Modulating the motor system by action observation in right Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: an fMRI study

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a major cause of motor disability in children. Among CP children, approximately one third is affected by Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy (HCP), resulting in abnormal motor function of one body side. In recent years, it hab been suggested that the systematic use of observation of goal-directed actions followed by their execution (Action Observation Treatment, AOT) may become a rehabilitative strategy that improves the process of functional recovery in patients with stroke, Parkinson Disease and in orthopedic patients. AOT has been found effective also in HCP children