Exploring Cortical Responses to Blood Flow Restriction through Deep Learning

Blood flow restriction (BFR) training, which combines low-intensity resistance exercises with restricted blood flow, is effective in promoting muscle hypertrophy and strength. However, its impact on cortical activity remains largely unexplored, presenting an opportunity to investigate neural mechanisms using brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Deep learning (DL)-based BCIs, with their large capacity for decoding complex brain signals, offer a promising avenue for such exploration. This study utilized magnetoencephalography (MEG) to analyze cortical responses in six subjects across three conditions—before, during, and after BFR. After preprocessing steps, such as data standardization and Euclidean-space alignment to optimize performance, the BaseNet architecture was utilized to classify the data. The models were tested using within-subject, cross-subject, and cross-time data splits. The results revealed classification accuracy well above 90% for individual subjects, indicating that cortical responses to BFR are detectable on a personal level. However, cross-subject models achieved only chance-level accuracy (33%), highlighting significant variability between individuals. Cross-time models showed better performance, with accuracy exceeding 50%. These findings suggest that while BFR elicits distinct cortical activity patterns, these responses are highly individualized, presenting challenges for generalization.