Potential role of mental practice using motor imagery in neurologic rehabilitation

Cortical activation during executed, imagined, observed, and passive wrist movements in healthy volunteers and stroke patients

“…In line with these findings, mental practice, i.e. training using motor imagery, has been successfully applied in sports training and rehabilitation (Braun et al, 2006;Cramer et al, 2007;Feltz and Landers, 1983;Garrison et al, 2010;Jackson et al, 2001Jackson et al, , 2003Johnson-Frey, 2004;Lafleur et al, NeuroImage 62 (2012) [266][267][268][269][270][271][272][273][274][275][276][277][278][279][280] 2002; Müller et al, 2007;Page et al, 2001Page et al, , 2009. Of the three suggested approaches, motor imagery is probably the most widely used approach in motor rehabilitation, most likely due to its early use in sports training.…”

“…Mainly due to this difference, motor imagery resembles motor execution best in patients, but only second-best in HVs. While the reasons for this difference are unclear, it is interesting to note that while the involvement of the primary motor cortex in motor imagery is highly variable and debated in HVs (Dechent et al, 2004;Jackson et al, 2001;Sharma et al, 2006Sharma et al, , 2008, patient studies seem to show primary motor cortex involvement more consistently (Lehericy et al, 2004;Kimberley et al, 2006;Sharma et al, 2009aSharma et al, , 2009b. A reason for this may be that motor imagery is more difficult for patients so that additional neural resources are recruited for task performance.…”

Transcranial direct current stimulation of the motor cortex in waking resting state induces motor imagery

“…Studies revealing the strong relationship between motor simulations and motor system activation, functioning independently of motor performance (Abbruzzese et al, 1999, Bonnet et al, 1997, Decety, 1996, Fadiga et al, 1999, Jeannerod, 1995, Jeannerod, 2001, Porro et al, 1996and Schnitzler et al, 1997 have given rise to the hope that motor imagery will provide a backdoor to the motor system after impairments (Jackson et al, 2001, Lehéricy et al, 2004and Sharma et al, 2006. To this end, motor imagery has been shown in neurofeedback task paradigms to increase regional cortical activation: long-term effects of increased activation of motor areas involving neural circuitries associated with motor skill learning can last up to several days (Kober et al, 2014 andYoo et al, 2008).…”

Nouvelles perspectives en réadaptation motrice après un accident vasculaire cérébral

“…La pratique mentale, qui consiste à répé-ter des mouvements imaginés, est utilisée depuis longtemps par les sportifs pour améliorer ou maintenir leur niveau de performance motrice [14]. L'imagerie motrice agirait sur la planification et la préparation du mouvement.…”

“…Plus récemment, l'attention s'est portée sur les mauvaises performances post-AVC concernant l'endurance à la marche. En effet, la distance moyenne parcourue en six minutes par des personnes ayant subi un AVC correspondait à moins de [14]. Avant d'utiliser la pratique mentale, il convient de s'assurer que le sujet est capable de se représenter mentalement une action (imagerie motrice).…”