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Action observation in infancy: implications for neuro‐rehabilitation
Author(s) -
Burzi Valentina,
Tealdi Gessica,
Boyd Roslyn N,
Guzzetta Andrea
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/dmcn.13048
Subject(s) - corticospinal tract , physical medicine and rehabilitation , neuroscience , cerebral palsy , rehabilitation , psychology , pyramidal tracts , motor cortex , sensorimotor cortex , intervention (counseling) , stroke (engine) , action (physics) , medicine , stimulation , psychiatry , magnetic resonance imaging , mechanical engineering , diffusion mri , engineering , radiology , physics , quantum mechanics
Action observation therapy has been found to be effective in improving hand motor function in both adults with stroke and children with unilateral cerebral palsy. We here propose a provocative hypothesis arguing that the same therapy might be effective in very early intervention in infants with unilateral or asymmetric brain damage, but through a different underlying mechanism. If the activation of motor networks induced in infancy by action observation enhances the excitability of the damaged sensorimotor cortex, it could also accelerate the maturation of the corticospinal tract and the adaptive shaping of the spinal motor circuits. This hypothesis should be explored carefully in prospective studies and, if confirmed, might support the use of action observation therapy at a much earlier time than experimented so far.