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Neuroscience-based Action-observation During Upper Extremity Rehabilitation for Stroke Patients

윤영식 1 Kiyeon Chang 2 원성윤 3 우희순 3

1건양대학교병원 작업치료실
2우송대학교
3우송대학교 작업치료학과

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study conducted a literature review to examine the neurological mechanism of the mirror-neuron system andits usefulness as a therapeutic approach for the rehabilitation of neurological patients in clinics. The mirror-neuronsystem means the nerve cells that are in action when observing particular motions or the movement of other objects,and it is known to exist in the ventral premotor cortex, which includes the human frontal gyrus, inferior parietallobule, inferior frontal gyrus, parietal lobe area, and superior temporal sulcus. For a neurological-based therapeutictreatment, action-observation training can be used. This is a training method of observing and duplicating motions;thus, it is a training method used to reach to a phase of exercise learning through understanding, selection andduplication of the forms and motions seen when observing other people’s behaviors. There are some currentstudies being conducted on the therapeutic efficiency and clinical application of action-observation training. Many ofthese studies have reported the effects of functional improvements. Such an action-observation training method canbe further revitalized when possible movements, rather than impossible movements, are observed through themovement of actual human hands in tasks related to observation, or in other words, goal-oriented tasks. In additionto the therapeutic aspect, action-observation training based on such a mirror-neuron system is convenient toconduct at home after the patient is discharged from a hospital, and can be an effective and economical method interms of cost-saving. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effectiveness and therapeutic applicability of themirror-neuron system in the area of neurological rehabilitation treatment by determining the neurological evidenceregarding the mirror-neuron system, and by reviewing studies in which action-observation training based on themirror-neuron system has been applied.

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