Enhancing upper-limb neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke survivors using combined action observation and motor imagery therapy
IntroductionFor people who have had a stroke, recovering upper-limb function is a barrier to independence. When movement is difficult, mental practice can be used to complement physical therapy. In this within-participants study we investigated the effects of combined action observation and motor im...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neurology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2023.1097422/full |
| _version_ | 1811161730068250624 |
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| author | Jack Aaron Binks Jonathan Reyes Emerson Matthew William Scott Christopher Wilson Paul van Schaik Daniel Lloyd Eaves |
| author_facet | Jack Aaron Binks Jonathan Reyes Emerson Matthew William Scott Christopher Wilson Paul van Schaik Daniel Lloyd Eaves |
| author_sort | Jack Aaron Binks |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionFor people who have had a stroke, recovering upper-limb function is a barrier to independence. When movement is difficult, mental practice can be used to complement physical therapy. In this within-participants study we investigated the effects of combined action observation and motor imagery (AO + MI) therapy on upper-limb recovery in chronic stroke survivors.MethodsA Graeco-Latin Square design was used to counterbalance four mental practice conditions (AO + MI, AO, MI, Control) across four cup-stacking tasks of increasing complexity. Once a week, for five consecutive weeks, participants (n = 10) performed 16 mental practice trials under each condition. Each trial displayed a 1st person perspective of a cup-stacking task performed by an experienced model. For AO, participants watched each video and responded to an occasional color cue. For MI, participants imagined the effort and sensation of performing the action; cued by a series of still-images. For combined AO + MI, participants observed a video of the action while they simultaneously imagined performing the same action in real-time. At three time points (baseline; post-test; two-week retention test) participants physically executed the three mentally practiced cup-stacking tasks, plus a fourth unpractised sequence (Control), as quickly and accurately as possible.ResultsMean movement execution times were significantly reduced overall in the post-test and the retention test compared to baseline. At retention, movement execution times were significantly shorter for combined AO + MI compared to both MI and the Control. Individual participants reported clinically important changes in quality of life (Stroke Impact Scale) and positive qualitative experiences of AO + MI (social validation).DiscussionThese results indicate that when physical practice is unsuitable, combined AO + MI therapy could offer an effective adjunct for neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke survivors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:19:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0b99541706cc49829da26a2c70353a5e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-2295 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:19:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neurology |
| spelling | doaj.art-0b99541706cc49829da26a2c70353a5e2023-03-02T05:01:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neurology1664-22952023-03-011410.3389/fneur.2023.10974221097422Enhancing upper-limb neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke survivors using combined action observation and motor imagery therapyJack Aaron Binks0Jonathan Reyes Emerson1Matthew William Scott2Christopher Wilson3Paul van Schaik4Daniel Lloyd Eaves5Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Law, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United KingdomSchool of Health and Life Sciences, Allied Health Professions, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United KingdomSchool of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Law, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United KingdomDepartment of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Law, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United KingdomBiomedical, Nutritional and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United KingdomIntroductionFor people who have had a stroke, recovering upper-limb function is a barrier to independence. When movement is difficult, mental practice can be used to complement physical therapy. In this within-participants study we investigated the effects of combined action observation and motor imagery (AO + MI) therapy on upper-limb recovery in chronic stroke survivors.MethodsA Graeco-Latin Square design was used to counterbalance four mental practice conditions (AO + MI, AO, MI, Control) across four cup-stacking tasks of increasing complexity. Once a week, for five consecutive weeks, participants (n = 10) performed 16 mental practice trials under each condition. Each trial displayed a 1st person perspective of a cup-stacking task performed by an experienced model. For AO, participants watched each video and responded to an occasional color cue. For MI, participants imagined the effort and sensation of performing the action; cued by a series of still-images. For combined AO + MI, participants observed a video of the action while they simultaneously imagined performing the same action in real-time. At three time points (baseline; post-test; two-week retention test) participants physically executed the three mentally practiced cup-stacking tasks, plus a fourth unpractised sequence (Control), as quickly and accurately as possible.ResultsMean movement execution times were significantly reduced overall in the post-test and the retention test compared to baseline. At retention, movement execution times were significantly shorter for combined AO + MI compared to both MI and the Control. Individual participants reported clinically important changes in quality of life (Stroke Impact Scale) and positive qualitative experiences of AO + MI (social validation).DiscussionThese results indicate that when physical practice is unsuitable, combined AO + MI therapy could offer an effective adjunct for neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke survivors.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2023.1097422/fulldemonstrationneurorehabilitationbrain injurystrokemotor learningmental practice |
| spellingShingle | Jack Aaron Binks Jonathan Reyes Emerson Matthew William Scott Christopher Wilson Paul van Schaik Daniel Lloyd Eaves Enhancing upper-limb neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke survivors using combined action observation and motor imagery therapy Frontiers in Neurology demonstration neurorehabilitation brain injury stroke motor learning mental practice |
| title | Enhancing upper-limb neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke survivors using combined action observation and motor imagery therapy |
| title_full | Enhancing upper-limb neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke survivors using combined action observation and motor imagery therapy |
| title_fullStr | Enhancing upper-limb neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke survivors using combined action observation and motor imagery therapy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhancing upper-limb neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke survivors using combined action observation and motor imagery therapy |
| title_short | Enhancing upper-limb neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke survivors using combined action observation and motor imagery therapy |
| title_sort | enhancing upper limb neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke survivors using combined action observation and motor imagery therapy |
| topic | demonstration neurorehabilitation brain injury stroke motor learning mental practice |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2023.1097422/full |
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