Motor imagery effects on gait of subjects with stroke: an integrative review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34024/rnc.2025.v33.20373

Keywords:

Stroke, Motor Imagery, Hemiparetic Gait

Abstract

Introduction. Stroke is one of the cerebrovascular injuries with the highest rates of morbidity and mortality. Motor imagery (MI) is the act of mentally simulating a task without repeating the fact, accessing sensorimotor cortical areas responsible for motor planning and appears to improve motor control through the neoplastic modification of neuronal structures and circuits. Objective. To analyze, through an integrative review, the effects of MI on the gait of individuals with stroke. Method. A search was carried out in the databases and 35 studies were found, classified according to the level of evidence and the journal's impact factor in 2024. Conclusion. MI appears to stroke an additional effect on the motor reprogramming of gait in hemiparetic patients, specifically in the early stages of the disease (acute and subacute) in which the patient can benefit from neuroplastic and biomechanical changes, specifically caused by kinesthetic MI.

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References

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Published

2025-10-27

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Section

Artigos de Revisão

How to Cite

1.
Silva de Souza N, Gomes Martins AC, de Paula Aprígio Alves D, Barros de Escobar F, Silva Teixeira S, do Vale Bastos VH, et al. Motor imagery effects on gait of subjects with stroke: an integrative review. Rev Neurocienc [Internet]. 2025 Oct. 27 [cited 2025 Dec. 18];33:1-15. Available from: https://periodicos.unifesp.br/index.php/neurociencias/article/view/20373