An electroencephalographic study of imagined movement.

OBJECTIVE Determine the generator sources for actual and imagined (simulated) movements of fingers and toes. DESIGN Observational. SETTING Electroencephalography laboratory. SUBJECTS Ten asymptomatic adult volunteers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Comparison of cortical electrical fields and their dipole sources in actual and imagined movements. RESULTS Cortical electrical fields tend to be contralateral with actual movements and midline with imagined movements. Dipole sources of actual movements include a contralateral contribution from the frontal (primary motor) area. Sources of imagined movements are midline or ipsilateral. CONCLUSIONS (1) The motor networks underlying the generation of actual and imagined movements are different. (2) Imagined movements lack a primary motor area source, but involve medial and ipsilateral structures. (3) The effectiveness of imagined movements in rehabilitation may stem from activation of premotor or supplementary motor areas.

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