Motor imagery ability in patients with early- and mid-stage Parkinson disease.
BACKGROUND
Motor imagery has recently gained attention as a promising new rehabilitation method for patients with neurological disorders. Up to now, however, it has been unclear whether this practice method can also be successfully applied in the rehabilitation of patients with Parkinson disease (PD).


OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate whether the motor imagery ability of patients with PD is still intact despite basal ganglia dysfunctioning.


METHODS
A total of 14 patients with early- and mid-stage PD (Hoehn and Yahr 1-3) and 14 healthy controls were evaluated by means of an extensive imagery ability assessment battery, consisting of 2 questionnaires, the Chaotic Motor Imagery Assessment battery, and a test based on mental chronometry.


RESULTS
PD patients performed the imagery tasks more slowly than controls, but the motor imagery vividness and accuracy of most patients were well preserved.


CONCLUSIONS
These results are promising regarding the potential use of motor imagery practice in the rehabilitation of patients with PD.
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Elke
E
Heremans
Peter
P
Feys
Alice
A
Nieuwboer
Sarah
S
Vercruysse
Wim
W
Vandenberghe
Nikhil
N
Sharma
Werner
W
Helsen
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018476:Hypokinesia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome