Healthy
Conditions
Keywords
Action observation, Motor performance, Cognition, Contralateral transfer
Brief summary
Studies examining the effects of action observation (AO) on ipsilateral versus contralateral upper limb (UL) motor performance have reported mixed findings. Furthermore, the extent to which the cognitive component of sequence observation contributes to AO-related improvements in motor sequence execution remains unclear. The investigators aimed to determine whether observing unilateral UL reaching movement (RM) sequences affects UL RM performance in an effector-dependent or effector-independent manner in healthy adults and to determine the contribution of the cognitive aspect, particularly sequence memory, to the motor performance. Sixty participants randomly participated in a single-session intervention of (1) observing RM sequences with the non-dominant left UL (AO group); or (2) observing identical light switches sequences (SO group); or (3) observing nature films (Nature Observation (NO) group). Sequential RMs of both the left and right ULs (ipsilateral and contralateral to the observed movements, respectively) toward the light switches were tested before and immediately after the intervention, and retested after 24 h.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALAction observation (AO)
Participants observed reaching movement sequence performed by the left upper limb toward light switches (10 blocks of video clips, each containing 5 sequences (totaling 300 reaching movements), with a 10 second rest period between blocks).
BEHAVIORALSequence observation (SO)
Participants observed a video clip of switches illuminating in the same sequence, from the same egocentric perspective, but without any human movements. The illuminating switches were activated with the same timing and rest periods as those in the AO group
BEHAVIORALNature Observation (NO)
Participants observed a neutral movie that consisted of nature views without any human or animal movements. These videos included 10-second blank screen intervals corresponding to the rest periods in the AO and SO video clips
Sponsors
Ariel University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 35 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
right-hand dominance and self-reported as healthy
Exclusion criteria
having musculoskeletal or neurological deficits interfering with task performance (proper UL and LL reaching performance)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in response time (s) from baseline to post-test | baseline - before the training session, post-test - immediately after the training session | Average time of movements, measured from the time the switch lights up until it is pressed |
| Change in response time (s) from post-test to follow up | post-test - immediately after the training session, follow up - 24 hours after the training session | Average time of movements, measured from the time the switch lights up until it is pressed |
| Change in response time (s) from baseline to follow up | baseline - before the training session, follow up - 24 hours after the training session | Average time of movements, measured from the time the switch lights up until it is pressed |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in failure (%) from baseline to post-test | baseline - before the training session, post-test - immediately after the training session | Percentage of the reaching movements in which the participant failed to reach the switch in the allotted time (1 sec) or pressed the wrong buzzer |
| Change in failure (%) from post-test to follow up | post-test - immediately after the training session, follow up - 24 hours after the training session | Percentage of the reaching movements in which the participant failed to reach the switch in the allotted time (1 sec) or pressed the wrong buzzer. |
| Change in failure (%) from base line to follow up | baseline - before the training session, follow up - 24 hours after the training session | Percentage of the reaching movements in which the participant failed to reach the switch in the allotted time (1 sec) or pressed the wrong buzzer. |
Countries
Israel
Outcome results
None listed