title: The embodied nature of motor imagery processes highlighted by short-term limb immobilization.
abstract: We investigated the embodied nature of motor imagery processes through a recent use-dependent plasticity approach, a short-term limb immobilization paradigm. A splint placed on the participants' left-hand during a brief period of 24 h was used for immobilization. The immobilized participants performed two mental rotation tasks (a hand mental rotation task and a number mental rotation task) before (pre-test) and immediately after (post-test) the splint removal. The control group did not undergo the immobilization procedure. The main results showed an immobilization-induced effect on left-hand stimuli, resulting in a lack of task-repetition benefit. By contrast, accuracy was higher and response times were shorter for right-hand stimuli. No immobilization-induced effects appeared for number stimuli. These results revealed that the cognitive representation of hand movements can be modified by a brief period of sensorimotor deprivation, supporting the hypothesis of the embodied nature of motor simulation processes.
authors.affiliation: Maison des Sciences de l'Homme et de la Société, Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition et l'Apprentissage (CERCA, CNRS, 7295), <location>Poitiers, France</location>
authors.forename: Aurore
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meugnot
authors.affiliation: Maison des Sciences de l'Homme et de la Société, Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition et l'Apprentissage (CERCA, CNRS, 7295), <location>Poitiers, France</location>
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Almecija
authors.affiliation: Maison des Sciences de l'Homme et de la Société, Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition et l'Apprentissage (CERCA, CNRS, 7295), <location>Poitiers, France</location>
authors.forename: Lucette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toussaint
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D056228:Feedback, Sensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D007103:Immobilization / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012399:Rotation; D012683:Sensory Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: embodiment; hand immobilization; motor imagery; sensorimotor deprivation