Effects of Motor Imagery and Action Observation on Upper Limb Motor Chances and Cognitive Chances in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is degenerative, progressive, and chronic. It is considered potentially disabling, in view of the motor alterations, such as bradykinesia, rigidity, and tremor in the upper limbs, and non-motor alterations, such as cognitive ones involving attention, concentration and memory difficulties. Thus, neurorehabilitation modalities, such as motor imagery and action observation, have been used. The aim of this research is to investigate the effects of motor imagery and action observation on upper limb motor and cognitive changes in Parkinson's disease. This is a randomized controlled trial type study. The population of the study involves people with Parkinson's disease in stages 1-3 on the Hoehn and Yahr scale, aged 20 to 59 years, who must be on stable medication, have no cognitive impairment with risk of dementia, be able to imagine motor activities and have upper limb motor impairment. The study groups will be: a) motor imagery, observation of action and motor execution; b) motor imagery and motor execution; c) observation of action and motor execution; d) motor imagery and motor execution and exoskeleton; e) observation of action and motor execution and exoskeleton. The interventions of all groups will be an intensive approach of 10 continuous sessions, with a two-day break in the middle of the intervention, totaling two weeks, with each session lasting 40 minutes a day. The data collection steps for the study will involve the pre-test, the interventions, the immediate post-test, and the test after a four-week period without intervention. The instruments that will be used for the evaluations will be: a) part of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-III); b) Test D'évaluation Des Membres Supérieurs Des Personnes Âgées (TEMPA); c) 9-Hole Peg Test to assess upper extremity function; d) Parkinson's Disease Cognitive Assessment Scale; e) Canadian Occupational Performance Measure to identify performance and satisfaction in performing activities in the areas of self-care, productivity, and leisure.

Inclusion Criteria:have a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and be in stage 1-3, consistent with a mild and moderate disability;be aged between 20 years old to 59 years old;be on stable use of medication;no cognitive impairment or dementia;be minimally capable of imagining motor activities;present motor alteration in the dominant upper limb;have signed the Informed Consent Form.Exclusion Criteria:not present additional central nervous system disorders or other conditions that may affect upper and lower extremity function;present with other uncontrolled chronic conditions that may interfere with the participant's safety.