Motor imagery training promotes motor learning and brain plasticity without fatigability in people with progressive multiple sclerosis.
Monica Biggio, Ludovico Pedullà, Andrea Albergoni and 8 others
PMID 41410550WHAT IT FOUND
Physical finger training caused fatigue and failed to improve speed in people with progressive MS.
Imagining the same movements improved speed and brain excitability without causing fatigue, though gains did not last an hour.
Key findings
01Physical motor training increased self-reported fatigue and decreased pinch strength in people with progressive MS, while failing to improve movement rate.
02Motor imagery training improved movement rate and increased cortical excitability in people with progressive MS without causing motor or cognitive fatigue.
03The improvement in movement rate from motor imagery training in people with progressive MS returned to baseline levels after 60 minutes.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was relatively small, particularly for the neurophysiological assessments. The task used (thumb-to-index opposition) is not a typical daily activity, so it is unclear if these benefits transfer to functional tasks. The study assessed immediate effects of single sessions; long-term retention and clinical impact were not evaluated. The motor imagery intervention was not compared to physical practice in the same cross-over design (Experiment 1 and 2 were separate).
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (FISM).
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume motor imagery training will produce lasting motor learning. In people with progressive MS, the improvement in movement speed returned to baseline levels within 60 minutes, unlike in healthy controls.
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