Progress in the application of motor imagery training for full-cycle upper limb function rehabilitation of stroke patients

Stroke is a disease with a high disability rate， and often leads to limb dysfunction， especially upper limb motor dysfunction， which significantly affects the patients’ abilities and quality of life. With patients' increasing demand for functional recovery， various therapeutic techniques of rehabilitation medicine have been rapidly developed. As an important active central intervention technology， motor imagery training can be initiated by the patient's brain and activate the sensorimotor network to accelerate the repair of limb functions. The development of preventive medicine has promoted the continuous evolution of the concept of rehabilitation. The strategies of full cycle functional protection and disability prevention have been improved and developed in the clinical and scientific research practice of upper limb rehabilitation after stroke. The motor imagery training can activate the upper limb motor neural network in the early stage of stroke to prevent functional loss； In the recovery period， it can accelerate the neural function remodeling and reduce the upper limb disability； In the later stage after stroke， it can improve the performance of upper limb function in daily life， thus helping patients return to family life and society. This article reviews the research progress in recent years in China and abroad in the application of motor imagery training for the full cycle function protection and disability prevention of stroke.