ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the effects of action observation therapy based on mirror neuron theory on upper-extremity motor function and performance in activities of daily living(ADL) after stroke.Methods Eightyone stroke patients were randomly assigned to an observational group (41 cases) or a control group (40cases).Both groups received conventional rehabilitation,and the observational group also received action observation therapy for 16 weeks,10 times per week.Upper-extremity motor function and ADL performance were assessed before treatment using the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) and the Barthel index (BI) and then again after 4,8 and 16 weeks of treatment.Results The average FMA scores and BI scores in the observational group at the 4th week (32.50 ± 9.32 and 67.41 ± 16.81),the 8th week (36.35 ± 8.32 and 78.74 ± 15.63) and the 16 th week (41.32 ± 13.45 and 93.85 ± 13.45) had increased significantly compared with the pre-treatment assessment and were significantly better than at the same time point for the control group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Action observation therapy based on mirror neuron theory can promote the recovery of upper-extremity motor function and ADL performance after stroke.