Background: Bell’s palsy is an acute, idiopathic, unilateral facial nerve paralysis that results in facial asymmetry, synkinesis, and emotional distress. Physiotherapy aims to restore neuromuscular control and prevent maladaptive recoveries. Mirror Effect Plus Protocol (MEPP) integrates motor imagery, mirror therapy, and task-specific retraining to enhance cortical reorganization and facial symmetry.Objective: To systematically review and evaluate the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of MEPP in Bell’s palsy rehabilitation.Methods: Literature was reviewed following the PRISMA guidelines using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Eligible studies included pilot, randomized, and developmental studies involving MEPP interventions in Bell’s palsy rehabilitation between 2020 and 2024.Results: Seven key studies (six publications and one conference report) met the inclusion criteria. Results consistently indicated that MEPP promotes faster recovery, greater facial symmetry, and reduced synkinesis compared with standard care. This approach demonstrated strong patient adherence, feasibility, and satisfaction.Conclusion: MEPP represents a promising integrative physiotherapy framework for Bell’s palsy rehabilitation, enhancing neuroplastic recovery through motor imagery, proprioceptive retraining, and visual feedback. Further large-scale randomized trials are warranted to standardize the protocols and confirm the long-term outcomes.
Jha et al. (Mon,) studied this question.