News Finding: "These findings could be the basis for novel rehabilitation procedures for the many neural disorders that are characterized by improper neural activity," Yu says.
Paper Finding: In summary, a BCI paradigm enabled us to reveal neural constraints on learning.
News Context: Byron M. Yu, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering at Carnegie Mellon, believes this work demonstrates the utility of BCI for basic scientific studies that will eventually impact people's lives. "These findings could be the basis for novel rehabilitation procedures for the many neural disorders that are characterized by improper neural activity," Yu says. "Restoring function might require a person to generate a new pattern of neural activity.
Paper Context: Our study also indicates that the low-dimensional patterns present among a population of neurons may better reflect the elemental units of volitional control than do individual neurons. In summary, a BCI paradigm enabled us to reveal neural constraints on learning. The principles we observed may govern other forms of learning 4,25-28 and perhaps even cognitive processes.