Activating the motor system through action observation: is this an efficient approach in adults and children?

Bassolino, Michela; Sandini, Giulio; Pozzo, Thierry

doi:10.1111/dmcn.12686

Cited by 24 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Recently, the use of action observation as a supplementary therapeutic tool for patients who have had strokes, in order to stimulate brain plasticity and obtain positive functional results, has been reported (see Carvalho et al, 2013 for a review on this topic). This has been extended to motor deficits of children with Cerebral Palsy (Sgandurra et al, 2011 ; Buccino et al, 2012 ; Bassolino et al, 2015 ) and patients with Parkinson's disease (Buccino et al, 2011 ). The concept of motor cognition, if verified, would provide a clinical support to cognitive stimulation based on the motor resonance mechanism.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Mirror Neurons Network in Aging, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer Disease: A functional MRI Study

Farina

Baglio

Pomati

et al. 2017

Front. Aging Neurosci.

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The aim of the current study is to investigate the integrity of the Mirror Neurons (MN) network in normal aging, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer disease (AD). Although AD and MCI are considered “cognitive” diseases, there has been increasing recognition of a link between motor function and AD. More recently the embodied cognition hypothesis has also been developed: it postulates that a part of cognition results from the coupling between action and perception representations. MN represent a neuronal population which links perception, action, and cognition, therefore we decided to characterize MN functioning in neurodegenerative cognitive decline. Three matched groups of 16 subjects (normal elderly-NE, amnesic MCI with hippocampal atrophy and AD) were evaluated with a focused neuropsychological battery and an fMRI task specifically created to test MN: that comprised of an observation run, where subjects were shown movies of a right hand grasping different objects, and of a motor run, where subjects observed visual pictures of objects oriented to be grasped with the right hand. In NE subjects, the conjunction analysis (comparing fMRI activation during observation and execution), showed the activation of a bilateral fronto-parietal network in “classical” MN areas, and of the superior temporal gyrus (STG). The MCI group showed the activation of areas belonging to the same network, however, parietal areas were activated to a lesser extent and the STG was not activated, while the opposite was true for the right Broca's area. We did not observe any activation of the fronto-parietal network in AD participants. They did not perform as well as the NE subjects in all the neuropsychological tests (including tests of functions attributed to MN) whereas the MCI subjects were significantly different from the NE subjects only in episodic memory and semantic fluency. Here we show that the MN network is largely preserved in aging, while it appears involved following an anterior-posterior gradient in neurodegenerative decline. In AD, task performance decays and the MN network appears clearly deficient. The preservation of the anterior part of the MN network in MCI could possibly supplement the initial decay of the posterior part, preserving cognitive performance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Mirror Neurons Network in Aging, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer Disease: A functional MRI Study

Farina

Baglio

Pomati

et al. 2017

Front. Aging Neurosci.

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“…A common instructional method in the teaching of motor skills has been to watch repeated demonstrations with the intention of later reproduction, so termed observational practice or observational learning (for recent reviews regarding its relative efficacy, see [ 1 – 6 ]). Many individuals, perhaps as a result of injury, neurological impairment, or fatigue, cannot engage in physical practice, at least all of the time, such that learning through observation serves as an alternative practice method for motor gains [ 7 ]. Despite the potential efficacy of this approach, at least in comparison to no-practice conditions, the mechanisms underpinning its efficacy are still debated, as well as its relative benefits in comparison to actual physical practice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mu Suppression Is Sensitive to Observational Practice but Results in Different Patterns of Activation in Comparison with Physical Practice

et al. 2018

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Research has shown the effectiveness of observational practice for motor learning, but there continues to be debate about the mechanisms underlying effectiveness. Although cortical processes can be moderated during observation, after both physical and observational practice, how these processes change with respect to behavioural measures of learning has not been studied. Here we compared short-term physical and observational practice during the acquisition and retention of a novel motor task to evaluate how each type of practice modulates EEG mu rhythm (8–13 Hz). Thirty healthy individuals were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) physical practice (PP), (2) observational practice (OP), and (3) no practice (NP) control. There were four testing stages: baseline EEG, practice, postpractice observation, and delayed retention. There was significant bilateral suppression of mu rhythm during PP but only left lateralized mu suppression during OP. In the postpractice observation phase, mu suppression was bilateral and larger after PP compared to that after OP. NP control showed no evidence of suppression and was significantly different to both the OP and PP groups. When comparing the three groups in retention, the groups did not differ with respect to tracing times, but the PP group showed fewer errors, especially in comparison to the NP group. Therefore, although the neurophysiological measures index changes in the OP group, which are similar but moderated in comparison to PP, changes in these processes are not manifest in observational practice outcomes when assessed in a delayed retention test.

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“…1 Subliminal mirror system activation has been identified in humans observing an action performed by another human, 2 and studies on healthy humans indicate that action observation facilitates the observer's motor system. 3 Action observation therapy (AOT) has been proposed as a feasible alternative method of stimulating the motor system, even when the severity of impairment does not permit efficient activation of the peripheral motor system effectors. According to this idea, a growing number of AOT-based interventions have been adopted for the rehabilitation of patients with stroke [4][5][6][7] or Parkinson disease 8 and for use in impaired elderly people.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Action Observation Therapy in Patients Recovering From Total Hip Arthroplasty Arthroplasty: A Prospective Clinical Trial

Villafañe

Pirali

Isgrò

et al. 2016

Journal of Chiropractic Medicine

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Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of action observation therapy (AOT) compared with written information in patients submitted to a physical therapy program after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods: We conducted a prospective clinical trial. Twenty-four patients with THA, 62.5% female (aged 69.0 ± 8.5 years), received AOT in addition to conventional physical therapy (experimental group) or written information in addition to conventional physical therapy (exercise and information group) for 10 sessions. Outcomes used were visual analog scale, hip active and passive range of motion, Barthel Index, Short Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey, Tinetti Scale, and Lequesne Index measurements. All measures were collected at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to examine the interventions effects within groups and between groups. Results: No relevant baseline differences were observed between groups. Both treatments produced statistically significant improvements on visual analog scale, active and passive range of motion, Barthel Index, SF-36, Tinetti Scale, and Lequesne Index immediately after the intervention (all, P b .001). SF-36 (physical functioning subscale) revealed a statistically significant intergroups difference (P = .02) after treatment. Conclusions: Both treatments were effective at improving pain, functional status, quality of life, and gait features in patients with primary THA. In addition to conventional physical therapy, AOT improved perceived physical function more than written information. Trial Registration Identifier: NCT02861638. (J Chiropr Med 2016;15:229-234)

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Activating the motor system through action observation: is this an efficient approach in adults and children?

Cited by 24 publications

References 14 publications

The Mirror Neurons Network in Aging, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer Disease: A functional MRI Study

The Mirror Neurons Network in Aging, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer Disease: A functional MRI Study

Mu Suppression Is Sensitive to Observational Practice but Results in Different Patterns of Activation in Comparison with Physical Practice

Effects of Action Observation Therapy in Patients Recovering From Total Hip Arthroplasty Arthroplasty: A Prospective Clinical Trial

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