An effect of video-assisted motor imagery on the excitability of cerebral cortex and spinal anterior horn cells

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We studied an effect of video-assisted motor imagery on both cortical activities and spinal motor neuron excitabilities after the volitional relaxation of hand muscles using fMRI and F wave. Motor imagery suppressed the rest-induced reduction of spinal motoneuron excitabilites regardless of using video (visual-image) assistance. When F waves were recorded during motor imagery, the suppressive effect on rest-induced reduction of F-wave parameters were observed only after using video-assisted motor imagery. Cortical activities showed a reduction after volitional relaxation and motor imagery during volitional relaxation suppressed the reductive effect. In summary, motor imagery suppressed the rest-induced reduction in both of anterior-horn-cell and cortical excitabilities regardless of visual-image assistance. The results of this study may suggest that video-assisted motor imagery has an effect on keeping the response preparation on spinal motor neuron excitabilities.