Effect of Kinesthetic Motor Imagery on Heart Rate, Heart Rate Variability, and Skin Resistance

NCT ID: NCT06482528

Last Updated: 2025-03-05

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 24 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-04-29
• Study Completion Date: 2024-12-27

Brief Summary

Motor Imagery (MI) is defined as imagining an action in the mind without any explicit physical movement. MI is considered an "offline" process of the motor areas of the brain. Neuroimaging studies have shown that roughly the same neural structures play a role both during movement execution and MI. Specifically, these neural structures; supplementary motor area (SMA), premotor cortex (PMC), and in a growing number of studies, primary motor cortex (M1), inferior parietal lobe (IPL), basal ganglia, and cerebellum. In MI, the changes occurring in the Central Nervous System (CNS), such as the activation of the structures responsible for planning the movement and the purpose for which the movement will be performed, are similar to physical movement, but with the inhibition of the last motor neuron (primary motor area) responsible for revealing the movement, the movement is not physically performed and the motor visualization occurs.

During motor imagery, monitoring the quality of the individual's imagery session is very important for the effectiveness of the session. Additionally, studies have shown that giving the subject biofeedback regarding mental work can modulate the individual's mental work. For these purposes, the quality of an individual's motor imagery during a motor imagery session can be measured by biological measurement methods such as fMRI and autonomic nervous system response. In studies conducted on the autonomic nervous system response, changes in skin resistance and heart rate variations were observed. However, these methods are very costly and cannot be accessed in every clinic. In the literature, the Polar HRV device for measuring heart rate variability is a measuring device with proven validity and reliability and is easily accessible in terms of cost. However, we do not yet know whether Polar HRV is a valid and reliable measurement tool to measure the quality of an individual's imagery session during a motor imagery session.

This study aims to determine the effects of the individual's autonomic nervous system during the kinesthetic motor imagery session. To measure the responses and to investigate whether the polar HRV device is a valid and reliable tool.

Detailed Description

Motor Imagery (MI) is imagining an action in the mind without any explicit physical movement. MI is considered an "offline" process of the motor areas of the brain. Neuroimaging studies have shown that roughly the same neural structures play a role both during movement execution and MI. Specifically, these neural structures; supplementary motor area (SMA), premotor cortex (PMC), and in a growing number of studies, primary motor cortex (M1), inferior parietal lobe (IPL), basal ganglia, and cerebellum. In MI, the changes occurring in the Central Nervous System (CNS), such as the activation of the structures responsible for planning the movement and the purpose for which the movement will be performed, are similar to physical movement, but with the inhibition of the last motor neuron (primary motor area) responsible for revealing the movement, the movement is not physically performed and the motor visualization occurs.

During motor imagery, monitoring the quality of the individual's imagery session is very important for the session's effectiveness. Additionally, studies have shown that giving the subject biofeedback regarding mental work can modulate the individual's mental work. For these purposes, the quality of an individual's motor imagery during a motor imagery session can be measured by biological measurement methods such as fMRI and autonomic nervous system response. In studies conducted on the autonomic nervous system response, changes in skin resistance and heart rate variations were observed. However, these methods are very costly and cannot be accessed in every clinic. In the literature, the Polar HRV device for measuring heart rate variability is a measuring device with proven validity and reliability and is easily accessible in terms of cost. However, we do not yet know whether Polar HRV is a valid and reliable measurement tool to measure the quality of an individual's imagery session during a motor imagery session.

This study aims to determine the effects of the individual's autonomic nervous system during the kinesthetic motor imagery session. To measure the responses and to investigate whether the polar HRV device is a valid and reliable tool.

Conditions

Healthy Individuals

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: SCREENING
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Motor imagery group

Individuals who meet the inclusion criteria will fill out the demographic data form after signing the informed consent form. Then, individuals' motor imagery abilities will be evaluated using HIA-3, mental rotation and mental stopwatch. After the evaluation, the individuals will be taken to a quiet and isolated room and the Polar H10 device will be placed on the chest area of the individuals to measure heart rate variations and (MP36 system and BİOPAC software) will be placed to measure the electrodermal activities of the individuals. Then, a motor imagery session will be held for individuals with a physiotherapist who is an expert in the field.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Motor Imagery

Intervention Type: OTHER

After the measurement devices are connected to the individuals, they will be seated in a comfortable chair.

After the calibration of the devices, individuals will undergo a 2-minute relaxation session. During the relaxation session, individuals will be asked to focus on their breathing and relax as much as possible.

Then, heart rate variability, electrodermal activities and respiratory frequencies of the individuals will be measured in a sitting position for 5 minutes. In case of rest, after taking the variables, individuals will be kept to rest for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, the devices will be placed on the individuals again and a 2-minute relaxation session will be held.

Then, individuals will be asked to imagine running through kinesthetic imagery for 5 minutes.

Feedback will be given to individuals throughout the entire session. These feedbacks will be given verbally with an audio recording prepared by the physiotherapist.

Interventions

Motor Imagery

After the measurement devices are connected to the individuals, they will be seated in a comfortable chair.

After the calibration of the devices, individuals will undergo a 2-minute relaxation session. During the relaxation session, individuals will be asked to focus on their breathing and relax as much as possible.

Then, heart rate variability, electrodermal activities and respiratory frequencies of the individuals will be measured in a sitting position for 5 minutes. In case of rest, after taking the variables, individuals will be kept to rest for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, the devices will be placed on the individuals again and a 2-minute relaxation session will be held.

Then, individuals will be asked to imagine running through kinesthetic imagery for 5 minutes.

Feedback will be given to individuals throughout the entire session. These feedbacks will be given verbally with an audio recording prepared by the physiotherapist.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Other Intervention Names

Relaxation

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Being 18-30 years old
• Volunteering to participate in the study
• Being seemingly healthy
• Not having any neurological or orthopedic disease
• Not having any vision, hearing, or speech problems that would prevent the tests from being performed.

Exclusion Criteria

• Pregnancy and a history of any previous disorder or surgery that alters physical performance or physiological functions
• Have previous experience with Motor Imagery techniques or training
• People being treated with any medication that affects the central nervous system will not be included in the study.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 30 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Kutahya Health Sciences University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Meltem Işıntaş

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Kutahya Health Sciences University

Locations

Kutahya Health Sciences University

Kütahya, , Turkey (Türkiye)

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Other Identifiers

2024/05-08

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id