Background. A number of recent randomized controlled trials reported the efficacy of brain–computer interface (BCI) for upper-limb stroke rehabilitation compared with other therapies. Despite the encouraging results reported, there is a significant variance in the reported outcomes. This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of different BCI designs on poststroke upper-limb rehabilitation. Methods. The effect sizes of pooled and individual studies were assessed by computing Hedge’s g values with a 95% confidence interval. Subgroup analyses were also performed to examine the impact of different BCI designs on the treatment effect. Results. The study included 12 clinical trials involving 298 patients. The analysis showed that the BCI yielded significant superior short-term and long-term efficacy in improving the upper-limb motor function compared to the control therapies (Hedge’s g = 0.73 and 0.33, respectively). Based on our subgroup analyses, the BCI studies that used the intention of movement had a higher effect size compared to those used motor imagery (Hedge’s g = 1.21 and 0.55, respectively). The BCI studies using band power features had a significantly higher effect size than those using filter bank common spatial patterns features (Hedge’s g = 1.25 and − 0.23, respectively). Finally, the studies that used functional electrical stimulation as the BCI feedback had the highest effect size compared to other devices (Hedge’s g = 1.2). Conclusion. This meta-analysis confirmed the effectiveness of BCI for upper-limb rehabilitation. Our findings support the use of band power features, the intention of movement, and the functional electrical stimulation in future BCI designs for poststroke upper-limb rehabilitation.

背景。最近的一些随机对照试验报告了与其他疗法相比，脑机接口（BCI）对上肢中风康复的疗效。尽管报告的结果令人鼓舞，但报告的结果存在显着差异。本文旨在研究不同脑机接口设计对中风后上肢康复的有效性。方法。通过计算具有 95% 置信区间的 Hedge g值来评估汇总研究和单独研究的效应大小。还进行了亚组分析，以检验不同 BCI 设计对治疗效果的影响。结果。该研究包括 12 项临床试验，涉及 298 名患者。分析表明，与对照疗法相比，BCI 在改善上肢运动功能方面产生了显着优越的短期和长期疗效（Hedge 的g分别为 0.73 和 0.33）。根据我们的亚组分析，使用运动意图的 BCI 研究与使用运动想象的研究相比具有更高的效应量（Hedge 的g分别 = 1.21 和 0.55）。使用频带功率特征的 BCI 研究比使用滤波器组常见空间模式特征的 BCI 研究具有显着更高的效应大小（Hedge 的g分别 = 1.25 和 − 0.23）。最后，与其他设备相比，使用功能性电刺激作为 BCI 反馈的研究具有最高的效应大小（Hedge 的g = 1.2）。结论。这项荟萃分析证实了 BCI 对上肢康复的有效性。 我们的研究结果支持在未来中风后上肢康复的 BCI 设计中使用带功率特征、运动意图和功能性电刺激。