Measuring the effect of short-term limb immobilization on motor imagery.
(2016) 17th International Multisensory Research Forum — Location: Suzhou, China (15.June.2016)
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- What happens in the brain following short-term limb immobilization? During the past decade, this question has been broadly investigated from evidence detailing cortical sensorimotor reorganisation [1] to motor performance changes [2]. More specifically, a set of experiments has focused on the influence of upper-limb immobilization on body representation changes concluding on a modification of the hand cognitive representation and its hand motor simulation [3]. This current research is directly in line with the previous results presented above and has for aim to determine the consequence of a short-term upper-limb immobilization on long term hand cognitive representation. In order to answer this question, we immobilized the left hand of 13 participants with a plaster cast during 72 hours and compared their performance at the Hand Laterality Task to a non-immobilized group. This task is specifically used in order to trigger motor imagery processes and evaluate the body representation. It consisted in the presentation of 16 different hands in term of Hand (Right vs. Left), Orientation (40°, 80°, 120° and 160°) and Rotation (Radial vs. Ulnar). Participants were tested at the beginning of the immobilization and just before removing the cast as well as 72 hours after cast removal. Reaction time results revealed no difference between the immobilized and the control group. Therefore, these outcomes do not support that sensorimotor deprivation following a brief period of immobilization can modify the cortical representation of hand movements. [1] Huber et al. (2006). Arm immobilization causes cortical plastic changes and locally decreases sleep slow wave activity. Nat Neurosci 9: 1169-1176. [2] Moisello et al. (2008). Short-term limb immobilization affects motor performance. J Mot Bahav 40(2): 165-176. [3] Toussaint & Meugnot (2013). Short-term limb immobilization affects cognitive motor processes. J Exp Psychol Learn 39(2): 623-632.
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Verfaille, C., Libouton, X., & Legrain, V. (2016). Measuring the effect of short-term limb immobilization on motor imagery. 17th International Multisensory Research Forum, Suzhou, China. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/182659