Combining Motor Imagery and Tendon Vibration on the Effectiveness of Motor Imagery

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne33 enrolled

Overview

Kinesthetic motor imagery (kMI) involves imagining the sensations of movement, activating brain regions similar to actual movement execution. It is widely used to maintain or restore motor functions, particularly in rehabilitation. Tendon vibration (TV), which stimulates proprioceptive receptors can also enhance corticospinal excitability and promote neuroplasticity. This project investigates the coupling of kMI and TV through three modalities: simultaneous application, TV application between kMI trials, or pre-application of TV to precondition the nervous system before kMI trials. The effectiveness and quality of kMI will be assessed by corticospinal excitability measurements using transcranial magnetic stimulation and EEG measures. Conducting this study in healthy participants will inform the development of optimized clinical interventions for immobilized or mobility-reduced patients.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Healthy Volunteer

Interventions

Kinesthetic motor imagery (kMI)OTHER

kMI is a mental technique in which an individual visualizes performing a movement without physically executing it. This process involves the internal representation of the sensations associated with the movement, engaging neural pathways similar to those activated during actual physical movement. kMI stimulates key motor and sensory areas in the brain, promoting neuroplasticity and enhancing motor performance.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 50 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Men or women aged 18 to 50 years. * Affiliated with or beneficiaries of a social security system. * Provided written informed consent freely after being informed of the study's purpose, procedures, and potential risks. Exclusion Criteria: * History of pathology or surgery affecting upper limb motor function within 6 months prior to the study. * Chronic neurological, motor, or psychiatric disorders. * Use of neuroactive substances likely to alter corticospinal excitability (e.g., hypnotics, antiepileptics, psychotropics, muscle relaxants) during the study period. * Contraindications to transcranial magnetic stimulation * Simultaneous participation in another interventional study or participation in such a study within 30 days prior to this study.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Optimization of kMI

We will measure corticospinal excitability. This will be assessed by the area (in mV.%) under the curve representing the amplitude of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs, in mV) recorded via electromyography, as a function of transcranial magnetic stimulation intensity (in % of the stimulator's maximal output) required to evoke these potentials.

Time frame: 30 minutes

Central Contacts

Léonard FEASSON, PhD

CONTACT

04 77 12 03 83 leonard.feasson@univ-st-etienne.fr

Diana RIMAUD, Doctor of Science