Exploring Motor Imagery Across the Lifespan – Gaps Between Practical Applications and Theoretical Frameworks

Motor imagery (MI), a multisensorial mental representation of the image of actions (or objects and situations), without an actual experience and without appropriate sensory input that activates motor control regions in the brain without physical execution, provides insights into the link between motor control and cognitive function. This process promotes learning and improves motor skills, often in combination with physical practice, in both healthy and clinical populations. It is therefore used in various areas such as education, rehabilitation, music, and sport throughout the human lifespan. In the first years of life, the development of MI runs parallel to neuronal and physical growth, which has a positive effect on learning and provides information about developmental disorders. In adults, especially athletes, MI improves skills, optimizes performance, and plays a key role in rehabilitation by enabling the restoration of neural pathways. In advanced age, MI can preserve mobility and cognitive function. It can also mitigate age-related cognitive decline and thus maintain quality of life by preserving neural plasticity.

Despite its importance across the human lifespan, MI is a topic that requires further analysis, as it remains unclear how different types of imagery and their associated cognitive processes differ. This research topic aims to find an answer to this call by examining the central role of MI across the lifespan, with a particular focus on its importance for cognitive development, skill acquisition, and rehabilitation. Recent advances in neuroimaging and cognitive neuroscience have provided valuable insights into the neural basis of MI and introduced new methods that could revolutionize its practical application. A thorough understanding of these mechanisms will enable the development of customized approaches that consider the specific needs of the tasks and the individuals involved. This clarification will allow MI to be successfully integrated into educational programs, sports training, and rehabilitation therapies. By tailoring interventions to different populations, we can transfer the principles of physical training into MI practice to optimize motor learning and rehabilitation outcomes.

We welcome contributions that broaden our understanding of MI at all stages of life and focus on developmental aspects, performance enhancement, and rehabilitation. We are particularly interested in original papers, review articles, and interdisciplinary studies that address, but are not limited to, the following research subtopics:

• Neurophysiological basis of MI at different developmental stages;
• The contribution of MI to sport and performance enhancement;
• The use of MI in clinical and rehabilitation settings;
• Innovative methodological approaches to the evaluation and implementation of MI;
• Contributions linking MI to advances in cognitive psychology, neurology, or Artificial Intelligence.

This Research Topic invites an array of contributions, including but not limited to original research, review papers, systematic reviews (with or without meta-analysis), and research methods, all aiming to develop a holistic understanding of MI and promote its practical application in different age groups.

Keywords: Imagery, motor control, neuroplasticity, learning, mental practice, mental skills, action representation.

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.