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NCT07369193
The discovery of the Mirror Neuron System (MNS) has promoted the development of rehabilitation techniques such as Action Observation Treatment (AOT) and Motor Imagery (MI). These are based on the principle that neural circuits active during execution, also activate during the observation or imagination of movements. These techniques have been found to be effective in several clinical populations including children with Cerebral Palsy (CP), the most common childhood-onset motor disorder. We hypothesize that a multimodal version of AOT, integrating not only visual stimuli (standard practice) but also auditory and tactile stimuli, could further enhance the activation of the MNS. In fact, everyday actions naturally involve multiple sensory channels, and evidence indicate that audio-visual action observation activates the MNS more intensely than visual stimuli alone, thus offering a potential improvement for CP rehabilitation. The primary aim of this observational pilot study, conducted at IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, is to verify whether a multisensory (=immersive) AO session - combining visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli - produces greater activation of the MNS, than a traditional session (visual AO alone). Neural correlates will be measured through high-density Electroencephalography (hdEEG), with a specific focus on the modulation of the sensorimotor mu rhythm. Twenty children and adolescents with CP, aged 7-25 years, and 20 typically developing (TD) aged-matched peers will be recruited in the study. The study also aims to assess the level of participants' attention during stimuli presentation through eye tracking, and to verify whether immersive AO can influence MI abilities, measured through specific tasks and questionnaires (i.e., Motor Imagery Questionnaire for Children (MIQ-C, aged 7-12) and the Motor Imagery Questionnaire - 3 (MIQ-3) for adolescent). In an initial phase of the study both questionnaires will be the validated in a separate sample of 120 TD Italian children and 120 Italian adolescents or adults. The absence of intellectual disability will be assessed using the age-appropriate version of Raven's Progressive Matrices test. Each participant will undergo two EEG sessions: the immersive session will consist of watching first-person videos accompanied by auditory stimuli consistent with the action and tactile stimuli provided by TouchDIVER Pro haptic gloves (Weart, CE-marked device), suitably adapted for the paediatric population. The traditional session will consist of watching videos without sounds or any tactile additional stimulus. The two sessions will be performed in a in random order. In both sessions, after the observation phase, participants will be asked to perform or imagine the same actions presented in the videos. During observation, eye movements and gaze behavior will be monitored using an eye tracking system. Throughout each session, cortical activity will be recorded using a 128-channel hdEEG net. The sessions will be video-recorded to accurately monitor participants motor behavior, response times, and compliance with the protocol. At the end of each EEG session, participants will be administered the MIQ-C or MIQ-3 questionnaire and a short task to assess MI abilities. In this task, participants will watch some of the videos previously used during the EEG session and will then be asked to imagine the same action. In this case, their imagery will be interrupted at specific time points, and they will be asked to select, from two images, the moment of the action corresponding to the point at which they were interrupted. Data analysis will examine within- and between-groups differences for the immersive AO vs the traditional AO. Correlation analysis will be also performed between neurophysiological data, attentional data, questionnaires, MI responses and standardized clinical assessments ( for the CP group), in order to understand how the participants' motor and cognitive abilities influence the activation of the circuits involved in the experimental tasks.
NCT06469463
Seminal studies in motor neuroscience involving healthy subjects have revealed time-locked changes in induced power within specific frequency bands. Brain recordings were shown to exhibit a gradual reduction in signal power, relative to baseline, in the mu and beta frequency bands during an action or during motor imagery: the event-related desynchronization (ERD). This is considered to reflect processes related to movement preparation and execution and is particularly pronounced in the contralateral sensorimotor cortex. Shortly following the completion of the task, a relative increase in power, the event-related synchronization (ERS), could be observed in the beta band. ERS is thought to reflect the re-establishment of inhibition in the same area. Ever since the characterization of the ERD and ERS phenomena, there has been little to no discussion in the field of non-invasive Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI) as to whether these features accurately capture the task-related modulations of brain activity. Recent studies in neurophysiology have demonstrated that the ERD and ERS patterns only emerge as a result of averaging signal power over multiple trials. On a single trial level, beta band activity occurs in short, transient events, bursts, rather than as sustained oscillations. This indicates that the ERD and ERS patterns reflect accumulated, time-varying changes in the burst probability during each trial. Thus, beta bursts may carry more behaviourally relevant information than averaged beta band power. Studies in humans involving arm movements have established a link between the timing of sensorimotor beta bursts and response times before movement, as well as behavioural errors post-movement. Beta burst activity in frontal areas has also been shown to correlate with movement cancellation and recent studies show that activity at the motor unit level also occurs in a transient manner, which is time-locked to sensorimotor beta bursts. Although beta burst rate has been shown to carry significant information, it still comprises a rather simplistic representation of the underlying activity. Indeed, complex burst waveforms are embedded in the raw signals, and can be characterized by a stereotypical average shape with large variability around it. The waveform features are neglected in standard BCI approaches, because conventional signal processing methods generally presuppose sustained, oscillatory and stationary signals, and are thus inherently unsuitable for analysing transient activity. In contrast to beta, activity in the mu frequency band is oscillatory even in single trials. This activity is typically analysed using time-frequency decomposition techniques, which assume that the underlying signal is sinusoidal. However, there is now growing consensus that oscillatory neural activity is often non-sinusoidal and that the raw waveform shape can be informative of movement. In this project, the design of a subject-specific neurophysiological model to guide motor BCI training will be optimized using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Magnetoencephalography (MEG) for high spatial and biophysical specificity in the experimental group. Anatomical MR volumes will be used to design and 3D-print an individual head cast that will be used in the MEG scanner to stabilize the head position and minimize movements. This high-precision approach (hpMEG) has been proven to significantly improve source localization up to the level of distinguishing laminar activity, which makes it superior to EEG recording technique. An individualized hpMEG approach, as well as the widely adopted EEG, will be used to study bursts of oscillatory activity in the beta and mu frequency bands related to motor imagery and motor execution. hpMEG will yield subject-specific models of motor imagery that will be used to constrain online decoding of EEG data. This approach will be applied and validated on a group of healthy adult subjects and will then be compared against another feasibility group of patients and age-matched healthy participants. The proposed approach will be compared with a classic EEG-based BCI approach. The information will be used to optimally guide subsequent EEG-based BCI training in the control group. After a thorough investigation in healthy subjects in this project, the feasibility of the approach will be evaluated in a few stroke patients with upper-limb motor deficits. Tasks 1.1 and 1.2 aim to develop subject-specific generative models decoding movement onset and offset, the type of movement, as well as finely discretized movement amplitude during both real and imagined wrist extensions/flexions. Task 1.2 investigates how lesions of patients alter our ability to decode attempted wrist movements.
NCT07461688
Motor imagery is a cognitive technique in which individuals mentally rehearse a movement without physically performing it. However, individuals with low imagery ability may not fully benefit from traditional motor imagery training. Virtual reality (VR) may enhance imagery vividness by providing immersive visual feedback. The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of immersive VR-based motor imagery, action observation combined with motor imagery, kinesthetic motor imagery alone, and a control condition on imagery ability, muscle strength, and muscle activation. Thirty-two healthy male participants will be assigned to one of four parallel groups based on imagery ability levels. All participants will complete a 4-week unilateral leg extension resistance training program (three sessions per week at 80% of one-repetition maximum). During each session, participants will perform their assigned imagery protocol. Primary outcomes include changes in imagery ability assessed by the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-3. Secondary outcomes include isokinetic quadriceps peak torque, average power, and surface electromyography activity of the rectus femoris, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis muscles. The findings of this study may provide insight into whether immersive VR can enhance the effectiveness of motor imagery training in individuals with low imagery ability.
NCT07270224
This comparative cross-sectional study investigates the relationship between motor imagery (MI) ability, hand mental rotation (HMR), and performance outcomes in female volleyball players. Volleyball is a high-speed, cognitively demanding sport requiring precise motor coordination, rapid decision-making, and explosive movements. MI-the mental simulation of movement-and HMR-the cognitive manipulation of hand orientation-are critical for motor planning and execution. The study has two primary objectives: (1) to compare MI ability and HMR performance between female volleyball players and sedentary controls, and (2) to evaluate associations between MI/HMR scores and reaction time as well as vertical jump performance among volleyball players. The investigators hypothesize that volleyball players will exhibit superior MI and HMR abilities compared to controls, and that higher MI and HMR scores will correlate with faster reaction times and greater vertical jump height. Findings from this study will elucidate the cognitive-motor mechanisms underlying athletic performance and may inform training strategies to enhance neuromotor efficiency in sport-specific contexts.
NCT07193303
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, characterized pathologically by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and clinically by the presence of motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, resting tremor, and/or rigidity. Among the motor deficits frequently observed in PD, patients are known to frequently report difficulties with manual dexterity. Many upper extremity and manual dexterity deficits are present in PD. Motor imagery (MI) is the imaginal execution of motor activities or the activation of specific muscles in the absence of any explicit feedback. This area of rehabilitation has been shown to be effective in improving and developing motor skills in many neurological conditions where patients exhibit motor recognition and execution impairments. MI can be applied at all stages of recovery from PD, is highly effective in movement-related pathologies, and can be performed independently.There is sufficient evidence that MI improves motor performance and learning in individuals with neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, and spinal cord injury. The study was designed to investigate the immediate effects of mental imagery, which is thought to be effective in controlling difficulties in planning and initiating movements in PD, on upper extremity skills. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of mental imagery on upper extremity skills in PD.
NCT07290660
This study aims to compare the effects of graded motor imagery and task-oriented exercise training in individuals with shoulder impingement syndrome. A total of 66 participants aged 25-65 years will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: conventional physiotherapy, graded motor imagery, or task-oriented exercise training. All groups will receive standardized electrotherapy, while the intervention groups will additionally complete 6-week graded motor imagery or task-oriented exercise programs. Primary outcomes include pain intensity, shoulder range of motion, muscle strength, proprioception, functional status, kinesiophobia, laterality recognition, movement imagery ability, and patient satisfaction. Assessments will be conducted before and after the intervention by the same physiotherapist. The study aims to determine whether motor imagery-based or task-oriented rehabilitation provides additional benefits compared with conventional physiotherapy in individuals with shoulder impingement syndrome.
NCT07193355
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, characterized pathologically by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and clinically by the presence of motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, resting tremor, and/or rigidity. Among the motor deficits frequently observed in PD, patients are known to frequently report difficulties with manual dexterity.Typical features of balance deficits in PD include decreased sway, decreased base of support, rigidity, abnormal intersegmental coordination, and postural misalignment. Related somatosensory deficits in PD include problems orienting to and processing sensory and somatosensory information.Motor imagery (MI) is the imaginal execution of motor activities or the activation of specific muscles in the absence of any explicit feedback. This area of rehabilitation has been shown to be effective in improving and developing motor skills in many neurological conditions where patients exhibit motor recognition and execution impairments. MI can be applied at all stages of recovery from PD, is highly effective in movement-related pathologies, and can be performed independently.Studies evaluating the effect of mental imagery training on balance measures in PD are limited. One study evaluating the effect of combined MI-physical therapy versus physical therapy alone group treatment noted positive trends toward balance improvements in the combined group. In a case study of a single participant with PD, a 3-month neurocognitive rehabilitation program incorporating mental imagery over 20 sessions resulted in balance improvements and a reduced risk of falls in both the "OFF" and "ON" phases, as measured by the Tinetti Balance and Gait Assessment Scale.The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of motor imagery training on kinesiophobia, walking and balance in patients with Parkinson's disease.
NCT07171957
The purpose of this study was to compare the motor imagery ability of individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) with those without COPD.
NCT07161934
This study is designed to examine whether guided imagery training can improve football shooting performance and psychological skills in young athletes. Thirty-two male players aged 12-14 years will be randomly assigned to an imagery training group or a control group. The imagery group will receive guided mental training sessions after each regular football practice for 12 weeks, while the control group will participate only in standard training. The primary outcome will be shooting accuracy at 10 and 15 meters, and the secondary outcome will be imagery ability assessed with a validated questionnaire.
NCT05049772
Low back pain is a common problem in society and causes loss of workforce. Its lifetime prevalence reaches 80% and annual hospital admission rates in the adult population reach 15%.Most studies on motor imagery suggested the effects of motor imagery are related to neuroplastic changes in the brain. Studies have shown that similar brain regions are activated during motor imagery and real movement. However, the level of evidence about the effect of motor imagery on autonomic functions is limited. Today, interest in telerehabilitation has increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of telerehabilitation-based motor imagery training in patients with non-specific low back pain.
NCT06397586
Plyometric training (PT) is training consisting of exercises that enable the muscles to reach maximum strength in minimum time. PE improves lower extremity muscle strength, jumping performance, agility, reaction time. Although plyometric exercises contribute greatly to increasing athlete performance, athletes cannot apply PE due to loading procedures at all times of the season. PEs in the literature generally involve active application of exercises. The definition of exercise includes not only physical exercise but also mental exercise. Athletes can use mental exercises as complementary training methods that can complement or add to physical training to compensate for their deficiencies. When mental exercises are examined, we often encounter two concepts. These are action observation (AO) and motor imagery (MI). MI imagines a task without actually performing it. AO is when a person watches a certain action being performed by another third party or while the video is being played back. There are studies showing that training on MI and AO methods creates more activation in the brain when applied together. Although the definition of motor imagery has been broadly separated from action, more recent imagery theories have led to the concept of dynamic motor imagery (DMI), the practice of athletes adopting a harmonious body position and embodying the spatial and temporal properties of movement without performing the entire movement. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been found in which PT based on MI and AO was performed on female volleyball players. Additionally, to our knowledge, the effectiveness of DMI on female volleyball players has not been investigated. Therefore, the aim of our study is; PT based on MI and AO is applied to female volleyball players in two different ways; The aim is to investigate the effects of balance, jumping, agility and reaction time and to compare the effectiveness of these two methods.
NCT06056180
The goal of this study \[type of study: clinical trial\] is to was planned to investigate the effect of motor imagery training given to geriatric individuals with action observation on their balance performance and to compare these two methods. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Is virtual reality-based balance training given together with action observation and motor imagery for six weeks in geriatric individuals more effective in improving static balance than virtual reality-based balance training given alone? 2. Is virtual reality-based balance training given together with action observation and motor imagery for six weeks in geriatric individuals more effective in improving dynamic balance than virtual reality-based balance training given alone? 3. Is virtual reality-based balance training given together with motor imagery for six weeks in geriatric individuals more effective in increasing balance confidence than virtual reality-based balance training given alone? 46 geriatric individuals will be randomized into 2 groups. Along with action observation, motor imagery training and virtual reality-based balance training will be given to the study group. On the other hand, only virtual reality-based balance training will be given to the control group. All assessments will be repeated before and after the trainings. The trainings will be applied 2 days a week for 6 weeks. Each training session; 25 minutes for the control group and 45 minutes for the study group.
NCT06855927
The aim of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effect of guided imagery on activity-specific balance confidence, pain, and psychological well-being in elderly orthopedic patients. In the study, guided imagery will be applied by the researchers and will be applied over 2 days for a total of 3 repetitions. The study will be conducted in the postoperative period of the patients.
NCT06835712
Aim: The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of virtual reality and guided imagery to reduce pain during peripheral intravenous catheterization procedures in adults.Methods: The study will include 90 adults who were randomly selected between February and March 2025. One application group (n=30) will receive a virtual reality glasses application; the other application group (n=30) will receive a guided imagery application. The applications to the site of the peripheral intravenous catheterization will last two minutes. The control group (n=30) will receive the standard peripheral intravenous catheterization application procedure. The groups' level of pain during catheterization will be assessed using a visual analog scale.
NCT06882694
The aim of this study is to adapt the questionnaire named "Kinesthetic Motor Imagery of Pelvic Floor Muscle Contraction Questionnaire (KMI-PFQ)" into Turkish in healthy women and to introduce it to the literature as a valid and reliable questionnaire.
NCT06558266
Hormonal fluctuations occur during the menstrual cycle and can affect cognition. For example, an increase in estrogen levels has been reported to temporarily enhance auditory perception of newly formed stimuli. It has been suggested that fluctuations in hormone levels can alter cognitive performance throughout the menstrual cycle because these fluctuations impact the neurobiology of the brain regions involved in cognition and emotion processing. Mental imagery (MI) refers to the mental process in which an individual imagines performing a movement without actually executing the movement. The effects of hormonal fluctuations on cognitive-perceptual skills have been mentioned above. In light of the above information, this study was planned to examine the relationship between menstrual symptom characteristics and mental imagery ability and to compare women s mental imagery abilities according to the phases of the menstrual cycle.
NCT06708026
The investigators propose a pilot randomized clinical trial to determine if adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) show improved cognitive function and depression following home-based Action Observation and Motor Imagery (AOMI) training. It is hypothesized that the home-based AOMI intervention will show satisfactory feasibility and acceptability. They also hypothesize that AOMI training can be used as a rehabilitative tool for improving cognitive function and depression in adults with SCI, because it engages and strengthens similar neural systems as actual exercise.
NCT06043219
The aim of this investigation is to measure if additional pedagogical techniques (Action Observation and Motor Imagery) improve student's ability to identify anatomical structures compared to traditional teaching techniques.
NCT06674655
The researchers will conduct a study that combines motor imagery with therapeutic exercise in women experiencing menstrual pain. Previous research suggests that motor imagery, when used alongside physical exercise, may help improve motor control and alleviate pain, potentially enhancing outcomes for individuals dealing with chronic pain conditions. Through this study, the investigators aim to explore the effectiveness of these interventions in targeting key variables such as pain perception, motor coordination, and overall quality of life, building on existing evidence of motor imagery's benefits in pain management.
NCT05870072
The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effects of kinesthetic motor imagery training and dual-task training on cognitive and motor functions in healthy young people. The main question\[s\] it aims to answer are: * Kinesthetic motor imagery training and dual-task training do not affect cognitive and motor functions in healthy young people. * Kinesthetic motor imagery training and dual-task training affect cognitive and motor functions in healthy youth. * In healthy young people, kinesthetic motor imagery training is more effective on cognitive functions than dual-task training. * In healthy young people, dual task training is more effective on motor functions than kinesthetic motor imagery training. Participants will be divided into 3 groups, taking into account the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Participants in each group will be asked to fill out the sociodemographic form before starting the training. Then, initial assessments were the Motion Image Questionnaire-3 to measure motor imagery ability, and the Box and Block Test for mental stopwatch; Stroop Test to measure cognitive functions; In order to evaluate the dual-task performance, the measurement of the dual-task effect and the Berg Balance scale, which evaluates balance as a motor function, and the Y test, which is frequently used in healthy individuals, will be applied. In the balance exercises group, the participants will do the determined balance exercises 3 days a week for 6 weeks, accompanied by a physiotherapist. In the double-task training group, the participants will perform the cognitive tasks in addition to the determined balance exercises, 3 days a week for 6 weeks, accompanied by a physiotherapist. In kinesthetic motor imagery group, the participants will do the physically determined balance exercises in the first session. Participants will participate in imagery exercises, 3 sessions a week for 6 weeks. Visualization studies will be performed in a quiet environment with the eyes closed, accompanied by a physiotherapist, and whether the participants perform a real motor imagery will be examined by evaluating their autonomic functions. At the end of 6 weeks, initial evaluations will be repeated in all groups. The investigators will compare dual-task training group, kinesthetic motor imagery training group and balance exercises group to see if changes in cognitive and motor function.