title: Motor Imagery and Its Effect on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: An Integrative Review.
abstract: The motor imagery (MI) has been proposed as a treatment in the complex regional pain syndrome type 1 (CRPS-1), since it seems to promote a brain reorganization effect on sensory-motor areas of pain perception. The aim of this paper is to investigate, through an integrative critical review, the influence of MI on the CRPS-1, correlating their evidence to clinical practice. Research in PEDro, Medline, Bireme and Google Scholar databases was conducted. Nine randomized controlled trials (level 2), 1 non-controlled clinical study (level 3), 1 case study (level 4), 1 systematic review (level 1), 2 review articles and 1 comment (level 5) were found. We can conclude that MI has shown effect in reducing pain and functionality that remains after 6 months of treatment. However, the difference between the MI strategies for CRPS-1 is unknown as well as the intensity of mental stress influences the painful response or effect of MI or other peripheral neuropathies.
authors.affiliation: University Center Serra dos Órgãos, Teresópolis; Science of Rehabilitation, Centro Universitário Augusto Motta, Rio de Janeiro.
authors.forename: Nélio Silva
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: University Center Serra dos Órgãos, Teresópolis; Integrated Health of Women and Children, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói.
authors.forename: Ana Carolina Gomes
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Science of Rehabilitation, Centro Universitário Augusto Motta, Rio de Janeiro; Department of Neurology, Antônio Pedro University Hospital, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói; Biomedical Sciences stricto sensu, Federal University of Piauí
authors.forename: Victor Hugo do Vale
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Bastos
authors.affiliation: Science of Rehabilitation, Centro Universitário Augusto Motta, Rio de Janeiro; Severino Sombra University Center, Medicine Department, Vassouras, Rio de Janeiro.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orsini
authors.affiliation: Fluminense Federal University Medical School, Niterói; Movement Disorders Unit, Antônio Pedro University Hospital, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói.
authors.forename: Marco Antônio A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Silmar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Brain Mapping and Sensory Motor Integration, Institute of Psychiatry of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Institute of Applied Neuroscience, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Velasques
authors.affiliation: Brain Mapping and Sensory Motor Integration, Institute of Psychiatry of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Institute of Applied Neuroscience, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Brain Mapping and Sensory Motor Integration, Institute of Psychiatry of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bittencourt
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Antônio Pedro University Hospital, Fluminense Federal University , Niterói.
authors.forename: André Palma da Cunha
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Matta
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Antônio Pedro University Hospital, Fluminense Federal University , Niterói.
authors.forename: Pedro Moreira
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Filho
keywords: Motor imagery; complex regional pain syndrome; peripheral neuropathic pain