Combined Action Observation, Motor Imagery and SSMVEP BCI Enhances Movement Related Cortical Potential

Congruent action observation (AO) and motor imagery (MI) has been shown to enhance cortical excitability. In this study, a Combined AO, MI and Steady state motion visual evoked potential (SSMVEP) brain computer interface (CAMS BCI) was proposed. The study hypothesized that a short CAMS BCI intervention can alter cortical excitability in the movement related cortical areas manifesting as changes in the movement related cortical potential (MRCP). A 40-minute intervention of gait observation and imagination was performed on nineteen healthy volunteers. The MRCP related to ankle dorsiflexion was measured Pre- and Post- intervention. The analysis compared several MRCP components (BP1, BP2, PN, Slope1 and Slope(2)) on five EEG channels (C1, Cz, C2, FCz and CPz). A consistent increase in the negativity across all MRCP components was observed. Specifically, a significant increase in negativity of the readiness potential was observed in channels C1, Cz, and C2 placed over the primary motor cortex. The results demonstrated that CAMS BCI enhances cortical excitability related to movement preparation and execution. Furthermore, the proposed CAMS BCI not only can evoke SSMVEP and sensorimotor rhythm, but can also enhance MRCP when applied as an intervention. The proposed CAMS BCI paradigm is appealing for neuro-rehabilitation applications and informs future BCI designs.