Background: Self-controlled motor imagery combined with assistive devices is promising for enhancing neurorehabilitation. This study developed a soft, Flexible Exoskeleton (flexEXO) for finger movements and investigated whether self-controlled motor tasks facilitate stronger cortical activation than externally controlled conditions. Methods: Twenty-one healthy participants performed grasping tasks under four conditions: Self-Controlled Motion (SCC), Other-Controlled Motion (OCC), Self-Controlled Imagery Only (SCIOC), and Other-Controlled Imagery Only (OCIOC). EEG data were recorded, focusing on event-related desynchronization (ERD) in the μ and β bands during imagery and motion and event-related synchronization (ERS) in the β band during feedback. Source localization was performed using eLORETA. Results: Higher μERD and βERD were observed during self-controlled tasks, particularly in the primary motor cortex and supplementary motor area. Externally controlled tasks showed enhanced activation in the inferior parietal lobule and secondary somatosensory cortex. βERS did not differ significantly across conditions. Source localization revealed that self-controlled tasks engaged motor planning and error-monitoring regions more robustly. Conclusions: The flexEXO device and the comparison of brain activity under different conditions provide insights into the neural mechanisms of motor control and have implications for neurorehabilitation.

Background/Objectives: Assessing inhibitory function and error detection is crucial for the early detection of age-related cognitive decline. This study aimed to investigate the neural network dynamics underlying these functions in younger and older adults to better understand age-related changes in cognitive control. Methods: We recorded electroencephalograms (EEGs) during an inhibitory control task in 17 older and 15 younger healthy adults. Behavioral performance was assessed, and directional functional connectivity was analyzed using Low-Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (LORETA), isolated effective coherence (iCoh), and Full Vector Field analysis across the theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands. Results: Older adults showed significantly fewer correct responses than younger adults. During incorrect responses, older adults exhibited strong beta-band directionality from the ventral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to the left frontal polar cortex (FPC), alongside strong intra-ACC connectivity. During correct responses, they demonstrated alpha- and beta-band directionality from the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) to the right FPC. Conversely, compared with older adults, younger adults demonstrated significantly stronger mutual directionality within the ACC and widespread robust connectivity among the ACC, bilateral DLPFC, and FPC during correct responses. Conclusions: Efficient inhibitory control in older adults appears to rely on higher-order error-monitoring and error detection networks. The altered network dynamics in older adults suggest an age-related decline in immediate cognitive control. Evaluating these neural networks via EEGs provides a potential non-invasive biomarker for early cognitive decline and highlights higher-order executive control as a promising target for preventive interventions.