AOT Benefits 63 Percent of Patients
Recently, scientists studied action observation therapy in 28 patients with Parkinson's by using an exercise app called 9zest. The idea is that by watching the exercises performed on the app, mirror neurons that aren't damaged in the patients’ brains will be activated, priming the brain and body to mimic the movements when the patients come to perform the exercises themselves. Interestingly, the app was developed by a software engineer with Parkinson’s disease. And it does more than just show exercise videos. The app assesses the status of the patient through questions and performance tests to construct a customized exercise program. The exercises are selected from a library of videos specifically designed for those with Parkinson’s disease and is calibrated to the patient’s level of function. The app includes prompts, goal setting, graded tasks and feedback to provide support and encouragement to maintain the program. After twelve weeks, the scientists concluded that the app improved balance, mobility, lower extremity strength and quality of life for the Parkinson’s patients. A whopping 63 percent felt that their Parkinson’s symptoms had improved. What’s more, most of the participants reported that the exercises were valuable, enjoyable, and that they would recommend the program to others.Strong Clinical Evidence Supports AOT for Brain Injured Patients
In March, sports scientists from Ireland published a review on the effect of action observation therapy. They included 36 studies involving 1,405 patients. Their findings are encouraging for anyone with a Parkinson’s diagnosis. The reseachers wrote, "Level 1, representing strong evidence, supports the use of AOT to improve OMs [outcome measures] in Parkinson's disease and stroke. "Within Parkinson's disease, AOT therapy has been shown to result in improvements in balance scores, FOG [temporary inability to move the feet], disease-specific health, and motor and nonmotor abilities. "Similarly, consistently strong level 1 evidence demonstrated the effect of AOT in populations with subacute and chronic stroke in manual dexterity, upper limb function, balance, and walking ability." For stroke patients in particular, another study’s results suggest taking action observation therapy one step further."Watch And Do" is More Effective for Stroke Patients
Dr. Daniel Eaves, a senior lecturer in sport and exercise science at Teesside University, England, says research demonstrates that patients who regularly "watch and do" rather than just watch, regain more movement in their limbs. Dr. Eaves believes that even though brain cells that control movement may have died, observation can fire up mirror neurons in other parts of the brain that haven't been damaged and thereby improve the movement of hands and arms left weakened by strokes. "These mirror neurons," explains Dr. Eaves, "transmit a weak version of the electrical signals needed to move the patient’s muscles. And while the signals are usually too weak to actually trigger the movement, they provide valuable training in performing it. "As the same cells are involved in both watching and performing the movement, these 'rehearsals' can enhance recovery."Meet
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Susan Clark is an award-winning, Emmy-nominated journalist and author who has written about nutrition, health, and wellness for 27 years. She has developed content for articles, reports, books, videos, and television news segments featuring some of today’s top alternative and integrative doctors. She earned a bachelor of science in broadcast journalism from Texas Christian University. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two sons, and numerous pets.