Review article
Action Observation as a Tool for Upper Limb Recovery
Maria Gabriella CERAVOLO
orcid.org/0000-0002-2694-4638
; Dept Experimental and Clinical Medicine – Politecnica delle Marche University Ancona, Italy
Abstract
Background
Action observation (AO) can be defined as a dynamic state during which the
observer can understand what the other is doing by simulating the actions
and outcomes that are likely to follow from the observed motor act. Its clinical
impact on upper limb functional recovery in sub-acute stroke patients has been
addressed in several studies.
Methods
In order to explore the differential role of the AO in right versus left hemispheredamaged
stroke patients, a randomized controlled trial has been performed.
The study included 67 patients with ischemic lesions purely, who underwent
intensive rehabilitation in an inpatient setting, with the addition of 15-minute
daily sessions of either experimental (EG) or control treatment (CG), twice
per day. EG group was asked to carefully watch footages showing 20 different
daily routine tasks (actions) carried out with the upper limb, and then imitate the task, across 20 daily sessions, for 4 consecutive weeks. At the beginning
(T0), and at the end of the treatment (T1), and at 6 months from treatment
conclusion (T2), the Fugl-Meyer Test (FM) and Box and Block Test (BBT) scores
were measured.
Results
While all subjects showed a significant improvement in arm function after
either treatment, those with left hemiparesis exhibited a significantly greater
improvement when treated with the AO protocol, than with standard treatment.
Conversely, right hemiparetic subjects showed a similar upper limb function
improvement independent of group allocation.
Conclusion
Action observation can stimulate and enhance the beneficial effects of motor
training on motor memory formation, especially in left hemiparetic patients
following an acute ischemic stroke. Future trials on larger samples are warranted,
exploiting this add-on therapy through the assistance of telerehabilitation.
Keywords
stroke; action observation; limb recovery
Hrčak ID:
163439
URI
Publication date:
3.4.2016.
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