Motor performance benefits of matched limb imitation in prosthesis users

摘要: Our previous work demonstrated that the action encoding parietofrontal network, which is crucial in planning and executing motor tasks, less active prosthesis users who imitate movements of intact actors (mismatched limb) versus (matched limb). Such activation could have behavioral consequences rehabilitating with therapists. The goal was to identify effects matched mismatched limb imitation naive prostheses. Intact subjects donned a specially adapted prosthetic device simulate wrist forearm movement transradial amputees experience. While electrogoniometry recorded, non-amputated (NAPUs) observed imitated demonstrations skillful task performed by either an actor or NAPU. We hypothesized NAPUs would elicit motion variability when performing imitation. Matched resulted significant decrease shoulder compared group also developed elbow patterns similar NAPU demonstrator, while attempted demonstrator. This suggests advantage adapting device, as it yielded more consistent facilitated development new patterns. Further, these results suggest are faced impossible imitating hand, they perform this greater poorer technique. has implications on how operation conveyed persons amputation their clinical interactions often involve