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Direct Brain–Computer Communication |
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8.2.
Neurophysiological considerations
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Motor imagery may be seen as mental rehearsal
of a motor act without any overt motor output. It is broadly
accepted that mental imagination of movements involves similar
brain regions/functions which are involved in programming and
preparing such movements.
According to this view, the main difference between performance
and imagery is that in the latter case execution would be blocked
at some corticospinal level.
Several EEG studies further confirm the notion that motor imagery
can activate primary sensorimotor areas.
Recent high-resolution EEG experiments showed that independent
of the required motor task, imagination versus overt execution
of a given movement, the most prominent EEG changes were localized
over the corresponding primary sensorimotor cortex.
During the
imagination of a right-hand or left-hand movement, for example,
we found a similar ERD over the contralateral hand area as is
usually found during planning or preparation of a real movement.
Source:
Motor Imagery and Direct Brain–Computer Communication, Gert Pfurtscheller and Christa Neuper |
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