2024 Volume 45 Pages 126-133
Motor imagery is a cognitive process that involves the mental simulation of motor actions without actual physical movements, and it is widely used as a training technique to enhance sports performance. Although previous studies have reported the positive effect of motor imagery training on motor function and motor learning, the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of motor imagery have yet to be fully elucidated. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to investigate the effect of pinch motor imagery on sensorimotor integration, specifically assessed using the short-latency afferent inhibition （SAI） paradigm. Thirteen able-bodied male participants were recruited in this study. The assessments were conducted under two distinct conditions: Control and Motor imagery conditions. In the Control condition, participants were instructed to relax without engaging in any motor imagery, whereas in the Motor imagery condition, they performed maximum pinch imagery while observing a pinch image displayed on the monitor. During each condition, fifteen SAI responses were measured, which represent the inhibition of motor-evoked potentials elicited through transcranial magnetic stimulation following median nerve electrical stimulation. SAI responses were measured from the first dorsal interosseous muscle. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the magnitude of SAI between the Control and Motor imagery conditions, suggesting that motor imagery has no effect on sensorimotor integration assessed by SAI.
