Page 56 - JCTR-10-1

Journal of Clinical and Translational Research 2024; 10(1): 52-61

Journal of Clinical and Translational Research

Journal homepage: http://www.jctres.com/en/home

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Effects of motor imagery and action observation on respiratory function in

mild smokers: a randomized single-blind controlled pilot trial

Ferran Cuenca-Martínez , Cristina Escudero-Pérez , Núria Sempere-Rubio *, Luis Suso-Martí *, Francisco M. Martínez-Arnau 1,2
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1 Department of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain, Frailty and Cognitive Impairment Research Group (FROG), University
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of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
Article history: Background: Motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) training can activate brain areas
Received: October 04, 2023 involved in planning, adjusting, and automating voluntary movement in a manner similar to that when
Accepted: October 26, 2023 these activities are being performed.
Published online: February 5, 2024 Aim: The main objective of this study was to assess the effects of MI and AO training on respiratory
function in mild smokers.
Keywords: Methods: A single-blind placebo-controlled pilot trial was designed. A total of 27 mild smokers were
Motor imagery randomized into three groups: MI (n = 9), AO (n = 9), and sham observation (SO; n = 9) groups. The
Action observation MI and AO groups performed mental training of breathing exercises while the SO group observed a
Pulmonary function landscape without a human agent. The primary outcomes were pulmonary function parameters (forced
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Respiratory parameters expiratory volume during the 1 s [FEV ], forced vital capacity [FVC], FEV /FVC ratio, maximum
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voluntary ventilation [MVV], and peak expiratory flow [PEF]), and the secondary outcomes were
*Corresponding author: maximal inspiratory/expiratory pressures (MIP/MEP) and perceived fatigue. All outcome measures
Núria Sempere-Rubio were assessed at baseline and post-intervention.
Department of Physiotherapy, University of Results: Regarding the pulmonary function parameters, only the AO group showed significant
Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain. within-group differences in FEV (mean differences [MD] = 0.37 L (0.17 – 0.56), P = 0.001), FVC
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Email: nuria.sempere@uv.es (MD = 0.1 L (0.02 – 0.16), P = 0.008), and PEF (MD = 0.74 L/s (0.29 – 1.18), P = 0.002) with a
Luis Suso-Martí small-to-moderate effect size. No differences were found in FEV /FVC ratio and MVV. With regard
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Department of Physiotherapy, University of to the maximal static pressures, only the AO group showed significant within-group differences in
Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain MEP with a small effect size (MD = 11.22 cm H O (0.19 – 22.2), P = 0.046). Finally, both AO and
Email: luis.suso@uv.es 2
MI groups showed significantly greater perceived fatigue with regard to SO group with a large effect
size (P < 0.05).
© 2024 Author(s). This is an Open-Access
article distributed under the terms of the Conclusion: AO training has a slight impact on some pulmonary function parameters, such as FEV ,
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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial FVC, or PEF, as well as on MEP when applied in isolation and in a single session.
License, permitting all non-commercial use, Relevance for Patients: Although it is still early to draw some solid conclusions, AO training could
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, be used in combination with respiratory exercises to see if the effect is greater than exercises in
provided the original work is properly cited. isolation. The study of movement representation strategies on pulmonary function is a field that has
been sparingly explored so far. This paper offers some interesting data to be considered for further
research.

1. Introduction

Motor imagery (MI) is defined as the creation and maintenance of a movement image
without actually executing it [1]. In addition, action observation (AO) training is defined
as the real-time visualization of a motion image without actually performing it [2]. Both
neurosensory-motor training tools cause an activation of the cortical areas related to the
planning, adjustment, and automation of voluntary movement that is qualitatively equal to,
DOI: http://doi.org/10.36922/jctr.00117