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Motor imagery

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Motor imagery is a mental process by which an individual rehearses or simulates a given action. It is widely used in sport training (AKA, Mental Practice of Action), neurological rehabilitation, and has also been employed as a research paradigm in cognitive neuroscience and cognitive psychology to investigate the content and the structure of covert processes (i.e., unconscious) that precede the execution of action.[1] [2]

Definition

Motor imagery can be defined as a dynamic state during which an individual mentally simulates a given action. This type of phenomenal experience implies that the subject feels herself/himself performing the action.[3] It corresponds to the so called internal imagery (or first person perspective) of sport psychologists.[4]

Functional equivalence of motor preparation and motor imagery

Motor imagery has been studied using the classical methods of introspection and mental chronometry. These methods have revealed that motor images retain many of the properties, in terms of temporal regularities, programming rules and biomechanical constraints, which are observed in the corresponding real action when it comes to execution.[5] [6] This finding lead to the idea that there is a similarity in mental states between action simulation and execution.[7]

Neurophysiological mechanisms

A large number of functional neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that motor imagery is associated with the specific activation of the neural circuits involved in the early stage of motor control (i.e., motor programing). This circuits includes the supplementary motor area, the primary motor cortex, the inferior parietal cortex, the basal ganglia, and the cerebellum.[8] Such physiological data gives strong support about common neural mechanisms of imagery and motor preparation.[9] Measurements of cardiac and respiratory activity during motor imagery and during actual motor performance revealed a covariation of heart rate and pulmonary ventilation with the degree of imagined effort.[10] [11] [12]

The effects of motor imagery

Motor imagery is now widely used as a technique to enhance motor learning and to improve neurological rehabilitation in patients after stroke. Its effectiveness has been proven in musicians.[13]

on motor learning

Motor imagery is an accepted procedure in the preparation of athletes. Such practice usually covers a warming up period, relaxation and concentration, and then mental simulation of the specific movement.[14]

in neurological rehabilitation

There is some evidence to suggest that motor imagery provides additional benefits to conventional physiotherapy or occupational therapy.[15] However, a recent systematic review indicates that there is modest evidence supporting the additional benefit of motor imagery compared to only conventional physiotherapy in patients with stroke.[16] These authors concluded that motor imagery appears to be an attractive treatment opinion, easy to learn and to apply and the intervention is neither physically exhausting nor harmful. Therefore, motor imagery may generate additional benefit for patients.

Further readings

  • Decety, J., & Stevens, J. (2009). Action representation and its role in social interaction. In K.D. Markman, W.M.P. Klein & J.A. Suhr (Eds.), The Handbook of Imagination and Mental Simulation. New York: Psychology Press.
  • Jeannerod, M. (1997). The Cognitive Neuroscience of Action. Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Morsella, E., Bargh, J.A., & Gollwitzer, P.M. (Eds.) (2009). Oxford Handbook of Human Action. New York: Oxford University Press.

See also

References

  1. ^ Decety, J., & Ingvar, D. H. (1990). Brain structures participating in mental simulation of motor behavior: A neuropsychological interpretation. Acta Psychologica, 73, 13-24.
  2. ^ Decety, J., & Stevens, J. (2009). Action representation and its role in social interaction. In K.D. Markman, W.M.P. Klein & J.A. Suhr (Eds.), The Handbook of Imagination and Mental Simulation. New York: Psychology Press.
  3. ^ Decety, J. (1996). Do executed and imagined movements share the same central structures? Cognitive Brain Research, 3, 87-93.
  4. ^ Mahoney, M..J., & Avener, M. (1987). Psychology of the elite athlete. Cognitive Therapy Research, 1, 135-141.
  5. ^ Decety, J., & Jeannerod, M. (1996). Fitts' law in mentally simulated movements. Behavioral Brain Research, 72, 127-134.
  6. ^ Decety, J., Jeannerod, M., & Prablanc, C. (1989). The timing of mentally represented actions. Behavioural Brain Research, 34, 35-42.
  7. ^ Jeannerod, M. (1994). The representing brain: Neural correlates of motor intention and imagery. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 17, 187-245.
  8. ^ Decety, J., Perani, D., Jeannerod, M., Bettinardi, V., Tadary, B., Woods, R., et al. (1994). Mapping motor representations with PET. Nature, 371, 600-602.
  9. ^ Jeannerod, M. (2001). Neural simulation of action: A unifying mechanism for motor cognition. NeuroImage, 14, 103-109.
  10. ^ Decety, J., Jeannerod, M., Durozard, D., & Baverel, G. (1993). Central activation of autonomic effectors during mental simulation of motor actions in man. Journal of Physiology, 461, 549-563.
  11. ^ Wang, Y. & Morgan, W.P. (1992). The effect of imagery perspectives on the psychophysiological responses to imagined exercise. Behavioral Brain Research, 52, 167-174.
  12. ^ Wuyam, B., Moosavi, S.H., Decety, J., Adams, L., Lansing, R.W., & Guz, A. (1995). Imagination of dynamic exercise produced ventilatory responses which were more apparent in competitive sportsmen, Journal of Physiology, 482, 713-724.
  13. ^ Lotze, M., Scheler, G. et al. (2003). The musician's brain: functional imaging of amateurs and professionals during performance and imagery. Neuroimage, 20, 1817-1829.
  14. ^ Suinn, R.M. (1984). Imagery and sports. In W.F. Straub and J,M, Williams (eds,). Cognitive Sport Psychology. Lansing, NY: Sport Science Associates.
  15. ^ Jackson, P. et al. (2001). Potential role of mental practice using motor imagery in neurologic rehabilitation. Archives of Physical Medical Rehabilitation, 83, 1133-1141.
  16. ^ Zimmermann-Schlatter, A. et al. (2008). Efficacy of motor imagery in post-stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review. Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation, 5,8.
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