Visual Training Improves Motor Imagery Ability for Rehabilitation

The Left Right Judgement Task (LRJT) involves determining if an image of the body part is of the left or right side. The LRJT has been utilized as part of rehabilitation treatment programs for persons with pain associated with musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. Although studies often attribute changes and improvement in LRJT performance to an altered body schema, imaging studies suggest that the LRJT implicates other cortical regions. We hypothesized that cognitive factors would be related to LRJT performance of hands and feet and that sensory, motor, and pain related factors would be related to LRJT in the affected hand of participants with wrist/hand pain. In an observational cross-sectional study, sixty-one participants with wrist/hand pain participated in a study assessing motor imagery ability, cognitive (Stroop test), sensory (Two-Point Orientation Discrimination, pressure pain thresholds), motor (grip strength, Purdue Pegboard Test), and pain related measures (West Haven Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory) as well as disability (Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand). Multiple linear regression found Stroop test time and motor imagery ability to be related to LRJT performance. Tactile acuity, motor performance, participation in general activities, and the taking of pain medications were predictors of LRJT accuracy in the affected hand. Participants who took pain medications performed poorly in both LRJT accuracy (p=0.001) and reaction time of the affected hand (p=0.009). These participants had poorer cognitive (p=0.013) and motor function (p=0.002), and higher pain severity scores (p=0.010). The results suggest that the LRJT is a complex mental task that involves cognitive, sensory, motor, and behavioural processes. Differences between persons with and without pain and improvement in LRJT performance may be attributed to any of these factors and should be considered in rehabilitation research and practice utilizing this task.

Download Full-text

Efficacy of Verbally Describing One’s Own Body Movement in Motor Skill Acquisition

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci9120356 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 356

Author(s):

Tsubasa Kawasaki ◽

Masashi Kono ◽

Ryosuke Tozawa

Keyword(s):

Motor Imagery ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Skill Acquisition ◽

Body Movement ◽

Upper Extremities ◽

Control Group ◽

Imagery Ability ◽

Motor Skill Acquisition ◽

Motor Error ◽

And Control

The present study examined whether (a) verbally describing one’s own body movement can be potentially effective for acquiring motor skills, and (b) if the effects are related to motor imagery. The participants in this study were 36 healthy young adults (21.2 ± 0.7 years), randomly assigned into two groups (describing and control). They performed a ball rotation activity, with the describing group being asked by the examiner to verbally describe their own ball rotation, while the control group was asked to read a magazine aloud. The participants’ ball rotation performances were measured before the intervention, then again immediately after, five minutes after, and one day after. In addition, participants’ motor imagery ability (mental chronometry) of their upper extremities was measured. The results showed that the number of successful ball rotations (motor smoothness) and the number of ball drops (motor error) significantly improved in the describing group. Moreover, improvement in motor skills had a significant correlation with motor imagery ability. This suggests that verbally describing an intervention is an effective tool for learning motor skills, and that motor imagery is a potential mechanism for such verbal descriptions.

Download Full-text