RECRUITING

Sensory Motor Transformations in Human Cortex

Study Overview

This clinical trial focuses on testing the efficacy of different digital interventions to promote re-engagement in cancer-related long-term follow-up care for adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors of childhood cancer.

Description

This research study is being conducted to develop a brain controlled medical device, called a brain-machine interface. The device will provide people with a spinal cord injury some ability to control an external device such as a computer cursor or robotic limb by using their thoughts along with sensory feedback. Development of a brain-machine interface is very difficult and currently only limited technology exists in this area of neuroscience. Other studies have shown that people with high spinal cord injury still have intact brain areas capable of planning movements and grasps, but are not able to execute the movement plans. The device in this study involves implanting very fine recording electrodes into areas of the brain that are known to create arm movement plans and provide hand grasping information and sense feeling in the hand and fingers. These movement and grasp plans would then normally be sent to other regions of the brain to execute the actual movements. By tying into those pathways and sending the movement plan signals to a computer instead, the investigators can translate the movement plans into actual movements by a computer cursor or robotic limb. A key part of this study is to electrically stimulate the brain by introducing a small amount of electrical current into the electrodes in the sensory area of the brain. This will result in the sensation of touch in the hand and/or fingers. This stimulation to the brain will occur when the robotic limb touches the object, thereby allowing the brain to "feel" what the robotic arm is touching. The device being used in this study is called the Neuroport Array and is surgically implanted in the brain. This device and the implantation procedure are experimental which means that it has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). One Neuroport Array consists of a small grid of electrodes that will be implanted in brain tissue and a small cable that runs from the electrode grid to a small hourglass-shaped pedestal. This pedestal is designed to be attached to the skull and protrude through the scalp to allow for connection with the computer equipment. The top portion of the pedestal has a protective cover that will be in place when the pedestal is not in use. The top of this pedestal and its protective cover will be visible on the outside of the head. Three Neuroport Arrays and pedestals will be implanted in this study so three of these protective covers will be visible outside of the head. It will be possible to cover these exposed portions of the device with a hat or scarf. The investigators hope to learn how safe and effective the Neuroport array plus stimulation is in controlling computer generated images and real world objects, such as a robotic arm, using imagined movements of the arms and hands.

Official Title

A Feasibility Study of the Ability of the Neural Prosthetic System 2 to Provide Direct Closed Loop Cortical Control of Extracorporeal Devices Through the Use of Intracortical Microstimulation in Patients With Quadriplegia

Quick Facts

Study Start:2013-11-01
Study Completion:2027-01-31
Study Type:Not specified
Phase:Not Applicable
Enrollment:Not specified
Status:RECRUITING

Study ID

NCT01964261

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Ages Eligible for Study:22 Years to 65 Years
Sexes Eligible for Study:ALL
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:No
Standard Ages:ADULT, OLDER_ADULT
Inclusion CriteriaExclusion Criteria
  1. * High cervical spinal lesion
  2. * Age 22-65
  3. * Able to provide informed consent
  4. * Able to understand and comply with instructions in English
  5. * Communicate via speech
  6. * Surgical clearance
  7. * Life expectancy greater than 12 months
  8. * Travel up to 60 miles to study locations up to five days per week
  9. * Caregiver monitor for surgical site complications and behavioral changes on a daily basis
  10. * Psychosocial support system
  1. * Presence of memory problems
  2. * Intellectual impairment
  3. * Psychotic illness or chronic psychiatric disorder, including major depression if untreated
  4. * Poor visual acuity
  5. * Pregnancy
  6. * Active infection or unexplained fever
  7. * Scalp lesions or skin breakdown
  8. * HIV or AIDS infection
  9. * Active cancer or chemotherapy
  10. * Diabetes
  11. * Autonomic dysreflexia
  12. * History of seizure
  13. * Implanted hydrocephalus shunt
  14. * Previous neurosurgical history affecting parietal lobe function
  15. * Medical conditions contraindicating surgery and chronic implantation of a medical device
  16. * Prior cranioplasty
  17. * Unable to undergo MRI or anticipated need for MRI during study
  18. * Nursing an infant or unwilling to bottle-feed infant
  19. * Chronic oral or intravenous use of steroids or immunosuppressive therapy
  20. * Suicidal ideation
  21. * Drug or alcohol dependence
  22. * Planning to become pregnant, or unwilling to use adequate birth control
  23. * Implanted Cardiac Defibrillator, Pacemaker, vagal nerve stimulator, or spinal cord stimulator.
  24. * Implanted deep brain stimulator (DBS), DBS leads, or cochlear implant.

Contacts and Locations

Study Contact

Charles Liu, MD, PhD
CONTACT
800-872-2273
chasliu@cheme.caltech.edu
Richard Andersen, PhD
CONTACT
626-395-8336
ANDERSEN@VIS.CALTECH.EDU

Principal Investigator

Richard A Andersen, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
California Institute of Technology
Charles Liu, MD, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
University of Southern California, Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center
Dan Kramer, MD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus
Luke Bashford, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus

Study Locations (Sites)

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center
Downey, California, 90242
United States
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, 90033
United States
Richard Andersen
Pasadena, California, 91125
United States
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Aurora, Colorado, 80045
United States

Collaborators and Investigators

Sponsor: Richard A. Andersen, PhD

  • Richard A Andersen, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, California Institute of Technology
  • Charles Liu, MD, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Southern California, Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center
  • Dan Kramer, MD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus
  • Luke Bashford, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus

Study Record Dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Registration Dates

Study Start Date2013-11-01
Study Completion Date2027-01-31

Study Record Updates

Study Start Date2013-11-01
Study Completion Date2027-01-31

Terms related to this study

Keywords Provided by Researchers

  • Neural
  • Prosthetic
  • Brain machine interface
  • brain computer interface
  • brain control
  • paralysis
  • tetraplegia
  • quadriplegia
  • spinal cord injury
  • stimulation
  • sensory feedback

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

  • Quadriplegia