Effects Of Action Observation Therapy That Based On Mirror Neuron Theory On Motor Function Of Upper-extremity And Somatosensory Evoked Potentials In Post-stroke

Objective To explore the effects of action observation therapy that based on mirror neuron theory on the motor function of upper-extremity and somatosensory evoked potentials in post-stroke patients.Method Thirty cases with stroke were randomly assigned to a observational group (15patients) or a control group (15patients). The conventional rehabilitation treatment, for example the good limb position, balance training and activities of daily living ability training, was applied for both groups. But the observational group received action observation therapy for8weeks,10times/week. Both groups were assessed by Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA), Barthel Index (BI) and Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) in pre-treatment and after4and8weeks of treatment. The latencies and amplitudes of N9、N20of SEP were measured for analysis.Results The FMA scores of4th week(18.87±6.62) and8th week(26.27±9.22) evaluation in the observational group had significantly increased compared with pre-treatment assessment. The FMA scores of4th week(16.53±4.79) and8th week(20.07±6.77) evaluation in the control group, only the8th week’s evaluation had significantly increased compared with pre-treatment assessment. And the increased FMA scores of8th week evaluation in observational group had significantly better compared with control group. The BI scores of4th week(58.00±19.89) and8th week(62.33±20.34) evaluation in the observational group and4th week(65.67±18.01) and8th week(71.33±14.82) evaluation in the control group also had significantly increased compared with each group’s pre-treatment assessment. But there was no significant difference between the observational group and control group in their increased BI score after8weeks’ treatment. The SEP’s N9and N20latencies of4th week(9.35±1.63and20.84±2.07) and8th week(9.03±1.68and20.32±2.56) evaluation in the observational group’s affected side had significantly shortened compared with pre-treatment assessment. And the SEP’s N9and N20amplitudes of4th week(3.71±1.2and1.83±0.44) and8th week(3.91±1.18and2.08±0.51) evaluation in the observational group’s affected side had significantly increased compared with pre-treatment assessment. The SEP’s N9and N20latencies of4th week(9.87±1.68and20.89±2.38) and8th week(9.52±1.54and20.51±2.69) evaluation in the control group’s affected side, there were the N20latencies of4th week’s evaluation, N9and N20latencies of8th week’s evaluation had significantly shortened compared with pre-treatment assessment. The SEP’s N9and N20amplitudes of4th week(2.75±1.54and1.38±0.43) and8th week(2.84±1.47and1.51±0.44) evaluation in the control group’s affected side, only the N20amplitudes of8th week’s evaluation had significantly increased compared with pre-treatment assessment.Conclusions After action observation therapy on patients with hemiparesis soon after stroke, the upper-extremity motor function and SEP were promoted.