Motor imagery during action observation enhances automatic imitation in children with and without developmental coordination disorder

Abstract

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by uncoordinated movement relative to age. While action observation (AO) and motor imagery (MI) can both independently enhance movement skills in children, we report the first study to assess the effects of combined action observation and motor imagery (AO+MI) on automatic imitation in children aged 7-12 years, both with (n = 12) and without DCD (n = 12). On each trial participants planned to execute an instructed rhythmical action (face washing or paint brushing). Before responding, participants observed a rhythmical distractor showing the same or different action, with a subtle speed manipulation across trials (fast vs slow). Automatic imitation was quantified as an imitation bias in subsequent response cycle times. Across blocks of trials participants engaged in AO, MI, or combined AO+MI during the distractor phase, or intentionally imitated the distractor speeds. While there were no between-group differences, combined AO+MI instructions produced a significantly greater imitation bias (115%) than both AO (109%) and MI (109%), with intentional imitation yielding the strongest effects overall (128%). Within-subjects analyses revealed a significant bias for AO and MI in both groups.Combined AO+MI effects were significantly greater than AO in typically developing children, and greater than both AO and MI in DCD children. These results demonstrate a clear capacity for different forms of motor simulation in children both with and without DCD. Moreover, combined AO+MI instructions represent an advantageous method for training movements in children with different motor abilities, compared to separate AO and MI.

Combined action observation and motor imagery facilitates visuomotor adaptation in children with developmental coordination disorder

“…In fact, the AO+MI group performed significantly quicker than the control group by the second training block (T2) and maintained this advantage in the subsequent training block (T3) and post-test phase (Figure 3a). These results are the first to demonstrate that AO+MI interventions can aid visuomotor adaptation and support previous research that has shown beneficial effects of AO+MI on performance outcomes generally (Bek et al, 2019;Romano-Smith et al, 2018; and within the DCD population specifically (Scott et al, 2019).…”

“…Control. Participants in the control group (seven male, three female; age M = 9.0, SD = 1.41 years) watched 42 second clips of a nature documentary that contained no human motor content (Scott et al, 2019) followed by an immediate physical practice trial. The duration of video clips was chosen in order to represent a total viewing time that was equivalent to the total duration of the AO+MI videos.…”

“…Recent research has proposed that combining action observation with concurrent motor imagery of the same action (AO+MI: Eaves, Riach, Holmes, & Wright, 2016;Vogt, Di Rienzo, Collet, Collins, & Guillot, 2013) may lead to improved behavioural outcomes compared to either simulation technique performed in isolation (Bek, Gowen, Vogt, Crawford & Poliakoff, 2019;Romano Smith, Wood, Coyles, Roberts & Wakefield, 2019;Romano-Smith, Wood, Wright & Wakefield, 2018;Scott, Emerson, Dixon, Tayler & Eaves, 2019). The rationale for combining these techniques stems from neurophysiological studies which have identified that AO+MI produces increased activity in cortical areas linked to movement planning and execution, compared to either AO or MI performed separately (e.g., Wright, Williams & Holmes, 2014, for a review see Eaves et al, 2016).…”

Neural Basis and Motor Imagery Intervention Methodology Based on Neuroimaging Studies in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorders: A Review

“…Recent studies suggest that combining or simultaneously using AO and MI has a better effect on exercise outcomes than MI or AO alone (Eaves et al, 2016). It has also been verified that MI and AO are more effective than MI alone in interventions for children (Scott et al, 2019). It is also reported that MI intervention causes a temporary deterioration in motor performance due to mental fatigue caused by repeated MI (Rozand et al, 2016).…”

Motor imagery and action observation for predictive control in developmental coordination disorder

“…That is, in line with the model, the combined use of motor imagery and action observation was a more effective tool for impacting motor skills in children with varying motor abilities compared with motor imagery and action observation in isolation. Recent work by Scott et al 22 and Marshall et al 23 provided further empirical support for the improved efficacy of the combined use of motor imagery and action observation over and above the isolated use of either motor imagery or action observation. Marshallet al, 23 for example, tested the combined use of motor imagery and action observation to examine its effect on the kinematics of eye–hand coordination during a visuomotor rotation task.…”