Motor‐imagery ability and function of hemiplegic upper limb in stroke patients

Abstract

Objectives We quantitatively examined the motor‐imagery ability in stroke patients using a bimanual circle‐line coordination task (BCT) and clarified the relationship between motor‐imagery ability and motor function of hemiplegic upper limbs and the level of use of paralyzed limbs. Methods We enrolled 31 stroke patients. Tasks included unimanual‐line (U‐L)—drawing straight lines on the nonparalyzed side; bimanual circle‐line (B‐CL)—drawing straight lines with the nonparalyzed limb while drawing circles with the paralyzed limb; and imagery circle‐line (I‐CL)—drawing straight lines on the nonparalyzed side during imagery drawing on the paralyzed side, using a tablet personal computer. We calculated the ovalization index (OI) and motor‐imagery ability (image OI). We used the Fugl–Meyer motor assessment (FMA), amount of use (AOU), and quality of motion (QOM) of the motor activity log (MAL) as the three variables for cluster analysis and performed mediation analysis. Results Clusters 1 (FMA <26 points) and 2 (FMA ≥26 points) were formed. In cluster 2, we found significant associations between image OI and FMA, AOU, and QOM. When AOU and QOM were mediated between image OI and FMA, we observed no significant direct association between image OI and FMA, and a significant indirect effect of AOU and QOM. Interpretation In stroke patients with moderate‐to‐mild movement disorder, image OI directly affects AOU of hemiplegic upper limbs and their QOM in daily life and indirectly influences the motor functions via those parameters.

Spatial constraints and cognitive fatigue affect motor imagery of walking in people with multiple sclerosis

“…As for healthy subjects (HS), most investigations on MI of people with neurological diseases have mainly examined upper limb movements with different motor tasks such as sequential pressing of buttons 18 , finger-to-thumb opposition 19 , pointing towards targets 15 , 20 , hand manipulation 17 , 21 , hand grasping and arm-lifting 22 , and bimanual circle-line coordination 23 . However, examples of MI involving lower limb are also present 24 – 30 .…”

The Association between Mental Motor Imagery and Real Movement in Stroke

“…This finding has opened many interesting lines of research, which can be described as follows: (i) knowledge of MI for the application of therapy [15][16][17][18][19]; (ii) evidence regarding the neurophysiological bases of MI [20][21][22][23]; (iii) knowledge regarding the relationship between MI and physical movements [24,25]; (iv) analysis and validation of assessment tools to measure the ability to visualize movements [26,27]. Thus, this research aimed to examine the relationship between MI and real UL movements in individuals affected by stroke.…”

Prática mental na reabilitação de disfunções neuromotoras: uma revisão integrativa

“…O uso de IM para indivíduos com disfunções neuromotoras, exige a definição de alguns desses parâmetros para se atingir a meta terapêutica e, consequentemente, ganhos funcionais. Os efeitos positivos do treinamento com IM de forma isolada não pôde ser alcançado 12 , mas a combinação de PM e PF produzem os melhores resultados 2,13,14 12,16,20 ; mobilidade funcional -marcha 1,5,14,15,17,19 ; movimentos oculares pela eletro-oculografia 18 e qualidade de vida 14 . Três dos artigos descrevem aspectos relacionados a propriedades psicométricas da IM 4,16,19 .…”

“…De acordo com o nível de evidência avaliado, houve predomínio de ensaios clínicos randomizados (ERC), classificados como nível 1 de evidência, sendo esses estudos considerados de forte recomendação, além de um estudo transversal nível 3 de evidência 16 , e um relato de caso nível 5 de evidência 20 . O conhecimento da classificação de evidências proporciona subsídios para o fisioterapeuta na avaliação crítica de resultados oriundos de pesquisas e, consequentemente, na tomada de decisão sobre a incorporação das evidências à prática clínica 21 .…”