Activity-Dependent Neurorehabilitation Beyond Physical Trainings: “Mental Exercise” Through Mirror Neuron Activation

Title:Activity-Dependent Neurorehabilitation Beyond Physical Trainings: “Mental Exercise” Through Mirror Neuron Activation

Volume: 14 Issue: 10

Author(s): Ti-Fei Yuan, Wei Chen, Chunlei Shan, Nuno Rocha, Oscar Arias-Carrion, Flávia Paes, Alberto Souza de Sa and Sergio Machado

Affiliation:

Keywords: Mirror neuron system, brain stimulation, neurorehabilitation, stroke.

Abstract: The activity dependent brain repair mechanism has been widely adopted in many types of neurorehabilitation. The activity leads to target specific and non-specific beneficial effects in different brain regions, such as the releasing of neurotrophic factors, modulation of the cytokines and generation of new neurons in adult hood. However physical exercise program clinically are limited to some of the patients with preserved motor functions; while many patients suffered from paralysis cannot make such efforts. Here the authors proposed the employment of mirror neurons system in promoting brain rehabilitation by “observation based stimulation”. Mirror neuron system has been considered as an important basis for action understanding and learning by mimicking others. During the action observation, mirror neuron system mediated the direct activation of the same group of motor neurons that are responsible for the observed action. The effect is clear, direct, specific and evolutionarily conserved. Moreover, recent evidences hinted for the beneficial effects on stroke patients after mirror neuron system activation therapy. Finally some music-relevant therapies were proposed to be related with mirror neuron system.

Cite this article as:

Yuan Ti-Fei, Chen Wei, Shan Chunlei, Rocha Nuno, Arias-Carrion Oscar, Paes Flávia, de Sa Souza Alberto and Machado Sergio, Activity-Dependent Neurorehabilitation Beyond Physical Trainings: “Mental Exercise” Through Mirror Neuron Activation, CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets 2015; 14 (10) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1871527315666151111130956