AUTHOR=Michel Maxime , Terragno Elena , Bereau Matthieu , Magnin Eloi , Gueugneau Nicolas , Soares Antonio Vinicius , Sagawa Yoshimasa 

TITLE=Exploring motor imagery as a therapeutic intervention for Parkinson’s disease patients: a scoping review

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2024.1422672

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2024.1422672

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=Background: Motor Imagery (MI) has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for Parkinson's Disease (PD). MI entails mentally rehearsing motor actions without executing them. This cognitive process has garnered attention due to its potential benefits in aiding motor function recovery in patients. The focus of this review was to highlight the results observed in motor symptoms, balance, gait, and quality of life. Methods: A literature search was carried out in Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and PEDro, from the first publication to February 2024. Studies with at least one keyword to PD and MI in the title were included. Results: Out of the 262 studies identified, 53 were included in the analysis. These comprised 12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with an average PEDro score of 6.6 out of 10, and 41 non-RCT studies. Notably, the majority of the RCTs focused on balance, gait, and lower limb exercises. They found an 85.2% improvement for the experimental group on the TUG with a cognitive task (p< .02), 5.8% on the TUG (p< .05), a 5.1% improvement in walking speed (p< .05), and other variables did not show significant improvement. For the descriptive and non-RCT studies, there were various tasks and outcomes for the lower and upper limbs. It was shown that there was no difference in execution time in MI between patients and healthy subjects (HS) between patients, while motor execution was slower in patients. Several tasks were analyzed for the upper limb, such as thumb opposition, joystick movements, and writing tasks with variable results. RCTs were more focused on balance, lower limbs, and walking. There was no specific outcome for the upper limb and speech. The heterogeneity of tasks and outcomes across studies is also a limitation. Conclusion: The current research on walking disorders in PD shows promise, but further investigations are crucial, particularly with an emphasis on upper limb function and speech. There is a need for studies with larger sample sizes and more precise methodologies to enhance our understanding of the potential benefits of MI within the framework of comprehensive PD rehabilitation.