First Study With a Brain Implant to Help Locked-in Patients Communicate at Home

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 - 75 * Locked-in status (i.e. severely paralyzed with communication problems) * in case of trauma or stroke: at least 1 year after the event * in case of a neuromuscular disease: slow progression allowed * Rudimentary form of communication possible (e.g. through assistive technology, eye blinks or eye movements, severely impaired speech) * Mentally and physically capable of giving informed consent * Lives in or close to the Netherlands * MR compatible * able to lie flat in the scanner * no metal objects in or attached to the body * no claustrophobia * Visus (largely) intact * Cognition intact (IQ\>80) * Compatible with implantation procedure * good respiratory function or stable respiratory situation using ventilation assistance Exclusion Criteria: * Strong and frequent spasms * Vital indication for blood thinners * Current brain tumor or history of tumor resection * Quick medical or neurological deterioration * Patients who are considered legally incapable (and who therefore will not be able to give informed consent) * Current or recent psychiatric disorder * Catabolic state * Allergy to the materials of the implant