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14 - Neurophysiological Foundations and Practical Applications of Motor Imagery

from Part II - Imagery-Based Forms of the Imagination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 May 2020

Anna Abraham
Affiliation:
University of Georgia
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Summary

The ability to mentally simulate actions has received tremendous attention from researchers over the last four decades. There is now converging evidence that motor imagery (MI) contributes to improve motor learning and performance, and further promotes motor recovery in case of motor impairment. An important number of experimental studies, comprehensive reviews and meta-analyses, imagery models, and theoretical backgrounds to MI practice have been published in the scientific literature. The present chapter was designed to gather the main contributions to provide an overview of recent data and conceptions related to MI practice, and to offer materials to go beyond the conservative and preconceived thinking about how to incorporate MI into training programs. Practical applications including the major key-components of MI practice ensuring its efficacy, as well as future directions, are therefore considered.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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