Papadelis Christos, Kourtidou-Papadeli Chrysoula, Bamidis Panagiotis, Albani Maria
Greek Aerospace Medical Association and Space Research, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Brain Cogn. 2007 Jun;64(1):74-85. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2007.01.001. Epub 2007 Mar 1.
The effectiveness of motor imagery training on cognitive performance was examined and the physiological mechanisms involved in the contribution of mental practice to motor learning were considered. The subject's mental effort during motor imagery was assessed by using psychophysiological measures and particularly eye blink activity as an 'indirect' measurement of subjects' attention. An electronic flight simulation program (Multiple Attribute Task Battery--MATB) was used to assess performance. Twenty healthy volunteers participated in the study divided in two groups: the control group and the imagery-training group. The subjects of the imagery group were asked for additional imagery training. The subjects of the actual performing group were asked additionally to passively observe the task in order to have equal time of exposure to the task. Performance scores and physiological parameters such as heart rate, respiratory rate, eye blinking activity and muscular activity were recorded during all sessions. The results revealed significantly higher performance level of the imagery-training group than the control group. Heart rate and respiratory rate significantly increased during imagery sessions compared to rest. A slight electromyographic activity was observed during the imagination of movement. Our findings support the notion that mental practice improves motor performance in a task where spatiotemporal or dynamic control of the action is highly required. The effects of mental practice on motor performance could be explained by the existence of a top-down mechanism based on the activation of a central representation of the movements, since the vegetative activation during motor imagery seems to be centrally controlled.
研究了运动想象训练对认知表现的有效性，并探讨了心理练习对运动学习产生作用的生理机制。通过心理生理测量方法，特别是使用眨眼活动作为对受试者注意力的“间接”测量，来评估受试者在运动想象过程中的心理努力程度。使用电子飞行模拟程序（多属性任务组合——MATB）来评估表现。20名健康志愿者参与了该研究，分为两组：对照组和想象训练组。想象组的受试者被要求进行额外的想象训练。实际执行组的受试者还被要求被动观察任务，以便与想象组有相同的任务接触时间。在所有实验环节中记录表现分数以及心率、呼吸频率、眨眼活动和肌肉活动等生理参数。结果显示，想象训练组的表现水平显著高于对照组。与休息时相比，想象环节中心率和呼吸频率显著增加。在运动想象过程中观察到轻微的肌电图活动。我们的研究结果支持这样一种观点，即在对动作的时空或动态控制要求很高的任务中，心理练习可以提高运动表现。心理练习对运动表现的影响可以通过基于运动中央表征激活的自上而下机制的存在来解释, 因为运动想象过程中的自主激活似乎是由中枢控制的。
