New 'BrainGate2' trial recruiting volunteers

An experimental device designed to help paralyzed people control computer cursors, robotic arms, or even wheelchairs just by thinking about moving them will be tested in a new hospital trial after its private-sector sponsor's withdrawal.

The pilot BrainGate 2 trial, funded by federal grants and led by doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital working with scientists at Brown University and the Providence VA Medical Center, is recruiting up to 15 participants who have become quadriplegics after a spinal cord injury, a brain stem stroke, or because of ALS, muscular dystrophy, or another neurological disorder, the collaborative said today.

The researchers hope to learn more about a system whose preliminary trial, supported by the former Cyberkinetics Inc. of Foxborough, showed promise in translating thoughts into movement. The system works by decoding brain signals detected by a sensor implanted in the motor cortex, the part of the brain that governs movement. Signals are then sent to an external device, such as a computer cursor, which then moves in response.

The first trial's four participants included Matthew Nagle of Weymouth, who was paralyzed from the neck down but could play computer video games, change a TV channel, and open and close a robotic hand using an earlier version of the BrainGate. Another participant was able to move his wheelchair.

The new trial moved to Mass. General after Cyberkinetics ended its funding for the system in 2007 in favor of other medical devices. Last month researchers led by Dr. Leigh Hochberg of Mass. General won approval from federal regulators for a new clinical trial. Hochberg had been involved with the first BrainGate trial but had no financial relationship with Cyberkinetics.

"We're taking what we learned from the first four participants and building upon that to continue to learn more about this part of the brain and to learn how to design the device and the interface," Hochberg said. "We need to continue to improve it so that every day when the device is turned on, it will work just as well as yesterday."

Hochberg is cautious about the future.

"We all hope that this will evolve and, with the help of participants in our clinical trial, become a device in the future that will help people with paralysis," he said. "But today this is research."

In the new trial, participants will have a sensor the size of a baby aspirin implanted, after which research technicians will visit the person's home two or three days a week. More information is available at the government's web site where clinical trials are listed or from Mass. General at 617-726-4218.