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Review
. 2016 Apr:37:53-58.
doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2015.12.005. Epub 2016 Jan 19.

Brain-computer interfaces for dissecting cognitive processes underlying sensorimotor control

Matthew D Golub  1 , Steven M Chase  2 , Aaron P Batista  3 , Byron M Yu  4
Affiliations
Review

Brain-computer interfaces for dissecting cognitive processes underlying sensorimotor control

Matthew D Golub et al. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2016 Apr.

Abstract

Sensorimotor control engages cognitive processes such as prediction, learning, and multisensory integration. Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying these cognitive processes with arm reaching is challenging because we currently record only a fraction of the relevant neurons, the arm has nonlinear dynamics, and multiple modalities of sensory feedback contribute to control. A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a well-defined sensorimotor loop with key simplifying advantages that address each of these challenges, while engaging similar cognitive processes. As a result, BCI is becoming recognized as a powerful tool for basic scientific studies of sensorimotor control. Here, we describe the benefits of BCI for basic scientific inquiries and review recent BCI studies that have uncovered new insights into the neural mechanisms underlying sensorimotor control.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement

Nothing declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Conceptual illustration of the sensorimotor control loop for arm reaching (left) and BCI (right) movements.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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