The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between motor imagery (MI) assessment (ability and quality) and neurophysiological assessment [transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-induced motor-evoked potentials (MEPs)] during combined MI and action observation (AO; MI + AO). Sixteen subjects completed an MI task playing the piano with both hands, and neurophysiological assessment was performed during the MI task. The Movement Imagery Questionnaire-Revised was adopted to evaluate MI ability, while the visual analogue scale (VAS) was adopted to evaluate MI quality. A TMS pulse was delivered during the MI task, and MEPs were subsequently recorded in the abductor pollicis brevis (APB). We found a significant positive correlation between the VAS score and the TMS-induced MEPs (ρ = 0.497, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that the VAS score could potentially reflect the corticospinal excitability during MI + AO, particularly in complex MI tasks.

中文翻译：

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运动意象的生动性与联合运动意象和动作观察期间的皮质脊髓兴奋性相关

本研究旨在调查运动意象 (MI) 评估（能力和质量）与神经生理学评估 [经颅磁刺激 (TMS) 诱导的运动诱发电位 (MEP)] 在联合 MI 和动作观察 (AO; MI) 之间的关系+ AO）。16 名受试者完成了用双手弹钢琴的 MI 任务，并在 MI 任务期间进行了神经生理学评估。采用运动意象问卷-修订版评价MI能力，采用视觉模拟量表（VAS）评价MI质量。在 MI 任务期间传送 TMS 脉冲，随后在拇短外展肌 (APB) 中记录 MEP。我们发现 VAS 评分与 TMS 诱导的 MEP 之间存在显着的正相关（ρ = 0.497，p < 0.001）。