“Low road” to rehabilitation: a perspective on subliminal sensory neuroprosthetics

Abstract

Shashank Ghai,1 Ishan Ghai,2 Alfred O Effenberg1 1Institute of Sports Science, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, 2School of Life Sciences, Jacobs University, Bremen, Germany Abstract: Fear can propagate parallelly through both cortical and subcortical pathways. It can instigate memory consolidation habitually and might allow internal simulation of movements independent of the cortical structures. This perspective suggests delivery of subliminal, aversive and kinematic audiovisual stimuli via neuroprosthetics in patients with neocortical dysfunctions. We suggest possible scenarios by which these stimuli might bypass damaged neocortical structures and possibly assisting in motor relearning. Anticipated neurophysiological mechanisms and methodological scenarios have been discussed in this perspective. This approach introduces novel perspectives into neuropsychology as to how subcortical pathways might be used to induce motor relearning. Keywords: motor learning, fear perception, internal simulation, sonification, cortical dysfunctions

Keywords

• Motor learning
• emotion
• perception
• rehabilitation
• cognition