Plain-English translation of NCT03567213 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated · Translation generated · How we translate trials
This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.
This study is testing a device called the CortiCom system—a brain implant that sits on the surface of the brain and reads signals from regions that control speech and movement. The goal is to see whether people with severe paralysis or locked-in syndrome can use these brain signals to control computers, communication software, and other devices. Researchers want to figure out which brain signals work best: imagining speech or imagining movement.
Many people with conditions like ALS, tetraplegia, brainstem stroke, or locked-in syndrome lose the ability to move and speak, even though their minds work normally. This trial exists to explore whether a brain implant could give these individuals a way to communicate and control their environment again by tapping into the brain regions that still function.
You likely qualify if…
You likely don't qualify if…
If you are selected, you will undergo brain surgery to implant up to two grids of electrodes on the surface of your brain over areas that control speech and arm movement. The implant will remain in place for six months while you visit the study site up to three days per week. During these sessions, you will work with researchers to learn how to control computers and software using the brain signals the implant reads—either by imagining speech or imagining movement. At the end of six months, the implant will be surgically removed.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 1, 2026 · Not medical advice
United States
Sponsor
Johns Hopkins University
Collaborators
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Enrollment target
~3 participants
Started
December 2021
Primary completion
August 2026
Age range
22 Years – 70 Years
Last updated on clinicaltrials.gov in July 2025.
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Central contact
Nathan E Crone, MD
Professor of Neurology
Tell us you're interested and we'll help connect you with the research team. We'll walk you through what to expect first — no email needed to get started.