title: Abnormalities of motor imagery and relationship with depressive symptoms in mildly disabling relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effectiveness of motor imagery (MI) as an adjunct to physical rehabilitation has previously been shown. Motor imagery ability can be affected by neurologic disorders that affect motor and cognitive function. This study was designed to assess MI ability in persons with mildly disabling relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) based on the functional and cognitive dysfunctions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two participants with RRMS and 23 age-, gender-, and education-matched comparison subjects were evaluated by a battery of MI tasks, including a kinesthetic and visual imagery questionnaire, a mental hand rotation task, and a visual guided pointing task.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in MI vividness between the participants with MS and the comparison group, but the accuracy and temporal correspondence of MI in the participants with MS differed significantly from those in the comparison group. Depression scores were significantly higher in participants with MS (P < 0.001), and depression was significantly correlated with disability (r = 0.4; P < 0.05). The correlation between accuracy of MI in the participants with MS and their cognitive ability was significant (r = 0.57; P < 0.05). The MI duration of participants with MS was significantly correlated with their disability (r = 0.59; P < 0.05) and their cognitive ability (r = -0.38; P = 0.009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The preservation of MI ability was observed in participants with RRMS; however, abnormalities in accuracy and temporal aspects of MI were observed even in the participants with mild disease. Abnormalities in temporal aspects and accuracy of MI were related to disability and cognitive ability, respectively. In participants with MS, depression should be considered as a confounding factor for the MI task results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our finding could be considered in the application of MI during the rehabilitation of persons with MS.
authors: Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran (Y.M.T., S.M., N.Z., V.S.); and Department of Psychology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran (M.A.N.).
authors: Yousef Moghadas
authors: YM
authors: Tabrizi
authors: Shahrzad
authors: S
authors: Mazhari
authors: Mohammad Ali
authors: MA
authors: Nazari
authors: Nasser
authors: N
authors: Zangiabadi
authors: Vahid
authors: V
authors: Sheibani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires