Effect of Mental Imagery on the Development of Skilled Motor Actions

Abstract

To test the effect of imagery in the training of skilled movements, an experiment was designed in which athletes learned a new motor action and trained themselves for a month either by overt action or by mental imagery of the action. The experiment was carried out with 30 male karateka (M age = 35 yr., SD = 8.7; M years of practice = 6, SD = 3) instructed to perform an action (Ura-Shuto-Uchi) that they had not previously learned. The athletes were divided into three groups: Untrained (10 subjects who did not perform any training), Action Trained (10 subjects who performed Ura-Shuto-Uchi training daily for 16 minutes), and Mental Imagery (10 subjects who performed mental imagery training of Ura-Shuto-Uchi daily for 16 minutes). The subjects were tested five times, once every 7 days. During each test, they performed a series of 60 motor action trials. In Tests 1, 3, and 5, they also performed a series of 60 mental imagery trials. During the trials, an electroencephalogram (EEG), electromyography (EMG), muscle strength and power, and other physiological parameters were recorded. The results differed by group. Untrained subjects did not show significant effects. In the Action Trained group, training had an effect on reactivity and movement speed, with a reduction of EMG activation and reaction times. Moreover, muscle strength, power, and work increased significantly. The Mental Imagery group showed the same effects on muscle strength, power, and work, but changes in reactivity were not observed. In the Mental Imagery group, the study of Movement Related Brain Macropotentials indicated a progressive modification of the profile of the waves from Test 1 to Test 5 during imagery, showing significant variations of the amplitude of the waves related to the premotor and motor execution periods. Results show that motor imagery can influence muscular abilities such as strength and power and can modify Movement Related Brain Macropotentials, the profile of which potentially could be used to verify the effectiveness of motor imagery training.

The functional significance of the skilled performance positivity: An update

“…In other words, the SPP is related to evaluation of a motor action (Fontani et al, 2007). Our results also support the account of appraisal of performance.…”

“…Previous studies have examined the SPP in children , athletes who were highly trained in a sport (Fattapposta et al, 1996;Fontani et al, 2007), patients with Parkinson's disease (Fattapposta et al, 2002) and children with dyslexia (Chiarenza, 1990;Chiarenza et al, 2014), because it has been thought to reflect evaluation of performance results (Papakostopoulos, 1980). In other words, the SPP is related to evaluation of a motor action (Fontani et al, 2007).…”

“…Thus, it remains unclear whether or not the SPP can represent more general motor skills than the timing task of the SPT. As an exception, Fontani et al (2007) recorded the SPP during a more complicated karate skill (i.e., a karate ridge hand strike named Ura-Shuto-Uchi). They reported an SPP peaking about 1500 ms after the movement.…”

Use of Mental Practice to Improve Upper-Limb Recovery After Stroke: A Systematic Review

“…Additional evidence for a similarity between the two comes from literature that has shown that physiological correlates for imagined and executed actions are comparable. When people engage in mental practice, changes in vegetative functions (Decety, Jeannerod, Germain, & Pastene, 1991;Livesay, & Samaras, 1998;Roure et al, 1998), muscle activity (Guillot et al, 2007;Livesay & Samaras, 1998), and muscle strength (Fontani et al, 2007;Sidaway & Trzaska, 2005;Yue & Cole, 1992) occur in a fashion comparable to that seen during physical activity. Perhaps the most convincing line of evidence comes from studies investigating the neural correlates of imagined and executed actions in healthy people.…”

Changes in Reaction Time during Mental Rotation of Three-Dimensional Objects for Chronic Hemiparetic Stroke

“…Many theoretical and clinical studies have been reported recently for nonverbal internal representation, particularly mental imagery. The primary focus of the previous studies has been concerned with the functional significance of mental imagery or the effects of motor imagery on functional activities [13,14]. Therefore, there is an accepted cause-effect relationship in that brain injury causes impairment of mental rotation, and ultimately impairment of independent functional activities.…”