What Are the Determinants of Explicit and Implicit Motor Imagery Ability in Stroke Patients?

What Are the Determinants of Explicit and Implicit Motor Imagery Ability in Stroke Patients?: A Controlled Study

Motor imagery (MI) might be described as a dynamic process in which an individual mentally stimulates an action without any overt movement. After stroke, motor imagery ability is impaired and also due to structure of MI, not every stroke patients is able to perform MI. Therefore, the aim of the study is a) to compare both explicit and implicit motor imagery ability (MIA) between patients with stroke and healthy subjects, b) to examine predictive effects of clinical characteristics for MIA after stroke.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being between the ages of 18-80,
• Having a unilateral stroke for the first time and 0-6 months since stroke onset
• 24 points and above in Mini Mental State Examination (MMDM)
• Not having a disease that may interfere with the study such as cardiac diseases, orthopedic conditions,etc.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Multiple strokes
• Sever cognitive dysfunction (<24 points in MMDM)
• Unilateral neglect
• Upper extremity pain that interferes with the study or aggravated with movement
• Visual problems, aphasia or another sequel that might limit the assessment