Action observation facilitates practice-induced encoding of a motor memory

Introduction: Motor practice is associated with the formation of elementary motor memories. Here, we tested the hypothesis that observation of a motor training associated with physical training (concurrent imitation) will enhance the encoding process of a motor memory relative to physical training alone. Methods: Ten healthy subjects (4 women, 31±8 years) participated in three different sessions that evaluated the ability to modify the direction of thumb movements elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the contralateral primary motor cortex (MI). In condition a, subjects practiced voluntary thumb…