Abstract
Action observation interventions may have the potential to contribute to improved motor function in motor (re)learning settings by promoting functional activity and plasticity in the motor regions of the brain. Optimal methods for delivering such interventions, however, have yet to be established. This experiment investigated the effect on corticospinal excitability of manipulating the viewing instructions provided to participants (N = 21) prior to action observation. Specifically, motor evoked potential responses measured from the right hand muscles following single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to the left motor cortex were compared when participants were instructed to observe finger-thumb opposition movement sequences: (i) passively; (ii) with the intent to imitate the observed movement; or (iii) whilst simultaneously and actively imagining that they were performing the movement as they observed it. All three action observation viewing instructions facilitated corticospinal excitability to a greater extent than did observation of a static hand. In addition, the extent to which corticospinal excitability was facilitated was greater during combined observation and imagery, compared to passive observation. These findings have important implications for the design of action observation interventions in motor (re)learning settings, where instructions that encourage observers to simultaneously imagine themselves performing the observed movement may offer the current optimal method for improving motor function through action observation.
Highlights
Several neural areas active during physical execution of movement, including premotor cortex, primary motor cortex, supplementary motor area and superior parietal lobe, are active during observation of similar movements (e.g., Buccino et al, 2001; Grèzes and Decety, 2001; Filimon et al, 2007)
The primary aim of this experiment was to establish whether different sets of viewing instructions provided prior to action observation would differentially facilitate corticospinal excitability
The amplitudes of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) obtained during passive observation, observation with the intent to imitate, or combined observation and imagery of similar finger-thumb opposition movement sequences were compared against a control condition involving observation of a static hand
Summary
Several neural areas active during physical execution of movement, including premotor cortex, primary motor cortex, supplementary motor area and superior parietal lobe, are active during observation of similar movements (e.g., Buccino et al, 2001; Grèzes and Decety, 2001; Filimon et al, 2007). Action observation interventions may contribute to improved motor function by promoting topographic cortical activity and plasticity in the motor regions of the brain. This mechanism for motor (re)learning through observation has been advocated in both sport (Holmes and Calmels, 2008) and clinical (Ertelt and Binkofski, 2012) domains. Action observation interventions could be viewed: (i) passively, without any additional instructions; (ii) with. Instructions in Action Observation TMS the intent to subsequently imitate the observed movements; or (iii) whilst simultaneously and actively imagining performing the movements. Identifying which approach to action observation produces the strongest activity in motor regions of the brain will add to the understanding of action observation interventions and their delivery in motor (re)learning settings
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