Year-end Sale % OFF 
Abstract
Neurorehabilitation and brain stimulation studies of post-stroke patients suggest that action-observation effects can lead to rapid improvements in the recovery of motor functions and long-term motor cortical reorganization. Apraxia is a clinically important disorder characterized by marked impairment in representing and performing skillful movements [gestures], which limits many daily activities and impedes independent functioning. Recent clinical research has revealed errors of visuo-motor integration in patients with apraxia. This paper presents a rehabilitative perspective focusing on the possibility of action observation as a therapeutic treatment for patients with apraxia. This perspective also outlines impacts on neurorehabilitation and brain repair following the reinforcement of the perceptual-motor coupling. To date, interventions based primarily on action observation in apraxia have not been undertaken.
Highlights
Apraxia encompasses a broad spectrum of higher-order purposeful movement disorders [1] and is most often associated with neurological damage to left-hemisphere [2]
Recent evidence supports the notion that apraxia influences skilled acts in the environment, interferes with independent functioning, impedes daily activities, and affects the performance of routine self-care [7, 8]; that is, persons may have difficulty brushing their teeth [9], eating [7], preparing food [10], and getting dressed [11]
Authors reported a significant improvement in gesture recognition performance after the apraxia treatment, and a correlation was found between gesture comprehension tests and the ADL questionnaire (ADL-gesture comprehension: R = 0.37, p = 0.034) [22]. These results suggest that the positive effects of this rehabilitative approach in apraxia require parity in the treatment of both the motor and the perceptual aspects of action processing [45]
Summary
Apraxia encompasses a broad spectrum of higher-order purposeful movement disorders [1] and is most often associated with neurological damage to left-hemisphere [2]. Such patients, who exhibit deficits in the execution of actions, commit errors when judging between correctly and incorrectly performed acts [30,31,32], understanding the meaning of pantomimes [33, 34], discriminating among action-related sounds [35, 36], matching photographs of gestures [26], engaging visuo-motor temporal integration [6], and predicting incoming observed movements [37, 38]. Compensatory treatment indicate that the patients showed large improvements in ADL functioning after rehabilitative programs aiming at teaching visual strategies to overcome the apraxic impairments during execution of everyday activities [47].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
