Motor imagery in stroke patients: a descriptive review on a multidimensional ability

Purpose/aim: Motor imagery (MI) is the mental representation of a movement without engaging its actual execution. MI shares neuroanatomical correlates with brain motor networks. Neurologic disorders affecting motor skills, such as stroke, have been related to impairments in MI. A descriptive review...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of neuroscience 2019-08, Vol.129 (8), p.821-832
Main Authors: Santoro, Simona, Lo Buono, Viviana, Corallo, Francesco, Cartella, Emanuele, Micchia, Katia, Palmeri, Rosanna, Arcadi, Francesca Antonia, Bramanti, Alessia, Marino, Silvia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Humans
Imagination - physiology
Motor Activity - physiology
Motor Imagery
Motor Skills - physiology
neuroimaging
Neuronal Plasticity - physiology
neuroplasticity
stroke
Stroke - physiopathology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Purpose/aim: Motor imagery (MI) is the mental representation of a movement without engaging its actual execution. MI shares neuroanatomical correlates with brain motor networks. Neurologic disorders affecting motor skills, such as stroke, have been related to impairments in MI. A descriptive review was conducted to explore the effects of stroke on MI ability and its background mechanisms. Materials and Methods: We searched on PubMed and Web of Science databases and screening references of included studies and review articles for additional citations. Results: On a total of 885 studies, only 15 articles met inclusion criteria. Results suggested that MI is impaired after stroke, in implicit and explicit abilities. Impairments in mental chronometry as well as in accuracy and reaction times were observed. Conclusions: Neuroimaging findings confirmed a brain reorganization after a stroke and a compensatory over-usage of contralesional hemisphere was highlighted.
ISSN:0020-7454
1563-5279
1543-5245
DOI:10.1080/00207454.2019.1567509