Motor imagery: Lessons learned in movement science might be applicable for spaceflight
Before participating in a space mission, astronauts undergo parabolic-flight and underwater training to facilitate their subsequent adaptation to weightlessness. Unfortunately, similar training methods can’t be used to prepare re-adaptation to planetary gravity. Here, we propose a quick, simple and...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2015-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnsys.2015.00075/full |
| _version_ | 1817970340721065984 |
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| author | Otmar eBock Nadja eSchott Charalambos ePapaxanthis |
| author_facet | Otmar eBock Nadja eSchott Charalambos ePapaxanthis |
| author_sort | Otmar eBock |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Before participating in a space mission, astronauts undergo parabolic-flight and underwater training to facilitate their subsequent adaptation to weightlessness. Unfortunately, similar training methods can’t be used to prepare re-adaptation to planetary gravity. Here, we propose a quick, simple and inexpensive approach that could be used to prepare astronauts both for the absence and for the renewed presence of gravity. This approach is based on motor imagery (MI), a process in which actions are produced in working memory without any overt output. Training protocols based on MI have repeatedly been shown to modify brain circuitry and to improve motor performance in healthy young adults, healthy seniors and stroke victims, and are routinely used to optimize performance of elite athletes. We propose to use similar protocols preflight, to prepare for weightlessness, and late inflight, to prepare for landing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T20:33:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fda785cde56144fe87f685ce9fac689f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5137 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T20:33:47Z |
| publishDate | 2015-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-fda785cde56144fe87f685ce9fac689f2022-12-22T02:31:07ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience1662-51372015-05-01910.3389/fnsys.2015.00075136868Motor imagery: Lessons learned in movement science might be applicable for spaceflightOtmar eBock0Nadja eSchott1Charalambos ePapaxanthis2German Sport UniversityUniversity of StuttgartUniversite de la BourgogneBefore participating in a space mission, astronauts undergo parabolic-flight and underwater training to facilitate their subsequent adaptation to weightlessness. Unfortunately, similar training methods can’t be used to prepare re-adaptation to planetary gravity. Here, we propose a quick, simple and inexpensive approach that could be used to prepare astronauts both for the absence and for the renewed presence of gravity. This approach is based on motor imagery (MI), a process in which actions are produced in working memory without any overt output. Training protocols based on MI have repeatedly been shown to modify brain circuitry and to improve motor performance in healthy young adults, healthy seniors and stroke victims, and are routinely used to optimize performance of elite athletes. We propose to use similar protocols preflight, to prepare for weightlessness, and late inflight, to prepare for landing.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnsys.2015.00075/fullMotor ImageryMotor performancespaceflightMental Practicecountermeasures |
| spellingShingle | Otmar eBock Nadja eSchott Charalambos ePapaxanthis Motor imagery: Lessons learned in movement science might be applicable for spaceflight Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience Motor Imagery Motor performance spaceflight Mental Practice countermeasures |
| title | Motor imagery: Lessons learned in movement science might be applicable for spaceflight |
| title_full | Motor imagery: Lessons learned in movement science might be applicable for spaceflight |
| title_fullStr | Motor imagery: Lessons learned in movement science might be applicable for spaceflight |
| title_full_unstemmed | Motor imagery: Lessons learned in movement science might be applicable for spaceflight |
| title_short | Motor imagery: Lessons learned in movement science might be applicable for spaceflight |
| title_sort | motor imagery lessons learned in movement science might be applicable for spaceflight |
| topic | Motor Imagery Motor performance spaceflight Mental Practice countermeasures |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnsys.2015.00075/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT otmarebock motorimagerylessonslearnedinmovementsciencemightbeapplicableforspaceflight AT nadjaeschott motorimagerylessonslearnedinmovementsciencemightbeapplicableforspaceflight AT charalambosepapaxanthis motorimagerylessonslearnedinmovementsciencemightbeapplicableforspaceflight |