The improvement effect of limited mental practice in individuals with poststroke hemiparesis: the influence of mental imagery and mental concentration

Abstract

[Purpose] This study examined whether limited mental practice improves the motor performance of poststroke individuals with hemiparesis. [Subjects] Twenty-three participants with poststroke hemiparesis (40–82 years of age) participated in this study. [Methods] The subjects were divided into four groups with respect to a dart-throwing task: the no-practice, physical practice only, mental practice only, and mental and physical practice groups. The groups were compared in terms of gains in motor performance, mental imagery vividness, and level of concentration during mental practice. [Results] No statistically significant difference was found for gains in motor performance among groups, and there was no correlation between imagery vividness and motor performance gains. However, a correlation was found between gains in motor performance and mental concentration during mental practice. [Conclusion] The results suggested that limited mental practice for individuals with poststroke hemiparesis may not improve motor performance. However, a higher degree of concentration during mental practice may improve motor performance.

The effects of game-based virtual reality movement therapy plus mental practice on upper extremity function in chronic stroke patients with hemiparesis: a randomized controlled trial

“…The EG subjects showed larger improvements in the FM, BBT, and MAL-QOM than the CG subjects. These results are consistent with those of other studies in which MP was combined with other interventions for the affected UE 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ) . MP has been shown to independently produce neural changes 25 ) .…”

Effects of mental practice on normal adult balance ability

“…Mental practice could be described as “imagining movements for body activities without any gross motor activity” 6 ) . Mental practice enhances motor skills by facilitating the imagining of proprioceptive senses such as visual, auditory, tactile, motor, olfactory, and taste without any external stimuli.…”

“…Intergroup comparisons of pre- and post-test differences in variables were performed using the independent t-test. Intergroup effect sizes were calculated using the Cohen d coefficient 6 ) , where an effect size <0.2 reflected a negligible mean difference; 0.2−0.5, a small difference; 0.5−0.8, a moderate difference; and >0.8, a large difference. The statistical analysis was performed at the 95% confidence level, and p values <0.05 were considered significant.…”