The Relationship between Motor Coordination and Imitation: An fNIRS Study

Abstract

Although motor coordination and imitation are important factors affecting motor skill learning, few studies have examined the relationship between them in healthy adults. In order to address this in the present study, we used fNIRS to analyze the relationship between motor coordination and imitation in college students. Our results showed that: (1) motor coordination in female students was positively correlated with the average time taken to perform an imitation; (2) the mean imitation time was negatively correlated with the activation level of the supplementary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex, and angular gyrus of the mirror neuron system; (3) motor coordination in female students moderated mirror neuron system (MNS) activation and imitation. For women with low rather than high motor coordination, higher MNS activation was associated with a stronger imitation ability. These results demonstrate that motor coordination in female students is closely related to action imitation, and that it moderates the activation of the MNS, as measured via fNIRS.

Children with developmental coordination disorders: a review of approaches to assessment and intervention

“…Collaboratively, therapists and parents establish therapy goals, which can be related to education, self-care activities, or social interaction. Interventions are tailored to the specific abilities and needs of the child ( 41 ).Cognitive orientation training holds significant importance in the rehabilitation of children with DCD, as it is recognized as a motor cognitive disorder in numerous studies ( 112 , 113 ). By acquiring problem-solving strategies at a cognitive level, children can enhance task-specific performance and improve their activities and participation.…”

“…Numerous studies have highlighted DCD as a motor cognitive disorder ( 112 , 113 ). It is well-established that children with DCD exhibit deficits in various aspects of movement anticipation, basic motor learning processes, and cognitive control, all of which significantly contribute to their difficulties in performing daily activities ( 3 ).…”

Desempenho motor de crianças com chá durante o teste TGMD-3

“…As crianças podem adquirir novos comportamentos a partir da imitação de seus pais, familiares e colegas de classe, e isso não é diferente para crianças autistas. Um estudo realizado com 53 estudantes universitários saudáveis e com desenvolvimento neurotípico, identificou que a coordenação motora em mulheres está intimamente relacionada à imitação de ações e que modera a ativação do sistema de neurônios-espelho (Zhao et al, 2021).…”

Stroke-Related Alterations in the Brain’s Functional Connectivity Response Associated with Upper Limb Multi-Joint Linkage Movement

“…Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a noninvasive optical imaging technique, can be applied at the tissue surface through an optical probe [8,9]. Changes in the concentrations of oxyhemoglobin (delta HbO 2 ) and deoxyhemoglobin (delta HbR) can be measured by emitting and receiving near-infrared light (650-1000 nm) to reflect the hemodynamic changes in the cerebral tissues [10][11][12][13][14], providing a noninvasive, real-time, dynamic and repeatable method of detecting brain function for stroke patients.…”