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Observation of others' actions during limb immobilization prevents the subsequent decay of motor performance.


ABSTRACT: There is rich clinical evidence that observing normally executed actions promotes the recovery of the corresponding action execution in patients with motor deficits. In this study, we assessed the ability of action observation to prevent the decay of healthy individuals' motor abilities following upper-limb immobilization. To this end, upper-limb kinematics was recorded in healthy participants while they performed three reach-to-grasp movements before immobilization and the same movements after 16 h of immobilization. The participants were subdivided into two groups; the experimental group observed, during the immobilization, the same reach-to-grasp movements they had performed before immobilization, whereas the control group observed natural scenarios. After bandage removal, motor impairment in performing reach-to-grasp movements was milder in the experimental group. These findings support the hypothesis that action observation, via the mirror mechanism, plays a protective role against the decline of motor performance induced by limb nonuse. From this perspective, action observation therapy is a promising tool for anticipating rehabilitation onset in clinical conditions involving limb nonuse, thus reducing the burden of further rehabilitation.

SUBMITTER: De Marco D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8617512 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Observation of others' actions during limb immobilization prevents the subsequent decay of motor performance.

De Marco Doriana D   Scalona Emilia E   Bazzini Maria Chiara MC   Nuara Arturo A   Taglione Elisa E   Lopomo Nicola Francesco NF   Rizzolatti Giacomo G   Fabbri-Destro Maddalena M   Avanzini Pietro P  

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20211101 47


There is rich clinical evidence that observing normally executed actions promotes the recovery of the corresponding action execution in patients with motor deficits. In this study, we assessed the ability of action observation to prevent the decay of healthy individuals' motor abilities following upper-limb immobilization. To this end, upper-limb kinematics was recorded in healthy participants while they performed three reach-to-grasp movements before immobilization and the same movements after  ...[more]

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