Ross Jeffrey S, Tkach Jean, Ruggieri Paul M, Lieber Michael, Lapresto Eric
Division of Radiology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2003 Jun-Jul;24(6):1036-44.
Mental imagery involves rehearsing or practicing a task in the mind with no physical movement. The technique is commonly used, but the actual physical foundation of imagery has not been evaluated for the fast, complex, automatic motor movement of the golf swing. This study evaluated motor imagery of the golf swing, of golfers of various handicaps, by using functional MR imaging to assess whether areas of brain activation could be defined by this technique and to define any association between activated brain areas and golf skill.
Six golfers of various handicap levels were evaluated with functional MR imaging during a control condition and during mental imagery of their golf swing. Two control conditions were evaluated--"rest" and "wall"--and were then subtracted from the experimental condition to give the functional activation map. These control conditions were then tested against the golf imagery; the participants were told to mentally rehearse their golf swings from a first person perspective. The percentages of activated pixels in 137 defined regions of interest were calculated.
The "rest-versus-golf" paradigm showed activation in motor cortex, parietal cortex, frontal lobe, cerebellum, vermis, and action planning areas (frontal and parietal cortices, supplementary motor area, cerebellum) and areas involved with error detection (cerebellum). Vermis, supplementary motor area, cerebellum, and motor regions generally showed the greatest activation. Little activation was seen in the cingulate gyrus, right temporal lobe, deep gray matter, and brain stem. A correlation existed between increased number of areas of activation and increased handicap.
This study showed the feasibility of defining areas of brain activation during imagery of a complex, coordinated motor task. Decreased brain activation occurred with increased golf skill level for the supplementary motor area and cerebellum with little activation of basal ganglia.
心理意象是指在脑海中演练或练习一项任务而不伴有身体动作。该技术被广泛应用，但对于高尔夫挥杆这种快速、复杂且自动的运动动作，心理意象的实际生理基础尚未得到评估。本研究通过功能磁共振成像评估不同差点的高尔夫球手在高尔夫挥杆动作的运动意象，以确定该技术能否界定大脑激活区域，并确定激活的脑区与高尔夫球技之间的关联。
对6名不同差点水平的高尔夫球手在对照状态及高尔夫挥杆动作的心理意象过程中进行功能磁共振成像评估。评估了两种对照状态——“休息”和“靠墙站立”——然后从实验状态中减去这两种对照状态以生成功能激活图。之后将这些对照状态与高尔夫意象进行对比；让参与者从第一人称视角在脑海中演练他们的高尔夫挥杆动作。计算了137个定义感兴趣区域中激活像素的百分比。
“休息与高尔夫”范式显示运动皮层、顶叶皮层、额叶、小脑、蚓部以及动作规划区域（额叶和顶叶皮层、辅助运动区、小脑）和与错误检测相关的区域（小脑）有激活。蚓部、辅助运动区、小脑和运动区域通常显示出最大程度的激活。在扣带回、右颞叶、深部灰质和脑干中几乎未见激活。激活区域数量的增加与差点的增加之间存在相关性。
本研究表明在复杂协调运动任务的意象过程中界定大脑激活区域的可行性。随着高尔夫球技水平的提高，辅助运动区和小脑的大脑激活减少，基底神经节几乎没有激活。
