Abstract
Action observation activates brain areas involved in performing the same action and has been shown to increase motor learning, with potential implications for neurorehabilitation. Recent work indicates that the effects of action observation on movement can be increased by motor imagery or by directing attention to observed actions. In voluntary imitation, activation of the motor system during action observation is already increased. We therefore explored whether imitation could be further enhanced by imagery or attention. Healthy participants observed and then immediately imitated videos of human hand movement sequences, while movement kinematics were recorded. Two blocks of trials were completed, and after the first block participants were instructed to imagine performing the observed movement (Imagery group, N = 18) or attend closely to the characteristics of the movement (Attention group, N = 15), or received no further instructions (Control group, N = 17). Kinematics of the imitated movements were modulated by instructions, with both Imagery and Attention groups being closer in duration, peak velocity and amplitude to the observed model compared with controls. These findings show that both attention and motor imagery can increase the accuracy of imitation and have implications for motor learning and rehabilitation. Future work is required to understand the mechanisms by which these two strategies influence imitation accuracy.
Highlights
Perception and action are linked via an action observation network, whereby observation of another person’s movement activates brain areas involved in performing the same movement (Cross et al 2009; Rizzolatti and Craighero 2004)
The present study examined how instructions designed to increase motor imagery or attention affected the voluntary imitation of human hand movement sequences
Kinematics of hand movements were altered by both types of instruction, with no significant differences between groups instructed to attend closely to or imagine themselves performing the observed movements
Summary
Perception and action are linked via an action observation network, whereby observation of another person’s movement activates brain areas involved in performing the same movement (Cross et al 2009; Rizzolatti and Craighero 2004). Compared with physical practice or action observation alone, imitation is associated with increased neural activations and greater effects on motor learning in healthy adults (Buccino et al 2004; Macuga and Frey 2012; Stefan et al 2008; Tremblay et al 2008). MI has been shown to enhance movement and learning in healthy adults (see review by Malouin et al 2013), and a recent study demonstrated that visuomotor priming can be increased when action observation is combined with MI (Eaves et al 2014). While it has been demonstrated that MI and attention can increase visuomotor priming and enhance learning from observed actions, effects on imitation require further investigation.
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