Elucidation of the neural mechanism involved in motor image and its application to motor learning

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25350712
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Developmental mechanisms and the body works
• Research Institution: Nagoya Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Wasaka Toshiaki 名古屋工業大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (60390697)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 運動イメージ / 運動主体感 / 運動学習

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Motor imagery is the internal movement execution without actual body movement. During motor imagery, it appears an activation in motor-related areas in the brain, and it is possible to use it to facilitate human performance using the imagery training. The aim of this study is to establish a method to promote the ability of motor imagery and investigate whether the motor imagery is beneficial to induce motor learning. First, it showed that the necessity of somatosensory information increased when fingers manipulated objects dexterously using the ball rotation task. Then, we examined whether additional visual and somatosensory information during motor imagery of ball rotation movement promoted the brain activation in relation to motor imagery. The results revealed that additional sensory information could facilitate the ability of motor imagery.

Free Research Field

運動生理学