Chinese Hospitals Rush to Launch Brain-Computer Interface Wards

1. An increasing number of Chinese medical institutions are establishing specialized brain-computer interface (BCI) wards to accelerate the transition of BCI from labs to clinical use [para. 1].

2. The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University recently unveiled a BCI integrated ward targeting chronic neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and epilepsy, pooling neurology, neurosurgery, and other disciplines for precise diagnostics and rehab [para. 2].

3. This top-tier hospital in Anhui treats ~160,000 neurology patients annually (department founded 1956), with expertise in Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cognitive/sleep disorders, and epilepsy, including a neuromodulation center and Parkinson’s clinic [para. 3].

4. Achievements include a second-place Chinese Medical Science and Technology Award for noninvasive neuromodulation (for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, depression, addiction) and an EEG-based monitoring system (>80% accuracy in consciousness detection, co-developed with Anhui University) [para. 4].

5. Hospital president Sun Beicheng called it a “practice platform focused on commercial translation,” anchoring BCI in clinical needs for real-world results [para. 5].

6. BCI enables direct brain-device communication by decoding neuroelectrophysiological signals for thought-controlled devices or signal transmission to the brain; implantable types are invasive or semi-invasive based on cortex penetration [para. 6].

7. Clinical trials show BCI restores movement/communication in paralyzed patients, treats consciousness disorders, enhances memory, aids aphasia, and addresses functional brain diseases [para. 7].

8. Hospitals nationwide are setting up BCI wards integrating neurology, neurosurgery, and rehab for end-to-end services (evaluation, implantation, rehab) and scientific translation [para. 8].

9. China’s first “BCI clinical and translation ward” opened May 17, 2025, at Beijing Tiantan Hospital (Capital Medical University), co-founded with research institutes, managing Neucyber-1 trials [para. 9].

10. Neucyber-1, the world’s first high-throughput semi-invasive epidural BCI (Chinese Institute for Brain Research/XinZhiDa), implanted in 10 humans (post-stroke hemiplegia, ALS) with stable signals and no severe complications [para. 10].

11. By April 2026, >30 hospitals (mostly top-tier public, some private) across >12 provinces/municipalities (Beijing, Yangtze Delta, central/southern China) have BCI wards [para. 11].

12. Focus varies: most on movement disorders (post-stroke hemiplegia, spinal injuries, paraplegia) for thought-controlled movement and Parkinson’s treatment; others use noninvasive BCI for cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s [para. 12].

13. Shanghai Mental Health Center opened China’s first psychiatric BCI/neuromodulation clinic, using EEG, MEG, MRI, AI decoding, and neuromodulation for customized plans [para. 15].

14. Policy support: Shanghai/Jiangsu action plans (2025-2030) encourage BCI trial bases/wards; provinces promote implantable BCI scenarios [para. 16].

15. National Healthcare Security Administration (March 12, 2025) set BCI pricing (invasive implantation/removal, noninvasive adaptation); Hubei, Zhejiang, Beijing, Shanghai followed with local rules/insurance [para. 17][para. 19].

16. Beijing added BCI items to Class A insurance, piloting at Tiantan, Xuanwu, Peking Univ. First, Peking Union hospitals; Hubei’s Tongji Hospital did first priced BCI surgery Nov. 26, 2025 [para. 20].

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