Current treatment approach with our mind, not our body: Motor Imagery
MOTOR IMAGERY
Did you know that we activate our brain by just visualizing it in our minds without actually moving? So how does this happen and what does it do for us? Let's try to understand this together. First, let's consider the term imagery. Imagination; It means the re-creation or re-creation of an experience or knowledge in the mind. These experiences can be of many different types, such as visual, auditory, tactile , olfactory or kinesthetic . Imagination; It has been described as the language of the brain as it consists of many perceptual, emotional and sensory features.
Purposes;
¢ Restoring altered body maps at the cortical level
¢ Gradually load cortical activation
¢ cortical reduce disinhibition
¢ Preventing the transition of pain from acute to chronic
¢ Supporting motor recovery and learning
Motor imagery is the mental execution of a motor task without any motor output. These actions, which include cognitive, sensory and perceptual processes, are activated from the central nervous system at the level of working memory. In some sources, mentak is also referred to as practice or mental practice.
Neuroanatomical Structures Related to Motor Imagery
A rapidly growing number of studies show that brain areas engaged in the actual performance of movements are also active during motor imagery. These areas;
- Primary motor cortex, premotor cortex and supplementary motor cortex;
- cingulate and parietal cortical areas;
- basal ganglion and cerebellum 
Types of Motor Imagery
Motor imagery can be done in two ways.
1. Internal / Kinesthetic Imagery
simulation of muscle or joint sensations related to one's own movements .
While the person performs the movement in his mind, he imagines what the movement feels like.
It involves feeling the movement and the direction, speed, magnitude of the movement, and the object contacted.
2. External / Visual Imagery
Spatial coordinates of movement in the environment Visualizes movements from an internal or external perspective.
Internal: While performing the action, the person visualizes himself as if he were seeing himself through his own eyes.
External: While performing the movement, he visualizes himself from a third person's perspective, as if he were watching from a video recording.
Rehabilitation in Motor Imagery
In the rehabilitation process, motor imagery involves a person mentally experiencing an action while trying to regain movement abilities . This can help a person activate areas of the brain that interact with the nervous system, muscles, and other physical components. Here are some important aspects of rehabilitation with motor imagery :
1. Neuroplasticity and Nerve Remodeling:
Motor imagery is based on the principles of neuroplasticity . This means that nerve cells and connections in the brain are changeable. Motor imagery can help restructure neural networks in the brain, contributing to the restoration of lost functions or abilities.
2. Improving Muscle Strength and Coordination:
Mentally attempting to perform an action activates the muscles in the same way they are used when performing the actual physical action. This can help increase muscle strength and improve movement coordination.
3. Movement Perception and Awareness:
Motor imagery can help a person better understand their body and movement. This can develop body awareness and kinesthesia, allowing a person to control their body more effectively.
4. Stress and Anxiety Management:
The rehabilitation process is often associated with stress and anxiety . Motor imagery can contribute to coping with stress by helping the individual mentally relax and achieve a positive mental state.
5. Contribution to Motivation and Recovery Process:
Motor imagery can help a person make an emotional connection to the healing process. Taking a mental journey towards goals to be achieved can increase an individual's motivation .
6. Applicability to Various Fields of Rehabilitation:
Motor imagery can be used effectively not only in physical rehabilitation processes, but also in various fields such as neurological rehabilitation, sports injury rehabilitation and psychomotor skill development.
Motor imagery can be used without any physical restrictions because it involves a person mentally thinking about an action. This offers a significant advantage, especially for individuals dealing with situations that limit their mobility.
As a result, motor imagery is a powerful tool that can provide effective support in rehabilitation processes and contribute to the mental recovery of the individual. This method is increasingly accepted in modern rehabilitation practice and is used by specialists.
The work done by Wang and his colleagues is summarized in the picture. In the study, they demonstrated objectively with the imaging technique that motor imagery activates brain areas.
Source: Wang H, Xiong X, Zhang K, Wang X, Sun C, Zhu B, Xu Y, Fan M, Tong S, Guo X, Sun L. Motor network reorganization after motor imagery training in stroke patients with moderate to severe upper limb impairment. CNS Neurosci Ther. 2023 Feb;29(2):619-632. doi: 10.1111/cns.14065. Epub 2022 Dec 27. PMID: 36575865; PMCID: PMC9873524.
Link of the study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9873524/
Stay tuned for current approaches in rehabilitation. You can access the previous about robotic rehabilitation blog, which is the current approach, in the link below.
Link of Robotic Rehabilitation: The Treatment Method of the Future : https://www.bulbapp.io/p/687c36aa-7c23-42b3-8efc-8581483982b8/robotic-rehabilitation-the-treatment-method-of-the-future
