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Ideomotor silence: the case of complete paralysis and brain–computer interfaces (BCI)

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Abstract

The paper presents some speculations on the loss of voluntary responses and operant learning in long-term paralysis in human patients and curarized rats. Based on a reformulation of the ideomotor thinking hypothesis already described in the 19th century, we present evidence that instrumentally learned responses and intentional cognitive processes extinguish as a consequence of long-term complete paralysis in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Preliminary data collected with ALS patients during extended and complete paralysis suggest semantic classical conditioning of brain activity as the only remaining communication possibility in those states.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Niels Birbaumer

  2. Ospedale San Camillo, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Venezia Lido, Italy

    Niels Birbaumer, Francesco Piccione & Stefano Silvoni

  3. Department of Radiology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81675, Munich, Germany

    Moritz Wildgruber

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  1. Niels Birbaumer
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  2. Francesco Piccione
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  3. Stefano Silvoni
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  4. Moritz Wildgruber
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Correspondence to Moritz Wildgruber.

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Dedicated to my friend and colleague Frank Rösler at the occasion for his 65th birthday.

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Birbaumer, N., Piccione, F., Silvoni, S. et al. Ideomotor silence: the case of complete paralysis and brain–computer interfaces (BCI). Psychological Research 76, 183–191 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-012-0412-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-012-0412-5

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