Gatti, G. and Tellamanti, A. and Gough, Patricia and Raboldi, E. and Marinoni, L. and Buccino, G.
(2013)
Action observation versus motor imagery in learning a complex motor task: A short review of literature and a kinematics study.
Neuroscience Letters, 504.
pp. 37-42.
ISSN 0304-3940
Abstract
Both motor imagery and action observation have been shown to play a role in learning or re-learning complex motor tasks. According to a well accepted view they share a common neurophysiological basis in the mirror neuron system. Neurons within this system discharge when individuals perform a specific action and when they look at another individual performing the same or a motorically related action. In the present paper, after a short review of literature on the role of action observation and motor imagery in motor learning, we report the results of a kinematics study where we directly compared motor imagery and action observation in learning a novel complex motor task. This involved movement of the right hand and foot in the same angular direction (in-phase movement), while at the same time moving the left hand and foot in an opposite angular direction (anti-phase movement), all at a frequency of 1 Hz. Motor learning was assessed through kinematics recording of wrists and ankles. The results showed that action observation is better than motor imagery as a strategy for learning a novel complex motor task, at least in the fast early phase of motor learning. We forward that these results may have important implications in educational activities, sport training and neurorehabilitation.
| Item Type: |
Article
|
| Keywords: |
Mirror neuron system;
Action observation;
Motor imagery;
Motor learning;
Neurorehabilitation; |
| Academic Unit: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology |
| Item ID: |
4847 |
| Identification Number: |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2012.11.039 |
| Depositing User: |
Patricia Gough
|
| Date Deposited: |
26 Mar 2014 10:19 |
| Journal or Publication Title: |
Neuroscience Letters |
| Publisher: |
Elsevier |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| URI: |
|
| Use Licence: |
This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available
here |
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