Mirror Neuron System Based Therapy for Aphasia Rehabilitation

Overview

Journal Front Psychol

Date 2015 Nov 19

PMID 26579046

Citations 14

Authors

Wenli Chen

Qian Ye

Xiangtong Ji

Sicong Zhang

Xi Yang

Qiumin Zhou

Fang Cong

Wei Chen

Xin Zhang

Bing Zhang

Yang Xia

Ti-Fei Yuan

Chunlei Shan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effect of hand action observation training, i.e., mirror neuron system (MNS) based training, on language function of aphasic patients after stroke. In addition, to reveal the tentative mechanism underlying this effect.

Methods: Six aphasic patients after stroke, meeting the criteria, undergo 3 weeks' training protocol (30 min per day, 6 days per week). Among them, four patients accepted an ABA training design, i.e., they implemented Protocol A (hand action observation combined with repetition) in the first and third weeks and carried out Protocol B (static object observation combined with repetition) in the second week. Conversely, for the other two patients, BAB training design was adopted, i.e., patients took Protocol B in the first and third weeks and accepted Protocol A in the second week. Picture naming test, western aphasia battery (WAB) and Token Test were applied to evaluate the changes of language function before and after each week's training. Furthermore, two subjects (one aphasic patient and one healthy volunteer) attended a functional MRI (fMRI) experiment, by which we tried to reveal the mechanism underlying possible language function changes after training.

Results: Compared with static object observation and repetition training (Protocol B), hand action observation and repetition training (Protocol A) effectively improved most aspects of the language function in all six patients, as demonstrated in the picture naming test, subtests of oral language and aphasia quotient (AQ) of WAB. In addition, the fMRI experiment showed that Protocol A induced more activations in the MNS of one patient and one healthy control when compared to Protocol B.

Conclusion: The mirror neuron based therapy may facilitate the language recovery for aphasic patients and this, to some extent, provides a novel direction of rehabilitation for aphasia patients.

Citing Articles

Synergistic effects of combined motor and language interventions on stroke rehabilitation: a holistic approach.

Saber-Moghadam R, Zeinalzadeh A, Jamali J, Farzadfard M, Sobhani-Rad D Front Hum Neurosci. 2024; 18:1454491.

PMID: 39640515 PMC: 11617182. DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1454491.

Dubbing language-therapy CINEma-based in aphasia post-stroke (DULCINEA): A feasibility randomized crossover controlled trial.

Fuentes B, Jordi-Perea P, Sempere-Iborra C, Tarifa-Rodriguez A, De Celis-Ruiz E, Martin Alonso M Digit Health. 2024; 10:20552076241288311.

PMID: 39421311 PMC: 11483829. DOI: 10.1177/20552076241288311.

Efficacy and safety of mirror therapy for post-stroke aphasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

Peng Y, Huang S, Yang X, Ma J PLoS One. 2024; 19(5):e0301468.

PMID: 38718090 PMC: 11078370. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301468.

Comparison of Sensory Observation and Somatosensory Stimulation in Mirror Neurons and the Sensorimotor Network: A Task-Based fMRI Study.

Zhou Z, Chen S, Li Y, Zhao J, Li G, Chen L Front Neurol. 2022; 13:916990.

PMID: 35847217 PMC: 9279701. DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.916990.

Modulation of Interhemispheric Inhibition between Primary Motor Cortices Induced by Manual Motor Imitation: A Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Study.

Tian D, Izumi S, Suzuki E Brain Sci. 2021; 11(2).

PMID: 33669827 PMC: 7923080. DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11020266.

References

Tettamanti M, Buccino G, Saccuman M, Gallese V, Danna M, Scifo P . Listening to action-related sentences activates fronto-parietal motor circuits. J Cogn Neurosci. 2005; 17(2):273-81. DOI: 10.1162/0898929053124965. View

Small S, Buccino G, Solodkin A . The mirror neuron system and treatment of stroke. Dev Psychobiol. 2012; 54(3):293-310. DOI: 10.1002/dev.20504. View

Buccino G, Vogt S, Ritzl A, Fink G, Zilles K, Freund H . Neural circuits underlying imitation learning of hand actions: an event-related fMRI study. Neuron. 2004; 42(2):323-34. DOI: 10.1016/s0896-6273(04)00181-3. View

Zhang T, Li L, Bi S, Mei Y, Xie R, Luo Z . [Effects of three-stage rehabilitation treatment on acute cerebrovascular diseases: a prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter study]. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2005; 84(23):1948-54. View

Lee J, Fowler R, Rodney D, Cherney L, Small S . IMITATE: An intensive computer-based treatment for aphasia based on action observation and imitation. Aphasiology. 2010; 24(4):449-465. PMC: 2882655. DOI: 10.1080/02687030802714157. View

Cycowicz Y, Friedman D, ROTHSTEIN M, Snodgrass J . Picture naming by young children: norms for name agreement, familiarity, and visual complexity. J Exp Child Psychol. 1997; 65(2):171-237. DOI: 10.1006/jecp.1996.2356. View

Franceschini M, Agosti M, Cantagallo A, Sale P, Mancuso M, Buccino G . Mirror neurons: action observation treatment as a tool in stroke rehabilitation. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2010; 46(4):517-23. View

Bonifazi S, Tomaiuolo F, Altoe G, Ceravolo M, Provinciali L, Marangolo P . Action observation as a useful approach for enhancing recovery of verb production: new evidence from aphasia. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2013; 49(4):473-81. View

Fazio P, Cantagallo A, Craighero L, DAusilio A, Roy A, Pozzo T . Encoding of human action in Broca's area. Brain. 2009; 132(Pt 7):1980-8. DOI: 10.1093/brain/awp118. View

10.

Koski L, Wohlschlager A, Bekkering H, Woods R, Dubeau M, Mazziotta J . Modulation of motor and premotor activity during imitation of target-directed actions. Cereb Cortex. 2002; 12(8):847-55. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/12.8.847. View

11.

Ross L, Saint-Amour D, Leavitt V, Javitt D, Foxe J . Do you see what I am saying? Exploring visual enhancement of speech comprehension in noisy environments. Cereb Cortex. 2006; 17(5):1147-53. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhl024. View

12.

Iacoboni M, Woods R, Brass M, Bekkering H, Mazziotta J, Rizzolatti G . Cortical mechanisms of human imitation. Science. 2000; 286(5449):2526-8. DOI: 10.1126/science.286.5449.2526. View

13.

Ertelt D, Small S, Solodkin A, Dettmers C, McNamara A, Binkofski F . Action observation has a positive impact on rehabilitation of motor deficits after stroke. Neuroimage. 2007; 36 Suppl 2:T164-73. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.03.043. View

14.

Dohle C, Pullen J, Nakaten A, Kust J, Rietz C, Karbe H . Mirror therapy promotes recovery from severe hemiparesis: a randomized controlled trial. Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2008; 23(3):209-17. DOI: 10.1177/1545968308324786. View

15.

Rizzolatti G, Fogassi L, Gallese V . Neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the understanding and imitation of action. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2001; 2(9):661-70. DOI: 10.1038/35090060. View

16.

Altschuler E, Wisdom S, Stone L, Foster C, Galasko D, Llewellyn D . Rehabilitation of hemiparesis after stroke with a mirror. Lancet. 1999; 353(9169):2035-6. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(99)00920-4. View

17.

Nishitani N, Hari R . Temporal dynamics of cortical representation for action. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000; 97(2):913-8. PMC: 15430. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.97.2.913. View

18.

Small S, Buccino G, Solodkin A . Brain repair after stroke--a novel neurological model. Nat Rev Neurol. 2013; 9(12):698-707. PMC: 5549938. DOI: 10.1038/nrneurol.2013.222. View

19.

Rizzolatti G, Craighero L . The mirror-neuron system. Annu Rev Neurosci. 2004; 27:169-92. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.neuro.27.070203.144230. View

20.

Rizzolatti G, Fadiga L, Gallese V, Fogassi L . Premotor cortex and the recognition of motor actions. Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 1996; 3(2):131-41. DOI: 10.1016/0926-6410(95)00038-0. View