Action observation therapy in pediatric patients with neuromotor deficits of the upper limbs secondary to central nervous system tumors. Issue 6 (December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chisari, Marco; Sensi, Raffaella; Clerici, Carlo Alfredo; Gariboldi, Fulvia Angela; Spreafico, Filippo; Biassoni, Veronica; Schiavello, Elisabetta; Gasparini, Patrizia; Caraceni, Augusto Tommaso; Ferrari, Andrea; Massimino, Maura
• Is Part Of: Tumori. Volume 105:Issue 6(2019)
• Page Start: NP75
• Page End: NP78
• Publication Date: 2019-12
• Subjects: Action observation therapy -- rehabilitative therapy -- mirror neurons -- central nervous system tumors -- upper limb -- neuromotor deficits; Cancer -- Periodicals; 616.994
• DOI: 10.1177/0300891619880603
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0300-8916

Abstract

This study reports a case series of patients with upper limb neuromotor deficits following pediatric central nervous system tumor and treated with rehabilitative therapy according to action observation therapy (AOT). AOT is based on the "mirror neurons" system and had positive results in various non-oncologic neurologic pathologies. This study is the first experience in the oncology field, and included 6 patients, 4 of whom were fully evaluated at 6-month follow-up. In all patients, therapy showed improvement in all assessment tests. These promising results lead to further studies to confirm their effectiveness.