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Breakthrough in Brain–Computer Interface Technology: A New Era of Neural Decoding at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Neuroscience 2024

By: Precision Neuroscience via GlobeNewswire

October 07, 2024 at 11:05 AM EDT

NEW YORK, Oct. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Researchers shared groundbreaking results today from a pilot study conducted in collaboration with Precision Neuroscience Corporation (Precision), a leader in brain–computer interfaces (BCI), at the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Neuroscience 2024 conference, held in Chicago, IL. The results were presented by the lab of Iahn Cajigas, MD, PhD, principal investigator of the Research Engineering Strategies To Recovery (RESToRe) laboratory, a neurosurgeon at Penn Medicine and an assistant professor of Neurosurgery and Bioengineering in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, one of the Precision study sites.

The abstract, titled ‘Unraveling beta dynamics with a high-density cortical surface array’, highlights results from a study utilizing Precision’s cutting-edge Layer 7 Cortical Interface, a minimally invasive, high-density, high resolution array. This breakthrough technology allowed researchers to capture previously inaccessible neural patterns in the motor cortex related to movement, offering insights that could reshape the future of neurological treatment, rehabilitation, and the functionality of BCIs.

Beta oscillations, which are rhythmic neural patterns in the motor cortex, are closely tied to the brain’s control of movement. Precision’s high-resolution array provided unprecedented access to these oscillations, allowing researchers to characterize these beta waves and their changes during movement, revealing new information about how the brain encodes movement.

“This research could serve as the foundation for life-changing advancements for patients through BCI technology,” said Cajigas. “With better insights on how the brain controls movement in real-time, we can develop new treatments for patients with paralysis or other impairments. BCIs show great promise to make an incredible impact in patient care.”

During the study, presented at SfN by RESToRe lab member Qasim Qureshi, Precision’s Layer 7 Cortical Interface, featuring 1,024 electrodes, was placed on the motor cortex of a patient undergoing Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for essential tremor. As the patient performed hand gestures, special high-resolution sensors simultaneously captured hand movements, and the Layer 7 array monitored neural activity in real time. The device, no larger than a nickel and thinner than a human hair, provided a first-ever view of the spatiotemporal evolution of beta oscillatory behaviors in the motor cortex during the production of common hand gestures.

The study revealed that while beta waves formed spirals during rest and propagated in one direction (likely representing resting-state neural dynamics), they suppressed during active movement, and returned in a complex pattern after the conclusion of movement. These dynamics could reflect the phasic recruitment of specialized regions within the motor cortex as a movement is being planned and executed. This discovery offers a new understanding of how the brain controls movement, which could lead to more precise motor decoding for BCIs.

Dr. Ben Rapoport, Co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Precision, highlighted the broader implications of this research: “We are building technology to help people with devastating neurological conditions reconnect with the world around them. By collecting as much information as possible about neural activity, we’re making it computable for BCIs to achieve the most exciting functions, like controlling a robotic limb with just a thought.”

Precision is a leader in the development of neural implants for medical use. Precision has developed and validated the Layer 7 Cortical Interface through research collaborations with West Virginia University’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, Penn Medicine, and Mount Sinai Health System in New York. The company plans to announce additional partnerships with esteemed research institutions in the coming year.

For more information about Precision’s work and research, visit https://precisionneuro.io/.

The research at the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute is partially funded through Precision Neuroscience Corporation and NSF #05292024. The research conducted at Penn Medicine is funded by NIH NINDS K12 (1K12NS129164) with electrodes and personnel support provided by Precision. The Layer 7 is an investigational device that is not available for sale in the United States.

About Precision:
Precision Neuroscience is dedicated to developing breakthrough treatments for neurological disorders affecting millions of people worldwide. The company is pioneering the only brain–computer interface designed to be minimally invasive, safely removable, and capable of processing large amounts of neural data. To learn more about how Precision is connecting human intelligence and artificial intelligence, visit www.precisionneuro.io.

Contact: media@precisionneuro.io