Exploring Two Alternative BCIs for Improving Alzheimer’s Disease Rehabilitation

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases affect the nervous system of the body, ultimately disturbing movement and or mental function where Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form [1]. Brain-computer interface (BCI) is a technology that allows for an alternative method to previous rehabilitation treatments that help improve human cognitive or sensory-motor functions [2]. Due to the crippling and progressive effects of AD, it gives way for the unique utilization of BCI technology to be used for rehabilitation. A standard BCI utilizes electroencephalography (EEG) stimuli to monitor brain activity to obtain relevant information [2]. These traditional BCIs, rely heavily on instrumental learning, and the users themselves, to assist and control their brain activation [3]. The purpose of this paper is to explore alternative BCIs, such as motor-imagery and emotion-based, to explain if these two alternative BCIs can help in improving AD rehabilitation.