title: The neuronal correlates of mirror therapy: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study on mirror-induced visual illusions of ankle movements.
abstract: Recovery in stroke is mediated by neural plasticity. Mirror therapy is an effective method in the rehabilitation of stroke patients, but the mechanism is still obscure. To identify the neural networks associated with the effect of lower-limbs mirror therapy, we investigated a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study of mirror-induced visual illusion of ankle movements. Five healthy controls and five left hemiplegic stroke patients performed tasks related to mirror therapy in the fMRI study. Neural activation was compared in a no-mirror condition and a mirror condition. All subjects in the experiment performed the task of flexing and extending the right ankle. In a mirror condition, movement of the left ankle was simulated by mirror reflection of right ankle movement. Changes in neural activation in response to mirror therapy were assessed both in healthy controls and stroke patients. We found strong activation of the motor cortex bilaterally in healthy controls, as well as significant activation of the ipsilateral sensorimotor cortex, the occipital gyrus, and the anterior prefrontal gyrus in stroke patients with respect to the non-mirror condition. We concluded that mirror therapy of ankle movements may induce neural activation of the ipsilesional sensorimotor cortex, and that cortical reorganization may be useful for motor rehabilitation in stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Hassan M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Abo Salem
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Yihao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Central Hospital, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Jicheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. Electronic address: xiaolinh2006@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000842:Ankle / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007088:Illusions / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010291:Paresis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Ankle movements; Mirror therapy; Neural activation; Stroke; fMRI