Abstract

Embodied cognition (EC) refers to the interplay occurring in thinking among individual’s sensorimotor capacities (i.e., the ability of the body to respond to its senses with movement), the body itself, and the environment. The aim of the present narrative review is to provide an overall understanding of whether and how motor training could lead to language recovery, consistently with EC theories (action-perception cycle, mirror neuron systems –MNS–, and embodied semantics). We therefore reviewed the works dealing with EC in terms of the link between language processing, mirror neuron system (MNS), and motor function, evaluating the potential clinical implications for better managing neurological deficits. Connections between body and mind were found, as body states influence cognitive functions, such as perception and reasoning, as well as language processing, especially in neurological disorders. In fact, abnormalities in “embodied language” were found in movement disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, negatively affecting patients’ rehabilitation outcomes. Understanding the link between language processing and motor outcomes is fundamental in the rehabilitation field, given that EC can be targeted to improve patients' functional recovery and quality of life.

摘要

具身认知（EC）是指个体的感觉运动能力（即身体通过运动对其感官作出反应的能力）、身体本身和环境之间在思维中发生的相互作用。本叙述性回顾的目的是提供对运动训练是否以及如何导致语言恢复的整体理解，这与 EC 理论（动作-感知循环、镜像神经元系统 -MNS- 和具身语义）一致。因此，我们根据语言处理、镜像神经元系统 (MNS) 和运动功能之间的联系回顾了与 EC 相关的工作，评估了更好地管理神经功能缺损的潜在临床意义。身体和心灵之间的联系被发现，因为身体状态会影响认知功能，例如感知和推理，以及语言处理，尤其是在神经系统疾病中。事实上，在运动障碍和神经退行性疾病中发现“具身语言”异常，对患者的康复结果产生负面影响。了解语言处理和运动结果之间的联系是康复领域的基础，因为 EC 可以有针对性地改善患者的功能恢复和生活质量。