords: 2013

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

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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