Imagery Ability Research Articles

Online Graded Motor Imagery Is Effective in Women Diagnosed with Pelvic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Effective therapeutic strategies are crucial for managing Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder (GPPPD), a condition presenting challenges for both patients and health care providers. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of an online Graded Motor Imagery program in alleviating pain intensity and improving sexual function in women diagnosed with GPPPD. Eighty-seven women were randomly assigned to either an online Graded Motor Imagery group or a control group. The online Graded Motor Imagery protocol involved engaging participants in 2-week segments of left/right judgment exercises, mental simulation of movements, and gradual exposure therapy. After 6weeks, we assessed pain intensity and sexual function. The control group gained access to the program upon study completion. The online Graded Motor Imagery group demonstrated a significant reduction in pain intensity, coupled with improvements in sexual function. Notably, participants with enhanced movement imagery abilities experienced greater improvements, while those with negative beliefs and thoughts regarding vaginal penetration showed lower sexual function scores. An online Graded Motor Imagery program is effective in alleviating the pain burden faced by women dealing with GPPPD. Effectively addressing pelvic pain in patients remains a daunting challenge for physical therapists. Therefore, implementing efficient and easily accessible strategies is crucial. The incorporation of Graded Motor Imagery intervention proves to be an effective approach for improving both pain and sexual functioning in women with GPPPD.

Mindscapes of Learning: Gender, the Creative Imagery Ability, and the Embodied Nature of Academic Success

This particular study sets out to investigate thoroughly the intricate and fascinating relationship that exists between the abilities of creative imagery and the academic performance of the eighth graders; especially for the male and female learners and how they perform in relation to their imaginative abilities and academic achievement. The research was done among a total of 105 eighth-grade middle school learners which included 52 boys and 53 girls drawn from a public middle school situated in the moderate socio-cultural as well as the socio-economic context of Çanakkale, Turkey. The results of this particular study have revealed that overall, girls do much better than boys on Vividness and Transformation with significantly higher means in these two dimensions while for Originality, the findings indicate that there are no significant gender factors. As regards academic achievement, significant gender-based differences were also observed, as girls eclipsed boys in Turkish, Mathematics, and Science with overall better performance percentages. The study further showed that there is a positive relationship between the creativity capacities of male participants which implies that the high-performance levels of such students can be directly linked to their creative imagination abilities whereas this correlation was not observed in female participants.

Evaluation of a Visual Cognitive Style in Autism: A Cluster Analysis.

Cognitive style refers to how individuals perceive their environment and solve problems. Among various cognitive styles documented, verbal and visual styles, including object versus spatial cognition, have been widely studied. "Thinking in pictures" is often associated with autism and characterized by enhanced performance and autonomy of certain perceptual areas. This study aimed to characterize the cognitive style of autistic individuals, focusing on this visual "thinking in pictures" style. We assessed 43 autistic and 42 non-autistic adults using the Object Spatial Imagery Verbal Questionnaire to evaluate three dimensions of their cognitive style: visual object, visual spatial, and verbal. Using a cluster analysis, we identified cognitive style profiles. We then examined manifestations of cognitive style within these profiles, including mental imagery abilities (with the Mental Rotation Test), the vividness of mental images (with the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire), language abilities (with the Mill Hill vocabulary test), and synesthetic experiences. Our results revealed three distinct cognitive profiles: a visual profile characterized by significant mental imagery and vivid mental images, a visuo-spatial profile associated with strong abilities to manipulate mental images but lower vividness of mental images, and a verbal profile with lower spatial imagery and manipulation abilities. While all profiles were observed in autistic individuals, the visual cognitive profile was the most common. Additionally, we found synesthesia to be more prevalent in the autistic population compared to the non-autistic population. This study confirms that, while not exclusive, a visual cognitive style is prevalent among autistic individuals.

An international estimate of the prevalence of differing visual imagery abilities.

The aim of this research was to establish prevalence estimates for aphantasia, hypophantasia, typical imagery ability, and hyperphantasia in a large multi-national cohort. In Study 1, the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire was completed by 3,049 participants. Results indicated prevalence estimates of 1.2% for aphantasia, 3% for hypophantasia, 89.9% for typical imagery ability, and 5.9% for hyperphantasia. In Study 2, to replicate these findings in a larger sample, the Study 1 data were combined with openly available data from previous prevalence studies to create a total sample of 9,063 participants. Re-analysis of this data confirmed prevalence estimates of 0.9% for aphantasia, 3.3% for hypophantasia, 89.7% for typical imagery ability, and 6.1% for hyperphantasia. These robust and up-to-date estimates provide enhanced clarity to researchers regarding the prevalence of differing visual imagery abilities and provide a platform for future studies exploring the role of visual imagery in various cognitive and behavioral tasks.

Assessment of Motor Imagery and Its Relationship to Functional Impairment in Post-Stroke Patients: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Motor and cognitive sequelae are common in patients who have experienced a stroke. Recent advances in neuroscience have enabled the development of novel therapeutic approaches, such as motor imagery, which facilitate motor learning. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between implicit and explicit motor imagery abilities and their correlation with functional impairment in post-stroke patients. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 36 patients who had experienced a stroke between March 2008 and March 2023. The capacity to generate both implicit and explicit motor imagery and to perform physical functions was evaluated. The relationship between implicit and explicit motor imagery measures was investigated using Pearson's correlation coefficient. The factorial structure, which encompasses the capacity to generate motor imagery, whether implicit or explicit, and physical function, was subjected to analysis. Results: A correlation was identified between the time taken to identify images and the accuracy of this process, with the right hand (R = 0.474), the left hand (R = 0.568), and the left foot (R = 0.344) all demonstrating significant associations. Additionally, a notable correlation was observed between the two subscales of the KVIQ-10 scale (R = 0.749). No association was identified between the capacity to generate implicit and explicit motor imagery. Two- and three-factor solutions were obtained for the right and left hemibodies, respectively. On both sides, accuracy in identifying images and physical function constituted a single factor, while time to generate images for both hands and feet constituted a second factor. Conclusions: In conclusion, no significant data were reported regarding the association between the capacity to generate implicit and explicit motor imagery in the studied sample. However, the ability to generate implicit motor imagery was related to physical function, suggesting that it may serve as a screening criterion for implementing specific therapeutic approaches in post-stroke patients.

406P Effects of telerehabilitation-based motor imagery training on motor imagery ability and motor function in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

406P Effects of telerehabilitation-based motor imagery training on motor imagery ability and motor function in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

The Effect of Internal and external imagery on learning badminton long serve skill: The role of visual and audiovisual imagery

This study aimed to examine the impact of internal and external audiovisual imagery on the learning of the badminton long serve skill. A lot of 42 right-handed novice women were selected using availability sampling. Participants were categorized into four groups based on their scores from the visual imagery ability questionnaire and Bucknell auditory questionnaire: Visual-Internal imagery, Visual-External imagery, AudioVisual-Internal imagery and AudioVisual-External imagery groups. To generate an auditory pattern, the shoulder joint’s angular velocity of a skilled individual was recorded and translated into sound based on frequency characteristic changes. Subjects underwent four sessions of 40 trials each and subsequently participated in retention and transfer tests. Performance accuracy of the badminton long serve was assessed using the Scott and Fox standard test and repeated measures ANOVA was employed to compare performance across groups during test stages. While no significant differences were noted between groups during the acquisition stages, indicated that subjects in the AudioVisual imagery conditions outperformed those in Visual imagery during the retention test. Additionally, the AudioVisual-Internal Imagery group demonstrated superior performance compared to other groups. Internal imagery groups also exhibited better performance in the later stages of acquisition, retention and transfer tests compared to external imagery groups. These findings suggest that the incorporation of audiovisual imagery utilizing movement sonification, alongside physical practice, improves skill development more effectively than visual imagery alone.

Neural entrainment to imagined rhythms in individuals with proficient imagery ability

Neural entrainment to imagined rhythms in individuals with proficient imagery ability

Sensorimotor Synchronization and Neural Entrainment to Imagined Rhythms in Individuals With Proficient Imagery Ability.

Sensorimotor synchronization (SMS) is the temporal coordination of motor movements with external or imagined stimuli. Finger-tapping studies indicate better SMS performance with auditory or tactile stimuli compared to visual. However, SMS with a visual rhythm can be improved by enriching stimulus properties (e.g., spatiotemporal content) or individual differences (e.g., one's vividness of auditory imagery). We previously showed that higher self-reported vividness of auditory imagery led to more consistent synchronization-continuation performance when participants continued without a guiding visual rhythm. Here, we examined the contribution of imagery to the SMS performance of proficient imagers, including an auditory or visual distractor task during the continuation phase. While the visual distractor task had minimal effect, SMS consistency was significantly worse when the auditory distractor task was present. Our electroencephalography analysis revealed beat-related neural entrainment, only when the visual or auditory distractor tasks were present. During continuation with the auditory distractor task, the neural entrainment showed an occipital electrode distribution, suggesting the involvement of visual imagery. Unique to SMS continuation with the auditory distractor task, we found neural and sub-vocal (measured with electromyography) entrainment at the three-beat pattern frequency. In this most difficult condition, proficient imagers employed both beat- and pattern-related imagery strategies. However, this combination was insufficient to restore SMS consistency to that observed with visual or no distractor task. Our results suggest that proficient imagers effectively utilized beat-related imagery in one modality when imagery in another modality was limited.

Motor imagery ability in patients with functional dystonia

IntroductionMotor imagery (MI) involves recreating a movement mentally without physically performing the movement itself. MI has a positive impact on motor performance, motor learning and neural plasticity. We analysed the connection between motor imagination and altered movement execution in individuals with dystonia, a complex sensorimotor disorder. The aim of our study was to examine MI ability in patients with functional dystonia (FD) in comparison to organic dystonia (OD). MethodsOur case-control study involved 46 patients, 22 with FD and 24 with OD. The assessment consisted of specific questionnaire and standardized motor, cognitive and psychiatric scales. The KVIQ-20 was used to test MI in each patient. ResultsPatients with FD scored lower on both global visual and kinaesthetic scales of the KVIQ-20 exam compared to patients with OD (63.1 ± 18.5 vs. 73.7 ± 13.2, and 54.9 ± 21.9 vs. 68.8 ± 18.2, respectively). Patients with FD also exhibited visual and/or kinaesthetic MI impairment in different body segments. The internal perspective when imagining movements was preferred in both patients with FD and OD. ConclusionFD patients showed global dysfunction of visual and kinaesthetic MI abilities. Techniques for MI improvements might have a potential role in dystonia rehabilitation.

Pain neuroscience education and motor imagery-based exercise protocol for patients with fibromyalgia: A randomized controlled trial.

This study is a randomized controlled, biopsychosocial study investigating the effectiveness of pain neuroscience education (PNE) and motor imagery-based exercise protocol (MIEP) on fibromyalgia pain. Our study has four groups (MIEP n=12, PNE n=12, MIEP + PNE n=14, Control n=12) and all participants (n=50) consist of patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia with chronic back pain. The primary outcome measure was pain intensity, and secondary outcome measures were beliefs, kinesiophobia, anxiety-depression, cognitive-mood, self-esteem, and body awareness. A statistically significant decrease in pain intensity was observed in all experimental groups, without any group being superior (Visual Analog Scale [VAS]: MIEP + PNE p=.003, 95% confidence interval [CI], -4.7078to-0.9922; MIEP p=.003, 95% CI, -5.4806to-1.0194; PNE p=.002, 95% CI, -3.6139to-1.5461). There was a significant improvement in organic beliefs in both groups where PNE was applied (MIEP + PNE: p=.017, 95% CI, -7.8211to-0.3189; PNE: p=.003, 95% CI, -9.7999to-0.0401). A significant superiority in organic pain beliefs was detected in the MIEP + PNE group compared to the control group (p=.008, 95% CI, 1.7241-9.4959). According to this study, in which MIEP and PNE were combined, there was a decrease in pain intensity when both applications were applied together and when they were applied one by one. MIEP has improved her motor imagery ability, improved pain and increased body awareness. PNE has improved people's organic pain beliefs; removed people from fears, catastrophizing, and negative thoughts about pain; improved easier management of psychological processes and cognitive-emotion regulation ability.

What is the Relation between Chemosensory Perception and Chemosensory Mental Imagery?

The study of chemosensory mental imagery is undoubtedly made more difficult because of the profound individual differences that have been reported in the vividness of (e.g.) olfactory mental imagery. At the same time, the majority of those researchers who have attempted to study people's mental imagery abilities for taste (gustation) have actually mostly been studying flavour mental imagery. Nevertheless, there exists a body of human psychophysical research showing that chemosensory mental imagery exhibits a number of similarities with chemosensory perception. Furthermore, the two systems have frequently been shown to interact with one another, the similarities and differences between chemosensory perception and chemosensory mental imagery at the introspective, behavioural, psychophysical, and cognitive neuroscience levels in humans are considered in this narrative historical review. The latest neuroimaging evidence show that many of the same brain areas are engaged by chemosensory mental imagery as have previously been documented to be involved in chemosensory perception. That said, the pattern of neural connectively is reversed between the 'top-down' control of chemosensory mental imagery and the 'bottom-up' control seen in the case of chemosensory perception. At the same time, however, there remain a number of intriguing questions as to whether it is even possible to distinguish between orthonasal and retronasal olfactory mental imagery, and the extent to which mental imagery for flavour, which most people not only describe as, but also perceive to be, the 'taste' of food and drink, is capable of reactivating the entire flavour network in the human brain.

Creativity, theory of mind and loneliness – The links between cognitive and social abilities of school-age children

In this study, we explored the relationships among children's creative imagery abilities, their theory of mind (ToM) and loneliness. A large sample (N = 743) of primary school-age children (M age = 9.3 years, SD = 0.45 years) solved two performance tasks (creative imagery and ToM) and provided self-reported frequencies of feelings of loneliness. We tested the fit of a structural equation model with aspects of creative abilities (creative imagery and fluency) as predictors of ToM and examined the links between ToM and the quality of relationships with peers and the frequency of feelings of loneliness. The obtained relationships indicate a positive association between creative imagery and ToM and a negative link between ToM and feelings of loneliness. Consequently, the indirect effect of “creative imagery – ToM – loneliness” was negative, which suggests that creative imagery might serve as a factor that reduces the feeling of loneliness among children due to their ToM. We discuss the potential consequences of these findings and propose future avenues that could be explored to untangle the mechanisms behind the identified links. Educational relevance and implications statementIn the study, we analysed the relationships among creative abilities, ToM and feelings of loneliness among children of primary school age. Our results show that richer creative imagery is positively associated with abilities to understand others. Moreover, children with advanced ToM feel less lonely at school among peers than those without such levels of ToM. Consequently, we posit that creative imagery might bring some overlooked benefits for children's social functioning, thanks to the role it plays for ToM.

Development and Validation of the Combined Action Observation and Motor Imagery Ability Questionnaire.

Combined use of action observation and motor imagery (AOMI) is an increasingly popular motor-simulation intervention, which involves observing movements on video while simultaneously imagining the feeling of movement execution. Measuring and reporting participant imagery-ability characteristics are essential in motor-simulation research, but no measure of AOMI ability currently exists. Accordingly, the AOMI Ability Questionnaire (AOMI-AQ) was developed to address this gap in the literature. In Study 1, two hundred eleven participants completed the AOMI-AQ and the kinesthetic imagery subscales of the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-3 and Vividness of Motor Imagery Questionnaire-2. Following exploratory factor analysis, an 8-item AOMI-AQ was found to correlate positively with existing motor-imagery measures. In Study 2, one hundred seventy-four participants completed the AOMI-AQ for a second time after a period of 7-10days. Results indicate a good test-retest reliability for the AOMI-AQ. The new AOMI-AQ measure provides a valid and reliable tool for researchers and practitioners wishing to assess AOMI ability.

Development and Validation of the Ease of Imagery Questionnaire.

The present series of studies aimed to develop and provide initial validation of the Ease of Imagery Questionnaire (EIQ)-a measure assessing ease of imaging different positive and negative imagery content reflective of valence and engaging or disengaging in adverse situations. Five studies were conducted to collectively examine the questionnaire's factor structure and concurrent validity. Study 1 (N = 336) and Study 2 (N = 207) informed the development of 16 items of the EIQ, with a four-factor structure supported in Studies 3 (N = 219), 4 (N = 135), and 5 (N = 184) using confirmatory factor analysis. Study 3 also supported concurrent validity with significant bivariate correlations (p < .05) with the similar Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire subscales, while studies 4 and 5 demonstrated criterion validity in the EIQ's prediction of challenge and threat appraisal tendencies, perceived stress, stress mindset, and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Overall, the EIQ demonstrates a replicable four-factor structure and appears to assess ability to image content associated with positive and negative emotions as well as demanding stress-evoking situations.

Structural and functional features characterizing the brains of individuals with higher controllability of motor imagery

Motor imagery is a higher-order cognitive brain function that mentally simulates movements without performing the actual physical one. Although motor imagery has attracted the interest of many researchers, and mental practice utilizing motor imagery has been widely used in sports training and post-stroke rehabilitation, neural bases that determine individual differences in motor imagery ability are not well understood. In this study, using controllability of motor imagery (CMI) test that can objectively evaluate individual ability to manipulate one’s imaginary postures, we examined structural and functional features characterizing the brains of individuals with higher controllability of motor imagery, by analyzing T1-weighted structural MRI data obtained from 89 participants and functional MRI data obtained from 28 of 89 participants. The higher CMI test scorers had larger volume in the bilateral superior frontoparietal white matter regions. The CMI test activated the bilateral dorsal premotor cortex (PMD) and superior parietal lobule (SPL); specifically, the left PMD and/or the right SPL enhanced functional coupling with the visual body, somatosensory, and motor/kinesthetic areas in the higher scorers. Hence, controllability of motor imagery is higher for those who well-develop superior frontoparietal network, and for those whose this network accesses these sensory areas to predict the expected multisensory experiences during motor imagery. This study elucidated for the first time the structural and functional features characterizing the brains of individuals with higher controllability of motor imagery, and advanced understanding of individual differences in motor imagery ability.

Visual mental imagery abilities in autism.

AbstractIn autistic individuals, the role, performance, and autonomy of perceptual functioning are atypical. Overlapping underlying mechanisms of perception and mental imagery predict that the mental imagery abilities of autistic individuals should differ from those of non‐autistic individuals. While enhanced abilities to manipulate mental images have been demonstrated in autism, the other stages of mental imagery (generation, maintenance, inspection) remain to be explored. Forty‐four autistic adults and 42 typical participants performed four tasks to assess different stages of mental imagery: the Image generation task (mentally generating a letter on a grid and indicating whether it passes over a probe located in the grid), the Visual pattern test (maintaining visual patterns in memory), the Image scanning test (inspecting mental images) and the Mental rotation test (mentally manipulating representations of geometric figures). In the image generation task and the mental rotation test, autistic and typical individuals performed equivalently, both in accuracy and response time. The span observed in the visual pattern test was significantly higher in the autistic group, indicating better maintenance of mental images. In the image scanning test, response times were influenced by the distance to mentally inspect in the typical group but not in the autistic group. Autistic participants were equally fast regardless of distance to inspect. Preserved, greater or differently influenced visual mental imagery abilities are in line with an atypical perceptual functioning in autism, possibly reflecting an increased weight of perception‐based information relatively to the top‐down effect of knowledge and language‐based influence.

Mental Imagery and Attentional Style in Senior Mini-Football Players

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of mental imagery ability and attentional style in senior mini-football players and to identify mental behavioral patterns. The study included a number of 38 senior mini-football players, with an average age of 27.36 years, with a playing experience in the super league of 9.38 years. In the study, two standardized questionnaires were applied, one aimed at identifying the level of mental imagery called the Questionnaire for the Assessment of Mental Imaginative Abilities in Athletes (QMIA) with 16 items and one for identifying the attentional style with the aim of determining internal or external dimensions, called the Questionnaire for Assessment of the Attentional Style in Athletes (QASA) with 6 items, structured in two subscales A and B. The calculated reliability of the questionnaire: QMIA had the Cronbach's α value of 0.811 and QASA registered a good reliability evidenced by Cronbach's α of 0.765 for the entire questionnaire; the internal attentional subscale of 0.728, and for the external attentional subscale of 0.726. After analyzing the results, a good level of mental imagery was found that can be perfected, identifying four behavioral patterns. The attentional style highlighted an internal dimension, which highlighted 3 behavioral patterns. At the level of senior mini-football players, in addition to physical, technical and tactical training, psychological training plays an essential role. Cognitive abilities regarding mental imagery and attention are psychological foundations whose development contributes to obtaining significant sports performances in the mini-football game.

The contribution of auditory imagery and visual rhythm perception to sensorimotor synchronization with external and imagined rhythm.

Sensorimotor synchronization (SMS) refers to the temporal coordination of an external stimulus with movement. Our previous work revealed that while SMS with visual flashing patterns was less consistent than with auditory or tactile patterns, it was still evident in a sample of nonmusicians. Although previous studies have speculated the potential role of auditory imagery, its contribution to visual SMS performance is not well quantified. Utilizing a synchronization-continuation finger-tapping task with a visual stimulus that included implied motion, we aimed to examine how participants' imagery ability, musicality, and rhythm perception affected SMS performance. We quantified participants' SMS consistency in synchronization (with visual cues) and continuation (without visual cues) phases. Participants also performed a perception task assessing their ability to detect temporal perturbations in the visual rhythm and completed musical ability and imagery questionnaires. Our linear regression model for SMS consistency included the trial phase, self-reported auditory imagery control and musicality, and visual rhythm perception as predictors. Significant effects of trial phase and auditory imagery scores on SMS consistency suggested that participants performed SMS more consistently while the guiding visual stimulus was present and that the higher one's self-reported auditory imagery ability, the better their SMS when continuing with unguided rhythm. One's visual rhythm perception accuracy significantly correlated with SMS consistency during the synchronization phase, and there was no correlation between rhythm perception and auditory imagery control. Overall, our results suggested relatively independent contributions of auditory imagery and visual rhythm perception to SMS with visual rhythm. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Development of the Indonesian Version of the Object-Spatial Imagery and Verbal Questionnaire (IDN-OSIVQ)

Developing the Indonesian Version of the Object-Spatial Imagery and Verbal Questionnaire (IDN-OSIVQ) aims to create a culturally adapted and validated instrument for assessing object-spatial imagery abilities in the Indonesian population. The research utilized a developmental method to test the instrument's reliability and validity through rigorous adaptation procedures, including translation, back-translation, expert review, and pilot testing. Data from 153 students were analyzed to establish the internal consistency, construct validity, and factor structure of the IDN-OSIVQ. Results showed that the IDN-OSIVQ scales had satisfactory internal reliability, with principal component analysis confirming distinct and coherent factors. Object imagery had the highest average score (3.6662), while spatial imagery had the lowest (3.1765). Criterion validity was established as participants' ratings correlated favorably with corresponding tasks. Gender differences were observed: men scored higher on spatial imagery and women on object imagery, yet these differences did not overshadow the strong associations between cognitive style ratings and objective measures. The cultural adaptation process ensured the questionnaire's relevance and comprehensibility, enhancing its applicability. The findings support the IDN-OSIVQ as a reliable and valid tool, suggesting future research should involve more diverse age groups.