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Updated: Jul 6, 2026
Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
Published on: December 31, 2013
Effects of action observation on physical training after stroke
Pablo Celnik1, Brian Webster, Davis M Glasser
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University, 600 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. pcelnik@jhmi.edu
Background And Purpose:
In healthy humans, observation of another individual performing a motor training task (action observation [AO]) facilitates, in the observer, the effects of physical training (PT) on motor memory formation. It is not known whether this facilitatory process, of potential value for neurorehabilitation, occurs after stroke.
Methods:
Eight chronic stroke patients completed this crossover-randomized investigation. A transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol that tests formation of motor memories was used to determine the effects of PT alone and in combination with AO in 2 different forms: congruent (PT+AO(congruent)) and incongruent (PT+AO(incongruent)) to the practiced task.
Results:
The magnitude of motor memory formation was larger with PT+AO(congruent) than with PT alone or PT+AO(incongruent). This effect was associated with a differential corticomotor excitability change in the muscles acting as agonist and antagonist of the trained/observed movements.
Conclusions:
These results indicate that congruent AO in association with physical training can enhance the effects of motor training after stroke.
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