Contribution from neurophysiological and psychological methods to the study of motor imagery. Brain Res Brain Res Rev (original) (raw)
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Measuring motor imagery: an aggregate index of motor imagery quality
For over a century, researchers addressed the question of how individual differences in motor imagery (MI) dimensions such as vividness and controllability, as well as the ability to imagine in real-time, can be assessed. Considering that MI is a multi-dimensional construct, we, and other researchers, have measured its underlying processes using a combination of psychometric tests, qualitative procedures, chronometric methods in which MI processes are investigated by comparing the duration required to execute real and imagined actions, and psycho-physiological techniques. Although these approaches have each yielded some interesting results, they have not yet been combined adequately to provide an aggregate index of MI quality. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to propose a rationale for our novel hypothesis that it is possible to calculate an index of MI quality by quantitatively combining these measures. Practically, the MI index is calculated from six specific components tha...
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Motor and Kinesthetic Imagery. In Multisensory Imagery
This chapter aims to provide an overview of the functional, physiological, and neural characteristics of motor imagery. The literature reviewed shows that motor imagery shares many characteristics with motor executions, both at a behav-ioral and a physiological level. Furthermore, functional imaging studies show that imagining a movement activates a motor network that largely overlaps with that involved when actively performing a movement. However, the involvement of the primary motor cortex in motor imagery is still under debate. The range of behavioral, physi-ological, and neural effects of motor imagery also overlap with those reported dur-ing action observation, although activation of a motor network through imagery or observation may be less extensive than during action execution, with observation perhaps providing the least activation. Thus, the idea that motor imagery evokes similar motor representations as execution of movements may be used in a range of different applicatio...
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This chapter aims to provide an overview of the functional, physiological, and neural characteristics of motor imagery. The literature reviewed shows that motor imagery shares many characteristics with motor executions, both at a behav-ioral and a physiological level. Furthermore, functional imaging studies show that imagining a movement activates a motor network that largely overlaps with that involved when actively performing a movement. However, the involvement of the primary motor cortex in motor imagery is still under debate. The range of behavioral, physi-ological, and neural effects of motor imagery also overlap with those reported dur-ing action observation, although activation of a motor network through imagery or observation may be less extensive than during action execution, with observation perhaps providing the least activation. Thus, the idea that motor imagery evokes similar motor representations as execution of movements may be used in a range of different applicatio...
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A timely review of a key aspect of motor imagery: a commentary on Guillot et al. (2012)
Frontiers in human neuroscience, 2013
The timing of motor imagery has recently received attention from a number of researchers, culminating in a comprehensive review by Guillot and colleagues. This paper aims to further explore this issue, building upon the said review to suggest a number of other important timing-related issues. Specifically, we consider the possible role of bio-informational theory (Lang, 1979, 1985) and the recent proposal of "behavioral matching" in conjunction with the PETTLEP model (Holmes and Collins, 2001) of motor imagery. Furthermore, we explore the possibility that timing has important implications for motivational aspects of imagery. We then discuss the potential role of rhythm, an important but often overlooked aspect of skilled motor performance, and its links to the timing issue. Finally, we conclude by offering suggestions for future imagery timing research to examine this relatively under-researched area of imagery.
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