Near-Infrared Imaging of Motor Imagery Effects in Spinal Cord Injury

The primary objective of this clinical trial is to investigate the efficacy of motor imagery-based brain-computer interface (MI-BCI) technology in improving motor function among patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), as well as its impact on cortical motor area function across varying states. To achieve this, the study will implement MI-BCI intervention in SCI patients, evaluate post-treatment motor function improvements, and assess changes in cortical motor area oxygen metabolism (via functional near-infrared spectroscopy, fNIRS) and neural activity (via electroencephalography, EEG). The ultimate goal is to establish a novel rehabilitation strategy for SCI. Specifically, the trial aims to: (1) determine whether MI-BCI effectively enhances motor function in SCI patients; and (2) clarify the differential effects of MI-BCI on cortical motor area function under distinct states (e.g., resting vs. task-performing) in this population. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group will undergo MI-BCI training, while the control group will receive active cycling training (as a conventional rehabilitation control). Both interventions will be structured as 20-minute sessions, administered 5 days per week, over a total of 4 weeks.Pre- and post-treatment assessments will include: lower limb motor function (measured by the Lower Limb Motor Score), activities of daily living (evaluated via the Modified Barthel Index), walking capacity (quantified using the Spinal Cord Injury Walking Index), and cortical motor activity (captured through fNIRS and EEG measurements).

NCT Number	NCT07106060
Lead Sponsor	Shengjing Hospital
Conditions	SCI - Spinal Cord Injury, Motor Imagery, Brain-Computer Interfaces
Enrollment	36 participants
Start Date	2025-01-01
Primary Completion	2026-01-01 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-02-01 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2025-08-06