scholarly journals Patients’ Views on a Combined Action Observation and Motor Imagery Intervention for Parkinson’s Disease

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Bek ◽  
Jordan Webb ◽  
Emma Gowen ◽  
Stefan Vogt ◽  
Trevor J. Crawford ◽  
...  

Background. Action observation and motor imagery activate neural structures involved in action execution, thereby facilitating movement and learning. Although some benefits of action observation and motor imagery have been reported in Parkinson’s disease (PD), methods have been based on stroke rehabilitation and may be less suitable for PD. Moreover, previous studies have focused on either observation or imagery, yet combining these enhances effects in healthy participants. The present study explores the feasibility of a PD-specific home-based intervention combining observation, imagery, and imitation of meaningful everyday actions.Methods. A focus group was conducted with six people with mild to moderate PD and two companions, exploring topics relating to the utility and feasibility of a home-based observation and imagery intervention.Results. Five themes were identified. Participants reported their experiences of exercise and use of action observation and motor imagery in everyday activities, and the need for strategies to improve movement was expressed. Motivational factors including feedback, challenge, and social support were identified as key issues. The importance of offering a broad range of actions and flexible training was also highlighted.Conclusions. A home-based intervention utilising action observation and motor imagery would be useful and feasible in mild to moderate PD.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Bek ◽  
Paul S. Holmes ◽  
Jordan Webb ◽  
Chesney E. Craig ◽  
Zoё C. Franklin ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBackgroundParkinson’s disease (PD) causes difficulties with everyday manual activities, but few studies have addressed these therapeutically. Training with action observation (AO) and motor imagery (MI) can significantly improve performance in healthy individuals, particularly when these techniques are applied simultaneously (AO+MI). Both AO and MI have shown promising effects in PD, but previous studies have used these separately. This article describes the development and pilot testing of an intervention combining AO+MI and physical practice to improve functional manual actions in PD.MethodsThe home-based intervention, delivered using a tablet computer app, was iteratively designed by an interdisciplinary team including people with PD, and further developed through focus groups and initial testing. The intervention was then tested in a six-week randomised controlled trial (ISRCTN 11184024) of 10 participants with mild to moderate PD (6 intervention; 4 treatment as usual).Results and ConclusionsUsage and qualitative data provided preliminary evidence of acceptability and usability, indicating that a feasibility RCT is warranted. Exploratory analyses suggested potential improvements in manual actions. The importance of personalisation, choice, and motivation was highlighted, as well as the need to facilitate engagement in motor imagery. The findings also have broader relevance for AO+MI interventions in PD and other populations.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONParkinson’s disease affects everyday manual activities and there is a need to address these therapeutically.A home-based intervention based on combined action observation and motor imagery is acceptable and usable for people with Parkinson’s, and may improve everyday hand movements.Important considerations for interventions using observation and imagery include personalisation, choice, and motivation.Some people with Parkinson’s may need additional support to engage in motor imagery, and this should be addressed within future interventions.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Abbruzzese ◽  
Laura Avanzino ◽  
Roberta Marchese ◽  
Elisa Pelosin

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by a progressive impairment of motor skills with deterioration of autonomy in daily living activities. Physiotherapy is regarded as an adjuvant to pharmacological and neurosurgical treatment and may provide small and short-lasting clinical benefits in PD patients. However, the development of innovative rehabilitation approaches with greater long-term efficacy is a major unmet need. Motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) have been recently proposed as a promising rehabilitation tool. MI is the ability to imagine a movement without actual performance (or muscle activation). The same cortical-subcortical network active during motor execution is engaged in MI. The physiological basis of AO is represented by the activation of the “mirror neuron system.” Both MI and AO are involved in motor learning and can induce improvements of motor performance, possibly mediated by the development of plastic changes in the motor cortex. The review of available evidences indicated that MI ability and AO feasibility are substantially preserved in PD subjects. A few preliminary studies suggested the possibility of using MI and AO as parts of rehabilitation protocols for PD patients.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabetta Sarasso ◽  
Federica Agosta ◽  
Noemi Piramide ◽  
Andrea Gardoni ◽  
Elisa Canu ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Judith Bek ◽  
Paul S. Holmes ◽  
Chesney E. Craig ◽  
Zoë C. Franklin ◽  
Matthew Sullivan ◽  
...  

Background. Parkinson’s disease (PD) causes difficulties with hand movements, which few studies have addressed therapeutically. Training with action observation (AO) and motor imagery (MI) improves performance in healthy individuals, particularly when the techniques are applied simultaneously (AO + MI). Both AO and MI have shown promising effects in people with PD, but previous studies have only used these separately. Objective. This article describes the development and pilot testing of an intervention combining AO + MI and physical practice to improve functional manual actions in people with PD. Methods. The home-based intervention, delivered using a tablet computer app, was iteratively designed by an interdisciplinary team, including people with PD, and further developed through focus groups and initial field testing. Preliminary data on feasibility were obtained via a six-week pilot randomised controlled trial (ISRCTN 11184024) of 10 participants with mild to moderate PD (6 intervention; 4 treatment as usual). Usage and adherence data were recorded during training, and semistructured interviews were conducted with participants. Exploratory outcome measures included dexterity and timed action performance. Results. Usage and qualitative data provided preliminary evidence of acceptability and usability. Exploratory outcomes also suggested that subjective and objective performance of manual actions should be tested in a larger trial. The importance of personalisation, choice, and motivation was highlighted, as well as the need to facilitate engagement in motor imagery. Conclusions. The results indicate that a larger RCT is warranted, and the findings also have broader relevance for the feasibility and development of AO + MI interventions for PD and other conditions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 152 ◽  
pp. 105768
Author(s):  
Fabio Castro ◽  
Paulina Anna Bryjka ◽  
Giovanni Di Pino ◽  
Aleksandra Vuckovic ◽  
Alexander Nowicky ◽  
...  

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