Motor imagery ability in patients with functional dystonia

Introduction

Motor imagery (MI) involves recreating a movement mentally without physically performing the movement itself. MI has a positive impact on motor performance, motor learning and neural plasticity. We analysed the connection between motor imagination and altered movement execution in individuals with dystonia, a complex sensorimotor disorder. The aim of our study was to examine MI ability in patients with functional dystonia (FD) in comparison to organic dystonia (OD).

Methods

Our case-control study involved 46 patients, 22 with FD and 24 with OD. The assessment consisted of specific questionnaire and standardized motor, cognitive and psychiatric scales. The KVIQ-20 was used to test MI in each patient.

Results

Patients with FD scored lower on both global visual and kinaesthetic scales of the KVIQ-20 exam compared to patients with OD (63.1 ± 18.5 vs. 73.7 ± 13.2, and 54.9 ± 21.9 vs. 68.8 ± 18.2, respectively). Patients with FD also exhibited visual and/or kinaesthetic MI impairment in different body segments. The internal perspective when imagining movements was preferred in both patients with FD and OD.

Conclusion

FD patients showed global dysfunction of visual and kinaesthetic MI abilities. Techniques for MI improvements might have a potential role in dystonia rehabilitation.