People post-stroke perceive movement fluency in virtual reality

Exp Brain Res. 2012 Apr;218(1):1-8. doi: 10.1007/s00221-011-2995-2. Epub 2012 Jan 11.

Abstract

We investigated the visual perception of biological movement by people post-stroke, using minimal kinematic displays. A group of twenty patients and a group of twelve age-matched healthy controls were asked to judge movement fluency. The movements to judge were either displayed as an end-point dot or as a stick-figure of the arm and trunk. It was found that the perception of movement fluency was preserved post-stroke, however, with an increase in the variability of judgment. Moreover, the end-point dot representation ameliorated what was perceived and judged, presumably by directing attention to the important kinematic cues: smoothness and directness of the trajectory. We conclude that, despite perception of actions is influenced by the ability of the observer to execute the observed movement, hemiparesis has a mild effect on the perception of biological movement. Yet, a valuable virtual learning environment for upper-limb rehabilitation should be implemented to provide the observer with neither too much, nor too little information to maximize learning.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Apraxias / diagnosis
  • Apraxias / physiopathology*
  • Apraxias / rehabilitation
  • Arm / anatomy & histology
  • Arm / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / physiopathology*
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / psychology
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / rehabilitation
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Motion Perception / physiology*
  • Paresis / diagnosis
  • Paresis / physiopathology*
  • Paresis / rehabilitation
  • Perceptual Disorders / diagnosis
  • Perceptual Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Perceptual Disorders / rehabilitation
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology
  • User-Computer Interface*