Olsson C-J, Jonsson Bert, Larsson Anne, Nyberg Lars
Department of Integrative Medical Biology Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
Open Neuroimag J. 2008;2:5-13. doi: 10.2174/1874440000802010005. Epub 2008 Jan 31.
This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate differences in brain activity between one group of active high jumpers and one group of high jumping novices (controls) when performing motor imagery of a high jump. It was also investigated how internal imagery training affects neural activity. The results showed that active high jumpers primarily activated motor areas, e.g. pre-motor cortex and cerebellum. Novices activated visual areas, e.g. superior occipital cortex. Imagery training resulted in a reduction of activity in parietal cortex. These results indicate that in order to use an internal perspective during motor imagery of a complex skill, one must have well established motor representations of the skill which then translates into a motor/internal pattern of brain activity. If not, an external perspective will be used and the corresponding brain activation will be a visual/external pattern. Moreover, the findings imply that imagery training reduces the activity in parietal cortex suggesting that imagery is performed more automatic and results in a more efficient motor representation more easily accessed during motor performance.
本研究采用功能磁共振成像（fMRI）来调查一组活跃的跳高运动员和一组跳高新手（对照组）在进行跳高动作想象时大脑活动的差异。同时还研究了内部意象训练如何影响神经活动。结果显示，活跃的跳高运动员主要激活运动区域，如运动前皮层和小脑。新手则激活视觉区域，如枕叶上部皮层。意象训练导致顶叶皮层的活动减少。这些结果表明，为了在复杂技能的动作想象中使用内部视角，个体必须对该技能有完善的运动表征，进而转化为大脑活动的运动/内部模式。如果没有，就会使用外部视角，相应的大脑激活将是视觉/外部模式。此外，研究结果表明意象训练会降低顶叶皮层的活动，这表明意象执行得更加自动，并且在运动表现过程中更容易获得更有效的运动表征。
