Neuronal dynamics of slow and fast-motion motor imagery.

Journal: Neuroscience
Published Date:

Abstract

Motor imagery (MI) is a cognitive process requiring mental simulation of physical actions, engaging neural networks that overlap with those activated during actual execution. This study investigated the neural correlates of slow and fast MI in ten healthy adolescent athletes instructed to mentally simulate a soccer dribbling task at low and high speeds. Brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography, focusing on alpha (8-12 Hz) and beta (18-28 Hz) wave frequencies. Results revealed distinct neural dynamics for the two MI speeds. Fast MI was characterized by increased alpha wave activity in prefrontal (Fp2), frontal (F3, F8), central (C3), parietal (P3), and occipital (O2) regions, alongside heightened beta wave activity in occipital areas (O1, O2) compared to the resting state. Conversely, slow MI primarily elicited increased beta activity in somatosensory parietal regions (P3, Pz) relative to rest. These findings highlight that fast-speed imagery predominantly activates fronto-central and posterior regions, reflecting its reliance on visual imagery and higher-order cognitive processes such as rapid planning and visual tracking. In contrast, slow-speed imagery engages somatosensory parietal areas, suggesting a greater emphasis on kinesthetic processing and focused attention. The study underscores the distinct neural and cognitive demands of fast and slow MI, providing insights into their functional specialization. These results have implications for optimizing MI strategies in sports training, motor learning, and rehabilitation.

Authors

  • Seyed Hojjat Zamani Sani
    Motor Behavior Department, Physical Education and Sport Sciences Faculty, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran; Brain & Movement research group, Research Center of Biosciences and Biotechnology (RCBB), University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: hojjatzamani8@gmail.com.
  • Serge Brand
    Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders (ZASS), Psychiatric University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Division of Sport Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran; Sleep Disorders Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
  • Sahar Mohammadzadeh
    Sports Science Department, Humanities Faculty, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran.
  • Zahra Fathirezaie
    Motor Behavior Department, Physical Education and Sport Sciences Faculty, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran; Brain & Movement research group, Research Center of Biosciences and Biotechnology (RCBB), University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
  • Franck Di Rienzo
    Inter-University Laboratory of Human Movement Biology (LIBM), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, France.
  • Kosar Abbaspour
    Motor Behavior Department, Physical Education and Sport Sciences Faculty, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran; Brain & Movement research group, Research Center of Biosciences and Biotechnology (RCBB), University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
  • Dena Sadeghi-Bahmani
    Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders (ZASS), Psychiatric University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Sleep Disorders Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, USA.
  • Zahra Rezvani
    Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, G.C. Evin, Tehran 19393, Iran. Electronic address: za.rezvani@mail.sbu.ac.ir.
  • Guillaume Martinent
    Laboratory on Vulnerabilities and Innovation in Sport (L-VIS), University of Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
  • Aymeric Guillot
    Inter-University Laboratory of Human Movement Biology (LIBM), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, France.