Effect of Motor Imagery on Hand Function in Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Randomised Control Trial

AbstractIntroductionIn Parkinson’s disease (PD), a resting tremor of the thumb may affect the flexor pollicis longus (FPL) and influence hand functions. We investigated the relationship between FPL tendon thickness and hand function in PD patients and compared these characteristics with those in healthy controls.MethodsThe hand grip and pinch strengths were measured. The participants completed the Duruöz hand index, the Sollerman’s hand function test, and the Nine Hole Peg Test. The thickness of the FPL tendon was measured using ultrasonographyResultsThe FPL tendon was thicker in PD patients but was not associated with tremor severity. In PD patients, despite functional performance of the hands are impaired and grip strength is decreased, pinch strengths are preserved. FPL thickness was not correlated with grip and pinch strengths.ConclusionThe thicker FPL tendon may be associated with greater pinch and grip strengths and manual dexterity in healthy individuals. The presence of tremor is associated with a thicker FPL tendon.

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Modulation of beta oscillations in the subthalamic area during motor imagery in Parkinson's disease

Brain ◽

10.1093/brain/awh715 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 129 (3) ◽

pp. 695-706 ◽

Cited By ~ 132

Author(s):

Andrea A. Kühn ◽

Louise Doyle ◽

Alek Pogosyan ◽

Kielan Yarrow ◽

Andreas Kupsch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Motor Imagery ◽

Beta Oscillations

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Motor imagery evokes increased somatosensory activity in parkinson's disease patients with tremor

Human Brain Mapping ◽

10.1002/hbm.21318 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 33 (8) ◽

pp. 1763-1779 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Rick C. Helmich ◽

Bastiaan R. Bloem ◽

Ivan Toni

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Motor Imagery

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290 CLINICAL ASSESSMENT OF MOTOR IMAGERY ABILITY IN PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Parkinsonism & Related Disorders ◽

10.1016/s1353-8020(10)70291-1 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

pp. S82

Author(s):

E. Heremans ◽

W. Helsen ◽

A. Nieuwboer ◽

S. Vercruysse ◽

W. Vandenberghe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Motor Imagery ◽

Clinical Assessment ◽

Imagery Ability

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Effects of motor imagery training of gait in Parkinson´s disease: a protocol for a randomized clinical trial

10.21203/rs.2.316/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Isaíra Almeida Pereira da Silva Nascimento ◽

Lorenna Santiago ◽

Aline Alves De Souza ◽

Camila De Lima Pegado ◽

Tatiana Ribeiro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Motor Imagery ◽

Mental Image ◽

Training Session ◽

Gait Disorders ◽

Easy Access ◽

Control Group ◽

Imagery Training ◽

Electroencephalographic Activity

Abstract Background: Gait disorders in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) may be associated with alterations in the motor control system and aggravated by psychoemotional and cognitive issues. Therapeutic strategies aimed at self-perception and motor regulation seem to be promising. Motor imagery (MI) has been shown to be one of these strategies, but there is still no clear evidence of its applicability in this population. The aim of this trial is to determine the effects of motor imagery training on the gait and electroencephalographic activity of individuals with PD. Methods: The sample consisted of 40 individuals, aged between 45 and 75 years, in the mild and moderate phase of the disease, with the ability to generate voluntary mental images. They will be assessed for cognitive level, degree of physical disability, mental image clarity, kinematic gait variables, electroencephalographic activity and mobility. Next, subjects will be randomly assigned to an experimental (EG) and control group (CG). The EG will perform motor imagery and gait, while the CG will only engage in gait exercises. Twelve training sessions will be conducted lasting up to 90 minutes each, 3 times a week, for 4 weeks. They will be reassessed on the kinematic variables of gait, electroencephalographic activity and mobility, one, seven and thirty days after the final training session. Discussion: The results may provide an important advance in neurological rehabilitation. An easy-access and low-cost intervention may help improve gait, electroencephalographic activity and mobility in individuals with PD. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03439800. Registered 15 November 2017. Keywords: Parkinson’s disease; Rehabilitation; Cerebral activation; Neurological gait disorders.

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Differential neural activation in healthy older adults compared to subjects with Parkinson's disease during motor imagery of walking in virtual environments

2015 International Conference on Virtual Rehabilitation (ICVR) ◽

10.1109/icvr.2015.7358572 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

I Maidan ◽

K Rosenberg-Katz ◽

Y Jacob ◽

N Giladi ◽

J E Deutsch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Virtual Environments ◽

Motor Imagery ◽

Neural Activation ◽

Healthy Older Adults

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Action Observation and Motor Imagery: Innovative Cognitive Tools in the Rehabilitation of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson s Disease ◽

10.1155/2015/124214 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Giovanni Abbruzzese ◽

Laura Avanzino ◽

Roberta Marchese ◽

Elisa Pelosin

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Motor Imagery ◽

Muscle Activation ◽

Mirror Neuron System ◽

Action Observation ◽

Unmet Need ◽

Mirror Neuron ◽

Physiological Basis ◽

Actual Performance

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.

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