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Krüger B, Hegele M, Rieger M. The multisensory nature of human action imagery. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 88:1870-1882. [PMID: 36441293 PMCID: PMC11315721 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-022-01771-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Imagination can appeal to all our senses and may, therefore, manifest in very different qualities (e.g., visual, tactile, proprioceptive, or kinesthetic). One line of research addresses action imagery that refers to a process by which people imagine the execution of an action without actual body movements. In action imagery, visual and kinesthetic aspects of the imagined action are particularly important. However, other sensory modalities may also play a role. The purpose of the paper will be to address issues that include: (i) the creation of an action image, (ii) how the brain generates images of movements and actions, (iii) the richness and vividness of action images. We will further address possible causes that determine the sensory impression of an action image, like task specificity, instruction and experience. In the end, we will outline open questions and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britta Krüger
- Neuromotor Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Sport Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Kugelberg 62, 35394, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Mathias Hegele
- Neuromotor Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Sport Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Kugelberg 62, 35394, Giessen, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Philipps University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Martina Rieger
- Institute for Psychology, UMIT Tirol-University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall in Tyrol, Austria
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2
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Simonelli F, Handjaras G, Benuzzi F, Bernardi G, Leo A, Duzzi D, Cecchetti L, Nichelli PF, Porro CA, Pietrini P, Ricciardi E, Lui F. Sensitivity and specificity of the action observation network to kinematics, target object, and gesture meaning. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26762. [PMID: 39037079 PMCID: PMC11261593 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Hierarchical models have been proposed to explain how the brain encodes actions, whereby different areas represent different features, such as gesture kinematics, target object, action goal, and meaning. The visual processing of action-related information is distributed over a well-known network of brain regions spanning separate anatomical areas, attuned to specific stimulus properties, and referred to as action observation network (AON). To determine the brain organization of these features, we measured representational geometries during the observation of a large set of transitive and intransitive gestures in two independent functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments. We provided evidence for a partial dissociation between kinematics, object characteristics, and action meaning in the occipito-parietal, ventro-temporal, and lateral occipito-temporal cortex, respectively. Importantly, most of the AON showed low specificity to all the explored features, and representational spaces sharing similar information content were spread across the cortex without being anatomically adjacent. Overall, our results support the notion that the AON relies on overlapping and distributed coding and may act as a unique representational space instead of mapping features in a modular and segregated manner.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Francesca Benuzzi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences and Center for Neuroscience and NeurotechnologyUniversity of Modena and Reggio EmiliaModenaItaly
| | | | - Andrea Leo
- IMT School for Advanced Studies LuccaLuccaItaly
| | - Davide Duzzi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences and Center for Neuroscience and NeurotechnologyUniversity of Modena and Reggio EmiliaModenaItaly
| | | | - Paolo F. Nichelli
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences and Center for Neuroscience and NeurotechnologyUniversity of Modena and Reggio EmiliaModenaItaly
| | - Carlo A. Porro
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences and Center for Neuroscience and NeurotechnologyUniversity of Modena and Reggio EmiliaModenaItaly
| | | | | | - Fausta Lui
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences and Center for Neuroscience and NeurotechnologyUniversity of Modena and Reggio EmiliaModenaItaly
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3
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Grilc N, Valappil AC, Tillin NA, Mian OS, Wright DJ, Holmes PS, Castelli F, Bruton AM. Motor imagery drives the effects of combined action observation and motor imagery on corticospinal excitability for coordinative lower-limb actions. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13057. [PMID: 38844650 PMCID: PMC11156847 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63758-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Combined action observation and motor imagery (AOMI) facilitates corticospinal excitability (CSE) and may potentially induce plastic-like changes in the brain in a similar manner to physical practice. This study used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to explore changes in CSE for AOMI of coordinative lower-limb actions. Twenty-four healthy adults completed two baseline (BLH, BLNH) and three AOMI conditions, where they observed a knee extension while simultaneously imagining the same action (AOMICONG), plantarflexion (AOMICOOR-FUNC), or dorsiflexion (AOMICOOR-MOVE). Motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes were recorded as a marker of CSE for all conditions from two knee extensor, one dorsi flexor, and two plantar flexor muscles following TMS to the right leg representation of the left primary motor cortex. A main effect for experimental condition was reported for all three muscle groups. MEP amplitudes were significantly greater in the AOMICONG condition compared to the BLNH condition (p = .04) for the knee extensors, AOMICOOR-FUNC condition compared to the BLH condition (p = .03) for the plantar flexors, and AOMICOOR-MOVE condition compared to the two baseline conditions for the dorsi flexors (ps ≤ .01). The study findings support the notion that changes in CSE are driven by the imagined actions during coordinative AOMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neza Grilc
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, HNZW 271, Heinz Wolff Building, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | | | - Neale A Tillin
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | - Omar S Mian
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | - David J Wright
- School of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Paul S Holmes
- Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Federico Castelli
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | - Adam M Bruton
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, HNZW 271, Heinz Wolff Building, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK.
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK.
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Weidler T, Goebel R, Senden M. AngoraPy: A Python toolkit for modeling anthropomorphic goal-driven sensorimotor systems. Front Neuroinform 2023; 17:1223687. [PMID: 38204578 PMCID: PMC10777840 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2023.1223687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Goal-driven deep learning increasingly supplements classical modeling approaches in computational neuroscience. The strength of deep neural networks as models of the brain lies in their ability to autonomously learn the connectivity required to solve complex and ecologically valid tasks, obviating the need for hand-engineered or hypothesis-driven connectivity patterns. Consequently, goal-driven models can generate hypotheses about the neurocomputations underlying cortical processing that are grounded in macro- and mesoscopic anatomical properties of the network's biological counterpart. Whereas, goal-driven modeling is already becoming prevalent in the neuroscience of perception, its application to the sensorimotor domain is currently hampered by the complexity of the methods required to train models comprising the closed sensation-action loop. This paper describes AngoraPy, a Python library that mitigates this obstacle by providing researchers with the tools necessary to train complex recurrent convolutional neural networks that model the human sensorimotor system. To make the technical details of this toolkit more approachable, an illustrative example that trains a recurrent toy model on in-hand object manipulation accompanies the theoretical remarks. An extensive benchmark on various classical, 3D robotic, and anthropomorphic control tasks demonstrates AngoraPy's general applicability to a wide range of tasks. Together with its ability to adaptively handle custom architectures, the flexibility of this toolkit demonstrates its power for goal-driven sensorimotor modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tonio Weidler
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Rainer Goebel
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Mario Senden
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
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Di Corrado D, Francavilla VC, La Paglia R, Parisi MC, Buscemi A, Coco M. Short-Term Effects of Specific Sensorimotor Training on Postural Assessment in Healthy Individuals: A Pilot Study with a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol 2023; 8:jfmk8020046. [PMID: 37092378 PMCID: PMC10123614 DOI: 10.3390/jfmk8020046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well-known that sensorimotor training aims to increase the performance of the sensorimotor system to maintain an upright position. Through the use of a randomized placebo-controlled trial, the specific aim of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of a specific session of sensorimotor training on postural balance, stability and coordination in healthy, recreationally active participants. Ninety subjects were randomly allocated into three groups: experimental (n = 30), placebo (n = 32) and control (n = 28). The experimental group performed a 5 min warm-up, with the sensorimotor training consisting of 60-min specific sensorimotor exercises; the control group was not allowed to perform any sensorimotor training; the placebo group observed a video clip of an individual belonging to the experimental group performing the sensorimotor training accurately. All participants were seen three times per week for 4 weeks. Before and after the entire training, all groups of participants undertook stabilometric parameter assessment. The intervention-mediated sensorimotor training confirmed significant enhancement in the proprioceptive system. Significant improvement in the motor and/or sensory function was observed in the experimental and placebo groups. In conclusion, our findings suggest that specific sensorimotor training performed 3 days per week for 4 weeks could improve postural balance, stability and coordination in healthy individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donatella Di Corrado
- Department of Sport Sciences, Kore University, Cittadella Universitaria, 94100 Enna, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Andrea Buscemi
- Study Center of Italian Osteopathy and Horus Social Cooperative, 95100 Catania, Italy
| | - Marinella Coco
- Department of Education Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
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Sato Y, Nishimaru H, Matsumoto J, Setogawa T, Nishijo H. Electroencephalographic Effective Connectivity Analysis of the Neural Networks during Gesture and Speech Production Planning in Young Adults. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13010100. [PMID: 36672081 PMCID: PMC9856316 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13010100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gestures and speech, as linked communicative expressions, form an integrated system. Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have suggested that neural networks for gesture and spoken word production share similar brain regions consisting of fronto-temporo-parietal brain regions. However, information flow within the neural network may dynamically change during the planning of two communicative expressions and also differ between them. To investigate dynamic information flow in the neural network during the planning of gesture and spoken word generation in this study, participants were presented with spatial images and were required to plan the generation of gestures or spoken words to represent the same spatial situations. The evoked potentials in response to spatial images were recorded to analyze the effective connectivity within the neural network. An independent component analysis of the evoked potentials indicated 12 clusters of independent components, the dipoles of which were located in the bilateral fronto-temporo-parietal brain regions and on the medial wall of the frontal and parietal lobes. Comparison of effective connectivity indicated that information flow from the right middle cingulate gyrus (MCG) to the left supplementary motor area (SMA) and from the left SMA to the left precentral area increased during gesture planning compared with that of word planning. Furthermore, information flow from the right MCG to the left superior frontal gyrus also increased during gesture planning compared with that of word planning. These results suggest that information flow to the brain regions for hand praxis is more strongly activated during gesture planning than during word planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Sato
- Department of System Emotional Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nishimaru
- Department of System Emotional Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science (RCIBS), University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Jumpei Matsumoto
- Department of System Emotional Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science (RCIBS), University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Setogawa
- Department of System Emotional Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science (RCIBS), University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Hisao Nishijo
- Department of System Emotional Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science (RCIBS), University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
- Correspondence:
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Chye S, Valappil AC, Wright DJ, Frank C, Shearer DA, Tyler CJ, Diss CE, Mian OS, Tillin NA, Bruton AM. The effects of combined action observation and motor imagery on corticospinal excitability and movement outcomes: Two meta-analyses. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 143:104911. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Emerson JR, Scott MW, van Schaik P, Butcher N, Kenny RPW, Eaves DL. A neural signature for combined action observation and motor imagery? An fNIRS study into prefrontal activation, automatic imitation, and self-other perceptions. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2407. [PMID: 34994997 PMCID: PMC8865155 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Research indicates that both observed and imagined actions can be represented in the brain as two parallel sensorimotor representations. One proposal is that higher order cognitive processes would align these two hypothetical action simulations. METHODS We investigated this hypothesis using an automatic imitation paradigm, with functional near-infrared spectroscopy recordings over the prefrontal cortex during different motor simulation states. On each trial, participants (n = 14) observed a picture of a rhythmical action (instructed action) followed by a distractor movie showing the same or different action. Participants then executed the instructed action. Distractor actions were manipulated to be fast or slow, and instructions were manipulated during distractor presentation: action observation (AO), combined action observation and motor imagery (AO+MI) and observe to imitate (intentional imitation). A pure motor imagery (MI) condition was also included. RESULTS Kinematic analyses showed that although distractor speed effects were significant under all instructions (shorter mean cycle times in execution for fast compared to slow trials), this imitation bias was significantly stronger for combined AO+MI than both AO and MI, and stronger for intentional imitation than the other three automatic imitation conditions. In the left prefrontal cortex, cerebral oxygenation was significantly greater for combined AO+MI than all other instructions. Participants reported that their representation of the self overlapped with the observed model significantly more during AO+MI than AO. CONCLUSION Left prefrontal activation may therefore be a neural signature of AO+MI, supporting attentional switching between concurrent representations of self (MI, top-down) and other (AO, bottom-up) to increase imitation and perceived closeness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R Emerson
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK
| | - Matthew W Scott
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK.,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social Care, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Paul van Schaik
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK
| | - Natalie Butcher
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK
| | - Ryan P W Kenny
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
| | - Daniel L Eaves
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK.,Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
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Crivelli D, Di Ruocco M, Balena A, Balconi M. The Empowering Effect of Embodied Awareness Practice on Body Structural Map and Sensorimotor Activity: The Case of Feldenkrais Method. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11121599. [PMID: 34942901 PMCID: PMC8699347 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11121599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
While outcomes of embodied awareness practices in terms of improved posture and flexibility, movement efficiency, and well-being are often reported, systematic investigations of such training effects and of the actual nature, extent, and neurofunctional correlates of learning mechanisms thought to lie at the core of such practices are very limited. The present study focused on the Feldenkrais method (FM), one of the most established embodied awareness practices, and aimed at investigating the neurofunctional outcomes of the somatic learning process at the core of the method by testing the modulations induced by a standardized FM protocol on the complexity of practicers’ body structural map and on the activity of their sensorimotor network during different movement-related tasks (i.e., gestures observation, execution, and imagery). Twenty-five participants were randomly divided into an experimental group—which completed a 28-session FM protocol based on guided group practice—and a control group, and underwent pre-/post-training psychometric and electrophysiological assessment. Data analysis highlighted, at the end of the FM protocol, a significant increase of EEG markers of cortical activation (task-related mu desynchronization) in precentral regions during action observation and in central regions during action execution and imagery. Also, posterior regions of the sensorimotor network showed systematic activation during all the action-related tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Crivelli
- International Research Center for Cognitive Applied Neuroscience (IrcCAN), Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 20123 Milan, Italy;
- Research Unit in Affective and Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 20123 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-(0)272345929
| | | | - Alessandra Balena
- Sesto Senso Feldenkrais Association, 20129 Milan, Italy; (M.D.R.); (A.B.)
| | - Michela Balconi
- International Research Center for Cognitive Applied Neuroscience (IrcCAN), Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 20123 Milan, Italy;
- Research Unit in Affective and Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 20123 Milan, Italy
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10
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Copelli F, Rovetti J, Ammirante P, Russo FA. Human mirror neuron system responsivity to unimodal and multimodal presentations of action. Exp Brain Res 2021; 240:537-548. [PMID: 34817643 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06266-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to clarify unresolved questions from two earlier studies by McGarry et al. Exp Brain Res 218(4): 527-538, 2012 and Kaplan and Iacoboni Cogn Process 8: 103-113, 2007 on human mirror neuron system (hMNS) responsivity to multimodal presentations of actions. These questions are: (1) whether the two frontal areas originally identified by Kaplan and Iacoboni (ventral premotor cortex [vPMC] and inferior frontal gyrus [IFG]) are both part of the hMNS (i.e., do they respond to execution as well as observation), (2) whether both areas yield effects of biologicalness (biological, control) and modality (audio, visual, audiovisual), and (3) whether the vPMC is preferentially responsive to multimodal input. To resolve these questions about the hMNS, we replicated and extended McGarry et al.'s electroencephalography (EEG) study, while incorporating advanced source localization methods. Participants were asked to execute movements (ripping paper) as well as observe those movements across the same three modalities (audio, visual, and audiovisual), all while 64-channel EEG data was recorded. Two frontal sources consistent with those identified in prior studies showed mu event-related desynchronization (mu-ERD) under execution and observation conditions. These sources also showed a greater response to biological movement than to control stimuli as well as a distinct visual advantage, with greater responsivity to visual and audiovisual compared to audio conditions. Exploratory analyses of mu-ERD in the vPMC under visual and audiovisual observation conditions suggests that the hMNS tracks the magnitude of visual movement over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fran Copelli
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joseph Rovetti
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Paolo Ammirante
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Frank A Russo
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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11
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See KB, Arpin DJ, Vaillancourt DE, Fang R, Coombes SA. Unraveling somatotopic organization in the human brain using machine learning and adaptive supervoxel-based parcellations. Neuroimage 2021; 245:118710. [PMID: 34780917 PMCID: PMC9008369 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to the well-established somatotopy in the pre- and post-central gyrus, there is now strong evidence that somatotopic organization is evident across other regions in the sensorimotor network. This raises several experimental questions: To what extent is activity in the sensorimotor network effector-dependent and effector-independent? How important is the sensorimotor cortex when predicting the motor effector? Is there redundancy in the distributed somatotopically organized network such that removing one region has little impact on classification accuracy? To answer these questions, we developed a novel experimental approach. fMRI data were collected while human subjects performed a precisely controlled force generation task separately with their hand, foot, and mouth. We used a simple linear iterative clustering (SLIC) algorithm to segment whole-brain beta coefficient maps to build an adaptive brain parcellation and then classified effectors using extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) based on parcellations at various spatial resolutions. This allowed us to understand how data-driven adaptive brain parcellation granularity altered classification accuracy. Results revealed effector-dependent activity in regions of the post-central gyrus, precentral gyrus, and paracentral lobule. SMA, regions of the inferior and superior parietal lobule, and cerebellum each contained effector-dependent and effector-independent representations. Machine learning analyses showed that increasing the spatial resolution of the data-driven model increased classification accuracy, which reached 94% with 1755 supervoxels. Our SLIC-based supervoxel parcellation outperformed classification analyses using established brain templates and random simulations. Occlusion experiments further demonstrated redundancy across the sensorimotor network when classifying effectors. Our observations extend our understanding of effector-dependent and effector-independent organization within the human brain and provide new insight into the functional neuroanatomy required to predict the motor effector used in a motor control task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle B See
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, Smart Medical Informatics Learning and Evaluation Lab, College of Engineering, University of Florida, PO Box 116131, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - David J Arpin
- Laboratory for Rehabilitation Neuroscience, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, PO Box 118206, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - David E Vaillancourt
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, Smart Medical Informatics Learning and Evaluation Lab, College of Engineering, University of Florida, PO Box 116131, Gainesville, FL, United States; Laboratory for Rehabilitation Neuroscience, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, PO Box 118206, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Ruogu Fang
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, Smart Medical Informatics Learning and Evaluation Lab, College of Engineering, University of Florida, PO Box 116131, Gainesville, FL, United States; Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
| | - Stephen A Coombes
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, Smart Medical Informatics Learning and Evaluation Lab, College of Engineering, University of Florida, PO Box 116131, Gainesville, FL, United States; Laboratory for Rehabilitation Neuroscience, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, PO Box 118206, Gainesville, FL, United States.
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12
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Decoding grip type and action goal during the observation of reaching-grasping actions: A multivariate fMRI study. Neuroimage 2021; 243:118511. [PMID: 34450263 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
During execution and observation of reaching-grasping actions, the brain must encode, at the same time, the final action goal and the type of grip necessary to achieve it. Recently, it has been proposed that the Mirror Neuron System (MNS) is involved not only in coding the final goal of the observed action, but also the type of grip used to grasp the object. However, the specific contribution of the different areas of the MNS, at both cortical and subcortical level, in disentangling action goal and grip type is still unclear. Here, twenty human volunteers participated in an fMRI study in which they performed two tasks: (a) observation of four different types of actions, consisting in reaching-to-grasp a box handle with two possible grips (precision, hook) and two possible goals (open, close); (b) action execution, in which participants performed grasping actions similar to those presented during the observation task. A conjunction analysis revealed the presence of shared activated voxels for both action observation and execution within several cortical areas including dorsal and ventral premotor cortex, inferior and superior parietal cortex, intraparietal sulcus, primary somatosensory cortex, and cerebellar lobules VI and VIII. ROI analyses showed a main effect for grip type in several premotor and parietal areas and cerebellar lobule VI, with higher BOLD activation during observation of precision vs hook actions. A grip x goal interaction was also present in the left inferior parietal cortex, with higher BOLD activity during precision-to-close actions. A multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) revealed a significant accuracy for the grip model in all ROIs, while for the action goal model, significant accuracy was observed only for left inferior parietal cortex ROI. These findings indicate that a large network involving cortical and cerebellar areas is involved in the processing of type of grip, while final action goal appears to be mainly processed within the inferior parietal region, suggesting a differential contribution of the areas activated in this study.
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13
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Using motor imagery practice for improving motor performance - A review. Brain Cogn 2021; 150:105705. [PMID: 33652364 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2021.105705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Motor imagery practice is a current trend, but there is a need for a systematic integration of neuroscientific advances in the field. In this review, we describe the technique of motor imagery practice and its neural representation, considering different fields of application. The current practice of individualized motor imagery practice schemes often lacks systematization and is mostly based on experience. We review literature related to motor imagery practice in order to identify relevant modulators of practice effects like previous experience in motor training and motor imagery practice, the type of motor task to be trained, and strategies to increase sensory feedback during physical practice. Relevant discrepancies are identified between neuroscientific findings and practical consideration of these findings. To bridge these gaps, more effort should be directed at analyzing the brain network activities related to practically relevant motor imagery practice interventions.
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14
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Mekbib DB, Debeli DK, Zhang L, Fang S, Shao Y, Yang W, Han J, Jiang H, Zhu J, Zhao Z, Cheng R, Ye X, Zhang J, Xu D. A novel fully immersive virtual reality environment for upper extremity rehabilitation in patients with stroke. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2021; 1493:75-89. [PMID: 33442915 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Given the rising incidence of stroke, several technology-driven methods for rehabilitation have recently been developed. Virtual reality (VR) is a promising therapeutic technology among them. We recently developed a neuroscientifically grounded VR system to aid recovery of motor function poststroke. The developed system provides unilateral and bilateral upper extremity (UE) training in a fully immersive virtual environment that may stimulate and activate mirror neurons (MNs) in the brain necessary for UE rehabilitation. Twenty-three participants were randomized to a VR group (n = 12) to receive VR intervention (8 h within 2 weeks) plus 8-h occupational therapy (OT) or a control group (n = 11) to receive time-matched OT alone. Treatment effects on motor recovery and cortical reorganization were investigated using the Barthel Index (BI), Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity (FM-UE), and resting-state fMRI. Both groups significantly improved BI (P < 0.05), reflecting the recovery of UE motor function. The VR group revealed significant improvements on FM-UE scores (P < 0.05) than the control group. Neural activity increased after the intervention, particularly in the brain areas implicating MNs, such as in the primary motor cortex. Overall, results suggested that using a neuroscientifically grounded VR system might offer additional benefits for UE rehabilitation in patients receiving OT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Destaw B Mekbib
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology (ZIINT), College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dereje Kebebew Debeli
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shan Fang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuling Shao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiawei Han
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongjie Jiang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Junming Zhu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyong Zhao
- MOE & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (East China Normal University), Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ruidong Cheng
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangming Ye
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianmin Zhang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dongrong Xu
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University & New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City, New York
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15
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Practice modality of motor sequences impacts the neural signature of motor imagery. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19176. [PMID: 33154478 PMCID: PMC7645615 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76214-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor imagery is conceptualized as an internal simulation that uses motor-related parts of the brain as its substrate. Many studies have investigated this sharing of common neural resources between the two modalities of motor imagery and motor execution. They have shown overlapping but not identical activation patterns that thereby result in a modality-specific neural signature. However, it is not clear how far this neural signature depends on whether the imagined action has previously been practiced physically or only imagined. The present study aims to disentangle whether the neural imprint of an imagined manual pointing sequence within cortical and subcortical motor areas is determined by the nature of this prior practice modality. Each participant practiced two sequences physically, practiced two other sequences mentally, and did a behavioural pre-test without any further practice on a third pair of sequences. After a two-week practice intervention, participants underwent fMRI scans while imagining all six sequences. Behavioural data demonstrated practice-related effects as well as very good compliance with instructions. Functional MRI data confirmed the previously known motor imagery network. Crucially, we found that mental and physical practice left a modality-specific footprint during mental motor imagery. In particular, activation within the right posterior cerebellum was stronger when the imagined sequence had previously been practiced physically. We conclude that cerebellar activity is shaped specifically by the nature of the prior practice modality.
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16
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Mekbib DB, Zhao Z, Wang J, Xu B, Zhang L, Cheng R, Fang S, Shao Y, Yang W, Han J, Jiang H, Zhu J, Ye X, Zhang J, Xu D. Proactive Motor Functional Recovery Following Immersive Virtual Reality-Based Limb Mirroring Therapy in Patients with Subacute Stroke. Neurotherapeutics 2020; 17:1919-1930. [PMID: 32671578 PMCID: PMC7851292 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-020-00882-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) is considered to be a promising therapeutic technology for the rehabilitation of upper extremities (UEs) post-stroke. Recently, we designed and then implemented a neuroscientifically grounded VR protocol for the rehabilitation of patients with stroke. The system provides unilateral and bilateral limb mirroring exercises in a fully immersive virtual environment that may stimulate and activate the mirror neuron system in the brain to help patients for their rehabilitation. Twelve patients with subacute stroke underwent the newly implemented VR treatment in addition to conventional rehabilitation for 8 consecutive weekdays. The treatment effect on brain reorganization and motor function was investigated using resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) and the Fugl-Meyer assessment for Upper Extremity (FM-UE), respectively. Fifteen healthy controls (HCs) also underwent rs-fMRI scanning one time. The study finally obtained usable data from 8 patients and 13 HCs. After the intervention, patients demonstrated significant improvement in their FM-UE scores (p values < 0.042). Voxel-wise functional connectivity (FC) analysis based on the rs-fMRI data found that HCs showed widespread bilateral FC patterns associated with the dominant hemispheric primary motor cortex (M1). However, the FC patterns in patients revealed intra-hemispheric association with the ipsilesional M1 seed and this association became visible in the contra-hemisphere after the intervention. Moreover, the change of FC values between the bilateral M1 was significantly correlated with the changes in FM-UE scores (p values < 0.037). We conclude that unilateral and bilateral limb mirroring exercise in an immersive virtual environment may enhance cortical reorganization and lead to improved motor function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Destaw B Mekbib
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Zhiyong Zhao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200064, China
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University & New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Jianbao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China
- Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology,, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310029, China
| | - Bin Xu
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Ruiding Cheng
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Shan Fang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Yuling Shao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Jiawei Han
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China
| | - Hongjie Jiang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China
| | - Junming Zhu
- Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology,, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310029, China.
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China.
| | - Xiangming Ye
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Jianmin Zhang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China
| | - Dongrong Xu
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University & New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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17
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Balconi M, Fronda G, Bartolo A. Affective, Social, and Informative Gestures Reproduction in Human Interaction: Hyperscanning and Brain Connectivity. J Mot Behav 2020; 53:296-315. [PMID: 32525458 DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2020.1774490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Gestural communication characterizes daily individuals' interactions in order to share information and to modify others' behavior. Social neuroscience has investigated the neural bases which support recognizing of different gestures. The present research, through the use of the hyperscanning approach, that allows the simultaneously recording of the activity of two or more individuals involved in a joint action, aims to investigate the neural bases of gestural communication. Moreover, by using hyperscanning paradigm we explore the inter-brain connectivity between two inter-agents, the one who performed the gesture (encoder) and the one who received it (decoder), with functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) during the reproduction of affective, social and informative gestures with positive and negative valence. Result showed an increase in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (O2Hb) and inter-brain connectivity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for affective gestures, in the superior frontal gyrus (SFG) for social gestures and the frontal eye fields (FEF) for informative gestures, for both encoder and decoder. Furthermore, it emerged that positive gestures activate more the left DLPFC, with an increase in inter-brain connectivity in DLPFC and SFG. The present study revealed the relevant function of the type and valence of gestures in affecting intra- and inter-brain connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Balconi
- Research Unit in Affective and Social Neuroscience, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy.,Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Fronda
- Research Unit in Affective and Social Neuroscience, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy.,Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Bartolo
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, CHU Lille, UMR 9193 - SCALab - Sciences Cognitives et Sciences Affectives, F-59000 Lille, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), France
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18
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Real and Imagined Grasping Movements Differently Activate the Human Dorsomedial Parietal Cortex. Neuroscience 2020; 434:22-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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19
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Al-Wasity S, Vogt S, Vuckovic A, Pollick FE. Hyperalignment of motor cortical areas based on motor imagery during action observation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5362. [PMID: 32210277 PMCID: PMC7093515 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62071-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Multivariate Pattern Analysis (MVPA) has grown in importance due to its capacity to use both coarse and fine scale patterns of brain activity. However, a major limitation of multivariate analysis is the difficulty of aligning features across brains, which makes MVPA a subject specific analysis. Recent work by Haxby et al. (2011) introduced a method called Hyperalignment that explored neural activity in ventral temporal cortex during object recognition and demonstrated the ability to align individual patterns of brain activity into a common high dimensional space to facilitate Between Subject Classification (BSC). Here we examined BSC based on Hyperalignment of motor cortex during a task of motor imagery of three natural actions (lift, knock and throw). To achieve this we collected brain activity during the combined tasks of action observation and motor imagery to a parametric action space containing 25 stick-figure blends of the three natural actions. From these responses we derived Hyperalignment transformation parameters that were used to map subjects’ representational spaces of the motor imagery task in the motor cortex into a common model representational space. Results showed that BSC of the neural response patterns based on Hyperalignment exceeded both BSC based on anatomical alignment as well as a standard Within Subject Classification (WSC) approach. We also found that results were sensitive to the order in which participants entered the Hyperalignment algorithm. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of Hyperalignment to align neural responses across subject in motor cortex to enable BSC of motor imagery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salim Al-Wasity
- School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QB, UK. .,School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QB, UK. .,College of Engineering, University of Wasit, Wasit, Iraq.
| | - Stefan Vogt
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YF, UK
| | | | - Frank E Pollick
- School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QB, UK
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20
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Bruton AM, Holmes PS, Eaves DL, Franklin ZC, Wright DJ. Neurophysiological markers discriminate different forms of motor imagery during action observation. Cortex 2020; 124:119-136. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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21
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Franklin ZC, Wright DJ, Holmes PS. Using Action-congruent Language Facilitates the Motor Response during Action Observation: A Combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Eye-tracking Study. J Cogn Neurosci 2019; 32:634-645. [PMID: 31820678 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
There is evidence that action observation (AO) and the processing of action-related words are associated with increased activity in cortical motor regions. Research has examined the effects of AO and action verb processing on activity in the motor system independently. The aim of this experiment was to investigate, for the first time, the modulation of corticospinal excitability and visual attention during the concurrent processing of action verbs and AO stimuli. Twenty participants took part in an integrated transcranial magnetic stimulation and eye-tracking protocol. Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation was delivered to the hand representation of the left motor cortex during (i) observation of a static hand, (ii) AO of a hand squeezing a sponge, (iii) AO of the same action with an audio recording of the word "squeeze," and (iv) AO of the same action with an audio recording of the word "green". Motor evoked potentials were recorded from the abductor pollicis brevis and abductor digiti minimi muscles of the right hand. Eye gaze was recorded throughout the four conditions as a proxy for visual attention. Interviews were conducted to discuss participants' preferences and imagery use for each condition. The AO and action verb condition resulted in significantly increased motor evoked potential amplitudes in the abductor pollicis brevis muscle; participants also made significantly more fixations on the sponge and reported wanting to move their hand more in the action verb condition. The inclusion of auditory action verbs, alongside AO stimuli, in movement simulation interventions could have implications for the delivery of AO interventions for motor (re)learning.
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22
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Pitzalis S, Serra C, Sulpizio V, Committeri G, de Pasquale F, Fattori P, Galletti C, Sepe R, Galati G. Neural bases of self- and object-motion in a naturalistic vision. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 41:1084-1111. [PMID: 31713304 PMCID: PMC7267932 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2019] [Revised: 10/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
To plan movements toward objects our brain must recognize whether retinal displacement is due to self-motion and/or to object-motion. Here, we aimed to test whether motion areas are able to segregate these types of motion. We combined an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment, brain mapping techniques, and wide-field stimulation to study the responsivity of motion-sensitive areas to pure and combined self- and object-motion conditions during virtual movies of a train running within a realistic landscape. We observed a selective response in MT to the pure object-motion condition, and in medial (PEc, pCi, CSv, and CMA) and lateral (PIC and LOR) areas to the pure self-motion condition. Some other regions (like V6) responded more to complex visual stimulation where both object- and self-motion were present. Among all, we found that some motion regions (V3A, LOR, MT, V6, and IPSmot) could extract object-motion information from the overall motion, recognizing the real movement of the train even when the images remain still (on the screen), or moved, because of self-movements. We propose that these motion areas might be good candidates for the "flow parsing mechanism," that is the capability to extract object-motion information from retinal motion signals by subtracting out the optic flow components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Pitzalis
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy.,Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation (IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia), Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Serra
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy.,Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation (IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia), Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Sulpizio
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation (IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia), Rome, Italy.,Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgia Committeri
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, and Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies (ITAB), University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - Francesco de Pasquale
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, and Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies (ITAB), University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Patrizia Fattori
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudio Galletti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Rosamaria Sepe
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, and Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies (ITAB), University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - Gaspare Galati
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation (IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia), Rome, Italy.,Brain Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
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23
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Robin N, Toussaint L, Charles-Charlery C, Coudevylle GR. Free throw performance in non-expert basketball players: The effect of dynamic motor imagery combined with action observation. LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lmot.2019.101595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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24
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Carson RG, Buick AR. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation-promoted plasticity of the human brain. J Physiol 2019; 599:2375-2399. [PMID: 31495924 DOI: 10.1113/jp278298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to paretic limbs has demonstrated utility for motor rehabilitation following brain injury. When NMES is delivered to a mixed peripheral nerve, typically both efferent and afferent fibres are recruited. Muscle contractions brought about by the excitation of motor neurons are often used to compensate for disability by assisting actions such as the formation of hand aperture, or by preventing others including foot drop. In this context, exogenous stimulation provides a direct substitute for endogenous neural drive. The goal of the present narrative review is to describe the means through which NMES may also promote sustained adaptations within central motor pathways, leading ultimately to increases in (intrinsic) functional capacity. There is an obvious practical motivation, in that detailed knowledge concerning the mechanisms of adaptation has the potential to inform neurorehabilitation practice. In addition, responses to NMES provide a means of studying CNS plasticity at a systems level in humans. We summarize the fundamental aspects of NMES, focusing on the forms that are employed most commonly in clinical and experimental practice. Specific attention is devoted to adjuvant techniques that further promote adaptive responses to NMES thereby offering the prospect of increased therapeutic potential. The emergent theme is that an association with centrally initiated neural activity, whether this is generated in the context of NMES triggered by efferent drive or via indirect methods such as mental imagery, may in some circumstances promote the physiological changes that can be induced through peripheral electrical stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard G Carson
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.,School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK.,School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Alison R Buick
- School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK
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25
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Lee WH, Kim E, Seo HG, Oh BM, Nam HS, Kim YJ, Lee HH, Kang MG, Kim S, Bang MS. Target-oriented motor imagery for grasping action: different characteristics of brain activation between kinesthetic and visual imagery. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12770. [PMID: 31484971 PMCID: PMC6726765 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49254-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor imagery (MI) for target-oriented movements, which is a basis for functional activities of daily living, can be more appropriate than non-target-oriented MI as tasks to promote motor recovery or brain-computer interface (BCI) applications. This study aimed to explore different characteristics of brain activation among target-oriented kinesthetic imagery (KI) and visual imagery (VI) in the first-person (VI-1) and third-person (VI-3) perspectives. Eighteen healthy volunteers were evaluated for MI ability, trained for the three types of target-oriented MIs, and scanned using 3 T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) under MI and perceptual control conditions, presented in a block design. Post-experimental questionnaires were administered after fMRI. Common brain regions activated during the three types of MI were the left premotor area and inferior parietal lobule, irrespective of the MI modalities or perspectives. Contrast analyses showed significantly increased brain activation only in the contrast of KI versus VI-1 and KI versus VI-3 for considerably extensive brain regions, including the supplementary motor area and insula. Neural activity in the orbitofrontal cortex and cerebellum during VI-1 and KI was significantly correlated with MI ability measured by mental chronometry and a self-reported questionnaire, respectively. These results can provide a basis in developing MI-based protocols for neurorehabilitation to improve motor recovery and BCI training in severely paralyzed individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woo Hyung Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunkyung Kim
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Han Gil Seo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Mo Oh
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung Seok Nam
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon Jae Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Haeng Lee
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Konkuk University Hospital, 120-1 Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05030, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Gu Kang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungwan Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Bioengineering, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
| | - Moon Suk Bang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
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26
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Marshall B, Wright DJ, Holmes PS, Wood G. Combining Action Observation and Motor Imagery Improves Eye–Hand Coordination during Novel Visuomotor Task Performance. J Mot Behav 2019; 52:333-341. [DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2019.1626337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ben Marshall
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Research Centre for Musculoskeletal Science and Sports Medicine, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - David J. Wright
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Research Centre for Musculoskeletal Science and Sports Medicine, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Paul S. Holmes
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Research Centre for Musculoskeletal Science and Sports Medicine, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Greg Wood
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Research Centre for Musculoskeletal Science and Sports Medicine, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
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27
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Sakreida K, Higuchi S, Di Dio C, Ziessler M, Turgeon M, Roberts N, Vogt S. Cognitive Control Structures in the Imitation Learning of Spatial Sequences and Rhythms-An fMRI Study. Cereb Cortex 2019; 28:907-923. [PMID: 28077513 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Imitation learning involves the acquisition of novel motor patterns based on action observation (AO). We used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging to study the imitation learning of spatial sequences and rhythms during AO, motor imagery (MI), and imitative execution in nonmusicians and musicians. While both tasks engaged the fronto-parietal mirror circuit, the spatial sequence task recruited posterior parietal and dorsal premotor regions more strongly. The rhythm task involved an additional network for auditory working memory. This partial dissociation supports the concept of task-specific mirror mechanisms. Two regions of cognitive control were identified: 1) dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was found to be more strongly activated during MI of novel spatial sequences, which allowed us to extend the 2-level model of imitation learning by Buccino et al. (2004) to spatial sequences. 2) During imitative execution of both tasks, the posterior medial frontal cortex was robustly activated, along with the DLPFC, which suggests that both regions are involved in the cognitive control of imitation learning. The musicians' selective behavioral advantage for rhythm imitation was reflected cortically in enhanced sensory-motor processing during AO and by the absence of practice-related activation differences in DLPFC during rhythm execution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Sakreida
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Satomi Higuchi
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YF, UK.,Magnetic Resonance and Image Analysis Research Centre, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, UK.,Division of Ultrahigh Field MRI, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Iwate 020-8505, Japan
| | - Cinzia Di Dio
- Department of Psychology, Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 20123 Milan, Italy
| | - Michael Ziessler
- Department of Psychology, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool L16 9JD, UK
| | - Martine Turgeon
- Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation (CRIR), Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) du Centre-Est-de-l'Ile-de-Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada H2H 2N8
| | - Neil Roberts
- Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC), School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK
| | - Stefan Vogt
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YF, UK.,Magnetic Resonance and Image Analysis Research Centre, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, UK
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28
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Zabicki A, de Haas B, Zentgraf K, Stark R, Munzert J, Krüger B. Subjective vividness of motor imagery has a neural signature in human premotor and parietal cortex. Neuroimage 2019; 197:273-283. [PMID: 31051294 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.04.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor imagery (MI) is the process in which subjects imagine executing a body movement with a strong kinesthetic component from a first-person perspective. The individual capacity to elicit such mental images is not universal but varies within and between subjects. Neuroimaging studies have shown that these inter-as well as intra-individual differences in imagery quality mediate the amplitude of neural activity during MI on a group level. However, these analyses were not sensitive to forms of representation that may not map onto a simple modulation of overall amplitude. Therefore, the present study asked how far the subjective impression of motor imagery vividness is reflected by a spatial neural code, and how patterns of neural activation in different motor regions relate to specific imagery impressions. During fMRI scanning, 20 volunteers imagined three different types of right-hand actions. After each imagery trial, subjects were asked to evaluate the perceived vividness of their imagery. A correlation analysis compared the rating differences and neural dissimilarity values of the rating groups separately for each region of interest. Results showed a significant positive correlation in the left vPMC and right IPL, indicating that these regions particularly reflect perceived imagery vividness in that similar rated trials evoke more similar neural patterns. A decoding analysis revealed that the vividness of the motor image related systematically to the action specificity of neural activation patterns in left vPMC and right SPL. Imagined actions accompanied by higher vividness ratings were significantly more distinguishable within these areas. Altogether, results showed that spatial patterns of neural activity within the human motor cortices reflect the individual vividness of imagined actions. Hence, the findings reveal a link between the subjective impression of motor imagery vividness and objective physiological markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Zabicki
- Neuromotor Behavior Laboratory, Institute of Sport Sciences, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany.
| | - Benjamin de Haas
- Experimental Psychology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Karen Zentgraf
- Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany; Bender Institute of Neuroimaging, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Rudolf Stark
- Bender Institute of Neuroimaging, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Jörn Munzert
- Neuromotor Behavior Laboratory, Institute of Sport Sciences, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Britta Krüger
- Neuromotor Behavior Laboratory, Institute of Sport Sciences, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany; Bender Institute of Neuroimaging, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
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29
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Christidi F, Karavasilis E, Velonakis G, Rentzos M, Zambelis T, Zouvelou V, Xirou S, Ferentinos P, Efstathopoulos E, Kelekis N, Evdokimidis I, Karandreas N. Motor and extra-motor gray matter integrity may underlie neurophysiologic parameters of motor function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a combined voxel-based morphometry and transcranial stimulation study. Brain Imaging Behav 2019; 12:1730-1741. [PMID: 29417490 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-018-9841-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The association between gray matter (GM) density and neurophysiologic changes is still unclear in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We evaluated the relationship between GM density and motor system integrity combining voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in ALS. We included 17 ALS patients and 22 healthy controls (HC) who underwent 3D-T1-weighted imaging. Among the ALS group, we applied left motor cortex single-pulse TMS. We used whole-brain VBM comparing ALS and HC in GM density. We also conducted regression analysis to examine correlations between GM density and the following TMS parameters: motor evoked potential (MEP)/M ratio and central motor conduction time (CMCT). We found significantly decreased GM density in ALS patients in several frontal, temporal, parietal/occipital and cerebellar regions (p < 0.001 uncorrected; cluster-extent threshold k = 100 voxels per cluster). With regards to TMS parameters, ALS patients showed mostly increased MEP/M ratio and modest prolongation of CMCT. MEP/M ratio was associated with GM density in (a) rolandic operculum/inferior frontal gyrus/precentral gyrus; anterior cingulate gyrus; inferior temporal gyrus; superior parietal lobule; cuneus; superior occipital gyrus and cerebellum (positive association) and (b) paracentral lobule/supplementary motor area (negative association). CMCT was associated with GM density in (a) inferior frontal gyrus and middle cingulated gyrus (positive association) and (b) superior parietal lobule; cuneus and cerebellum (negative association). Our findings support a significant interaction between motor and extra-motor structural and functional changes and highlight that motor and extra-motor GM integrity may underlie TMS parameters of motor function in ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Foteini Christidi
- First Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, 72-74 Vas. Sophias Avenue, Athens, 11528, Greece.
| | - Efstratios Karavasilis
- Radiology and Medical Imaging Research Unit, Second Department of Radiology, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Velonakis
- Radiology and Medical Imaging Research Unit, Second Department of Radiology, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Michail Rentzos
- First Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, 72-74 Vas. Sophias Avenue, Athens, 11528, Greece
| | - Thomas Zambelis
- First Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, 72-74 Vas. Sophias Avenue, Athens, 11528, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Zouvelou
- First Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, 72-74 Vas. Sophias Avenue, Athens, 11528, Greece
| | - Sophia Xirou
- First Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, 72-74 Vas. Sophias Avenue, Athens, 11528, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Ferentinos
- Second Department of Psychiatry, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Efstathios Efstathopoulos
- Radiology and Medical Imaging Research Unit, Second Department of Radiology, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Kelekis
- Radiology and Medical Imaging Research Unit, Second Department of Radiology, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Evdokimidis
- First Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, 72-74 Vas. Sophias Avenue, Athens, 11528, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Karandreas
- First Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, 72-74 Vas. Sophias Avenue, Athens, 11528, Greece
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30
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Savaki HE, Raos V. Action perception and motor imagery: Mental practice of action. Prog Neurobiol 2019; 175:107-125. [PMID: 30711619 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2019.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Motor cognition is related to the planning and generation of actions as well as to the recognition and imagination of motor acts. Recently, there is evidence that the motor system participates not only in overt actions but also in mental processes supporting covert actions. Within this framework, we have investigated the cortical areas engaged in execution, observation, and imagination of the same action, by the use of the high resolution quantitative 14C-deoxyglucose method in monkeys and by fMRI in humans, throughout the entire primate brain. Our data demonstrated that observing or imagining an action excites virtually the same sensory-motor cortical network which supports execution of that same action. In general agreement with the results of five relevant meta-analyses that we discuss extensively, our results imply mental practice, i.e. internal rehearsal of the action including movements and their sensory effects. We suggest that we actively perceive and imagine actions by selecting and running off-line restored sensory-motor memories, by mentally simulating the actions. We provide empirical evidence that mental simulation of actions underlies motor cognition, and conceptual representations are grounded in sensory-motor codes. Motor cognition may, therefore, be embodied and modal. Finally, we consider questions regarding agency attribution and the possible causal or epiphenomenal role the involved sensory-motor network could play in motor cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen E Savaki
- Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Vassilika Vouton, 70013, Iraklion, Crete, Greece; Computational Neuroscience Group, Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Plastira N 100 str, 70013, Iraklion, Crete, Greece.
| | - Vassilis Raos
- Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Vassilika Vouton, 70013, Iraklion, Crete, Greece; Computational Neuroscience Group, Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Plastira N 100 str, 70013, Iraklion, Crete, Greece
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31
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Ptak R. The representational nature of the body schema: Comment on "Muscleless motor synergies and actions without movements: From motor neuroscience to cognitive robotics" by V. Mohan et al. Phys Life Rev 2019; 30:116-118. [PMID: 30642780 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2019.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Radek Ptak
- Division of Neurorehabilitation, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; Laboratory of Cognitive Neurorehabilitation, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Medical School, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
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32
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Vargas-Irwin CE, Feldman JM, King B, Simeral JD, Sorice BL, Oakley EM, Cash SS, Eskandar EN, Friehs GM, Hochberg LR, Donoghue JP. Watch, Imagine, Attempt: Motor Cortex Single-Unit Activity Reveals Context-Dependent Movement Encoding in Humans With Tetraplegia. Front Hum Neurosci 2018; 12:450. [PMID: 30524258 PMCID: PMC6262367 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Planning and performing volitional movement engages widespread networks in the human brain, with motor cortex considered critical to the performance of skilled limb actions. Motor cortex is also engaged when actions are observed or imagined, but the manner in which ensembles of neurons represent these volitional states (VoSs) is unknown. Here we provide direct demonstration that observing, imagining or attempting action activates shared neural ensembles in human motor cortex. Two individuals with tetraplegia (due to brainstem stroke or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS) were verbally instructed to watch, imagine, or attempt reaching actions displayed on a computer screen. Neural activity in the precentral gyrus incorporated information about both cognitive state and movement kinematics; the three conditions presented overlapping but unique, statistically distinct activity patterns. These findings demonstrate that individual neurons in human motor cortex reflect information related to sensory inputs and VoS in addition to movement features, and are a key part of a broader network linking perception and cognition to action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos E Vargas-Irwin
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.,Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Jessica M Feldman
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Brandon King
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - John D Simeral
- Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.,Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology (CfNN), Rehabilitation R&D Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, United States.,School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Brittany L Sorice
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (CNTR), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Erin M Oakley
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (CNTR), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sydney S Cash
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (CNTR), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Emad N Eskandar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Gerhard M Friehs
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Leigh R Hochberg
- Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.,Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology (CfNN), Rehabilitation R&D Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, United States.,School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.,Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (CNTR), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - John P Donoghue
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.,Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.,Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology (CfNN), Rehabilitation R&D Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, United States.,School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
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33
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Munzert J, Krüger B. Task-Specificity of Muscular Responses During Motor Imagery: Peripheral Physiological Effects and the Legacy of Edmund Jacobson. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1869. [PMID: 30356730 PMCID: PMC6189391 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor imagery has become a key issue in cognitive neuroscience and particularly in fMRI research. However, peripheral physiological effects of motor imagery were already being studied a century ago with some research hypotheses even tracing back to Washburn (1916). This review focuses on research by Edmund Jacobson in the early 1930s. Jacobsen demonstrated that peripheral physiological effects rely on task-specific instructions: Bending the right arm elicits muscular responses in the right biceps, but not in the muscles of other limbs. This review discusses how Jacobsen examined this issue in a series of studies. This scientific spadework is worth recalling here because of its methodological innovations and its forward-looking discussion that even today, continues to be relevant for prospective research on this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörn Munzert
- Neuromotor Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Sport Science, Institute of Sport Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Britta Krüger
- Neuromotor Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Sport Science, Institute of Sport Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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34
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Balconi M, Crivelli D, Cortesi L. Transitive Versus Intransitive Complex Gesture Representation: A Comparison Between Execution, Observation and Imagination by fNIRS. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 2018; 42:179-191. [PMID: 28589287 DOI: 10.1007/s10484-017-9365-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to examine cortical correlates of motor execution, motor observation and motor imagery of hand complex gestures, in particular by comparing meaningful gestures implying the use of an object (transitive action) or not (intransitive action). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to verify the presence of partial overlapping between some cortical areas involved in those different tasks. Participants were instructed to observe videos of transitive vs. intransitive gestures and then to execute or imagine them. Gesture execution was associated to greater brain activity (increased oxygenated hemoglobin levels) with respect to observation and imagination in motor areas (premotor cortex, PMC; primary sensorimotor cortex, SM1). In contrast, the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) was more relevantly involved in both execution and observation tasks compared to gesture imagination. Moreover, execution and observation of transitive gestures seemed primarily supported by similar parietal posterior areas when compared with intransitive gestures, which do not imply the presence on a object.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Balconi
- Research Unit in Affective and Social Neuroscience, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy. .,Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20123, Milan, Italy.
| | - Davide Crivelli
- Research Unit in Affective and Social Neuroscience, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy.,Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20123, Milan, Italy
| | - Livia Cortesi
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Gemelli, 1, 20123, Milan, Italy
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35
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Mu Suppression Is Sensitive to Observational Practice but Results in Different Patterns of Activation in Comparison with Physical Practice. Neural Plast 2018; 2018:8309483. [PMID: 29977281 PMCID: PMC5994302 DOI: 10.1155/2018/8309483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Research has shown the effectiveness of observational practice for motor learning, but there continues to be debate about the mechanisms underlying effectiveness. Although cortical processes can be moderated during observation, after both physical and observational practice, how these processes change with respect to behavioural measures of learning has not been studied. Here we compared short-term physical and observational practice during the acquisition and retention of a novel motor task to evaluate how each type of practice modulates EEG mu rhythm (8-13 Hz). Thirty healthy individuals were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) physical practice (PP), (2) observational practice (OP), and (3) no practice (NP) control. There were four testing stages: baseline EEG, practice, postpractice observation, and delayed retention. There was significant bilateral suppression of mu rhythm during PP but only left lateralized mu suppression during OP. In the postpractice observation phase, mu suppression was bilateral and larger after PP compared to that after OP. NP control showed no evidence of suppression and was significantly different to both the OP and PP groups. When comparing the three groups in retention, the groups did not differ with respect to tracing times, but the PP group showed fewer errors, especially in comparison to the NP group. Therefore, although the neurophysiological measures index changes in the OP group, which are similar but moderated in comparison to PP, changes in these processes are not manifest in observational practice outcomes when assessed in a delayed retention test.
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36
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Zabicki A, de Haas B, Zentgraf K, Stark R, Munzert J, Krüger B. Imagined and Executed Actions in the Human Motor System: Testing Neural Similarity Between Execution and Imagery of Actions with a Multivariate Approach. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:4523-4536. [PMID: 27600847 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Simulation theory proposes motor imagery (MI) to be a simulation based on representations also used for motor execution (ME). Nonetheless, it is unclear how far they use the same neural code. We use multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) and representational similarity analysis (RSA) to describe the neural representations associated with MI and ME within the frontoparietal motor network. During functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning, 20 volunteers imagined or executed 3 different types of right-hand actions. Results of MVPA showed that these actions as well as their modality (MI or ME) could be decoded significantly above chance from the spatial patterns of BOLD signals in premotor and posterior parietal cortices. This was also true for cross-modal decoding. Furthermore, representational dissimilarity matrices of frontal and parietal areas showed that MI and ME representations formed separate clusters, but that the representational organization of action types within these clusters was identical. For most ROIs, this pattern of results best fits with a model that assumes a low-to-moderate degree of similarity between the neural patterns associated with MI and ME. Thus, neural representations of MI and ME are neither the same nor totally distinct but exhibit a similar structural geometry with respect to different types of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Zabicki
- Institute for Sports Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, 35394, Germany
| | - Benjamin de Haas
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, WC1H 0AP, UK.,Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, WC1H 0AP, UK
| | - Karen Zentgraf
- Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Münster, Münster, 48149, Germany.,Bender Institute of Neuroimaging, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, 35394, Germany
| | - Rudolf Stark
- Bender Institute of Neuroimaging, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, 35394, Germany
| | - Jörn Munzert
- Institute for Sports Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, 35394, Germany
| | - Britta Krüger
- Institute for Sports Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, 35394, Germany.,Bender Institute of Neuroimaging, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, 35394, Germany
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37
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Bhandari A, Gagne C, Badre D. Just above Chance: Is It Harder to Decode Information from Prefrontal Cortex Hemodynamic Activity Patterns? J Cogn Neurosci 2018; 30:1473-1498. [PMID: 29877764 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is central to flexible, goal-directed cognition, and understanding its representational code is an important problem in cognitive neuroscience. In humans, multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) of fMRI blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) measurements has emerged as an important approach for studying neural representations. Many previous studies have implicitly assumed that MVPA of fMRI BOLD is just as effective in decoding information encoded in PFC neural activity as it is in visual cortex. However, MVPA studies of PFC have had mixed success. Here we estimate the base rate of decoding information from PFC BOLD activity patterns from a meta-analysis of published MVPA studies. We show that PFC has a significantly lower base rate (55.4%) than visual areas in occipital (66.6%) and temporal (71.0%) cortices and one that is close to chance levels. Our results have implications for the design and interpretation of MVPA studies of PFC and raise important questions about its functional organization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David Badre
- Brown University.,Carney Institute for Brain Science, Providence, RI
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38
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Pokorny JJ, Hatt NV, Rogers SJ, Rivera SM. What Are You Doing With That Object? Comparing the Neural Responses of Action Understanding in Adolescents With and Without Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 48:809-823. [PMID: 29168088 PMCID: PMC5826790 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3338-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Understanding another's actions, including what they are doing and why they are doing it, can be difficult for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This understanding is supported by the action observation (AON) and mentalizing (MZN) networks, as well as the superior temporal sulcus. We examined these areas in children with ASD and typically developing controls by having participants view eating and placing actions performed in conventional and unconventional ways while functional magnetic resonance images were collected. We found an effect of action-type, but not conventionality, in both groups, and a between groups difference only when viewing conventional eating actions. Findings suggest there are not global AON/MZN deficits in ASD, and observing unconventional actions may not spontaneously activate the MZN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer J Pokorny
- The MIND (Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) Institute, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95618, USA
| | - Naomi V Hatt
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95618, USA
| | - Sally J Rogers
- The MIND (Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) Institute, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Susan M Rivera
- The MIND (Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) Institute, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95618, USA.
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Wu H, Tang H, Ge Y, Yang S, Mai X, Luo YJ, Liu C. Object words modulate the activity of the mirror neuron system during action imitation. Brain Behav 2017; 7:e00840. [PMID: 29201543 PMCID: PMC5698860 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Revised: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although research has demonstrated that the mirror neuron system (MNS) plays a crucial role in both action imitation and action-related semantic processing, whether action-related words can inversely modulate the MNS activity remains unclear. METHODS Here, three types of task-irrelevant words (body parts, verbs, and manufactured objects) were presented to examine the modulation effect of these words on the MNS activity during action observation and imitation. Twenty-two participants were recruited for the fMRI scanning and remaining data from 19 subjects were reported here. RESULTS Brain activity results showed that word types elicited different modulation effects over nodes of the MNS (i.e., the right inferior frontal gyrus, premotor cortex, inferior parietal lobule, and STS), especially during the imitation stage. Compared with other word conditions, action imitation following manufactured objects words induced stronger activation in these brain regions during the imitation stage. These results were consistent in both task-dependent and -independent ROI analysis. CONCLUSION Our findings thus provide evidence for the unique effect of object words on the MNS during imitation of action, which may also confirm the key role of goal inference in action imitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science Beijing China.,Department of Psychology University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China.,State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research Beijing Normal University Beijing China
| | - Honghong Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research Beijing Normal University Beijing China.,School of Economics and Business Administration Beijing Normal University Beijing China
| | - Yue Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research Beijing Normal University Beijing China.,Beijing Institution of Biomedicine Beijing China
| | - Suyong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Exercise and Health Sciences of Ministry of Education Shanghai University of Sport Shanghai China
| | - Xiaoqin Mai
- Department of Psychology Renmin University of China Beijing China
| | - Yue-Jia Luo
- Institute of Affective and Social Neuroscience Shenzhen University Shenzhen Guangdong China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research Beijing Normal University Beijing China.,Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences Beijing Normal University Beijing China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics Beijing Normal University Beijing China
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40
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Karlinsky A, Zentgraf K, Hodges NJ. Action-skilled observation: Issues for the study of sport expertise and the brain. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2017; 234:263-289. [PMID: 29031467 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2017.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
With a growing body of research devoted to uncovering regions of the brain implicated in action observation following various action-related experiences, including sport, we ask what we know from this research, and what we still need to know, as it pertains to sport and the brain. To do this, we review and integrate knowledge garnered from developmental work, short-term motor learning studies, and most significantly sport athletes across varying skill levels. We consider various neurophysiological methods, including TMS, fMRI, and EEG, which have been used to help uncover brain regions involved in action-skilled observation. We are particularly interested in how these processes are related to action prediction and the detection of deceptive actions among athlete groups. This research is considered within broad theoretical frameworks related to action-simulation and prediction, although our main focus is on the brain regions that have been implicated in skilled action observation and the implications of this research for knowledge and further study of sport expertise.
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Cowell RA, Leger KR, Serences JT. Feature-coding transitions to conjunction-coding with progression through human visual cortex. J Neurophysiol 2017; 118:3194-3214. [PMID: 28931611 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00503.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Revised: 08/27/2017] [Accepted: 09/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying an object and distinguishing it from similar items depends upon the ability to perceive its component parts as conjoined into a cohesive whole, but the brain mechanisms underlying this ability remain elusive. The ventral visual processing pathway in primates is organized hierarchically: Neuronal responses in early stages are sensitive to the manipulation of simple visual features, whereas neuronal responses in subsequent stages are tuned to increasingly complex stimulus attributes. It is widely assumed that feature-coding dominates in early visual cortex whereas later visual regions employ conjunction-coding in which object representations are different from the sum of their simple feature parts. However, no study in humans has demonstrated that putative object-level codes in higher visual cortex cannot be accounted for by feature-coding and that putative feature codes in regions prior to ventral temporal cortex are not equally well characterized as object-level codes. Thus the existence of a transition from feature- to conjunction-coding in human visual cortex remains unconfirmed, and if a transition does occur its location remains unknown. By employing multivariate analysis of functional imaging data, we measure both feature-coding and conjunction-coding directly, using the same set of visual stimuli, and pit them against each other to reveal the relative dominance of one vs. the other throughout cortex. Our results reveal a transition from feature-coding in early visual cortex to conjunction-coding in both inferior temporal and posterior parietal cortices. This novel method enables the use of experimentally controlled stimulus features to investigate population-level feature and conjunction codes throughout human cortex.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We use a novel analysis of neuroimaging data to assess representations throughout visual cortex, revealing a transition from feature-coding to conjunction-coding along both ventral and dorsal pathways. Occipital cortex contains more information about spatial frequency and contour than about conjunctions of those features, whereas inferotemporal and parietal cortices contain conjunction coding sites in which there is more information about the whole stimulus than its component parts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary A Cowell
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts;
| | - Krystal R Leger
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - John T Serences
- Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California; and.,Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
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42
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Vilarroya O. Neural Representation. A Survey-Based Analysis of the Notion. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1458. [PMID: 28900406 PMCID: PMC5581880 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The word representation (as in “neural representation”), and many of its related terms, such as to represent, representational and the like, play a central explanatory role in neuroscience literature. For instance, in “place cell” literature, place cells are extensively associated with their role in “the representation of space.” In spite of its extended use, we still lack a clear, universal and widely accepted view on what it means for a nervous system to represent something, on what makes a neural activity a representation, and on what is re-presented. The lack of a theoretical foundation and definition of the notion has not hindered actual research. My aim here is to identify how active scientists use the notion of neural representation, and eventually to list a set of criteria, based on actual use, that can help in distinguishing between genuine or non-genuine neural-representation candidates. In order to attain this objective, I present first the results of a survey of authors within two domains, place-cell and multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) research. Based on the authors’ replies, and on a review of neuroscientific research, I outline a set of common properties that an account of neural representation seems to require. I then apply these properties to assess the use of the notion in two domains of the survey, place-cell and MVPA studies. I conclude by exploring a shift in the notion of representation suggested by recent literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Vilarroya
- Departament de Psiquiatria i Medicina Legal, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain.,Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM)Barcelona, Spain
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43
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Foldes ST, Weber DJ, Collinger JL. Altered modulation of sensorimotor rhythms with chronic paralysis. J Neurophysiol 2017; 118:2412-2420. [PMID: 28768745 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00878.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
After paralysis, the disconnection between the cortex and its peripheral targets leads to neuroplasticity throughout the nervous system. However, it is unclear how chronic paralysis specifically impacts cortical oscillations associated with attempted movement of impaired limbs. We hypothesized that μ- (8-13 Hz) and β- (15-30 Hz) event-related desynchronization (ERD) would be less modulated for individuals with hand paralysis due to cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). To test this, we compared the modulation of ERD from magnetoencephalography (MEG) during attempted and imagined grasping performed by participants with cervical SCI (n = 12) and able-bodied controls (n = 13). Seven participants with tetraplegia were able to generate some electromyography (EMG) activity during attempted grasping, whereas the other five were not. The peak and area of ERD were significantly decreased for individuals without volitional muscle activity when they attempted to grasp compared with able-bodied subjects and participants with SCI,with some residual EMG activity. However, no significant differences were found between subject groups during mentally simulated tasks (i.e., motor imagery) where no muscle activity or somatosensory consequences were expected. These findings suggest that individuals who are unable to produce muscle activity are capable of generating ERD when attempting to move, but the characteristics of this ERD are altered. However, for people who maintain volitional muscle activity after SCI, there are no significant differences in ERD characteristics compared with able-bodied controls. These results provide evidence that ERD is dependent on the level of intact muscle activity after SCI.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Source space MEG was used to investigate sensorimotor cortical oscillations in individuals with SCI. This study provides evidence that individuals with cervical SCI exhibit decreased ERD when they attempt to grasp if they are incapable of generating muscle activity. However, there were no significant differences in ERD between paralyzed and able-bodied participants during motor imagery. These results have important implications for the design and evaluation of new therapies, such as motor imagery and neurofeedback interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T Foldes
- Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Department of Veterans Affairs, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona; and
| | - Douglas J Weber
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jennifer L Collinger
- Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Department of Veterans Affairs, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; .,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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44
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The Dorsal Frontoparietal Network: A Core System for Emulated Action. Trends Cogn Sci 2017; 21:589-599. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2017] [Revised: 04/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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45
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Calabrò RS, Naro A, Russo M, Leo A, De Luca R, Balletta T, Buda A, La Rosa G, Bramanti A, Bramanti P. The role of virtual reality in improving motor performance as revealed by EEG: a randomized clinical trial. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2017; 14:53. [PMID: 28592282 PMCID: PMC5463350 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-017-0268-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many studies have demonstrated the usefulness of repetitive task practice by using robotic-assisted gait training (RAGT) devices, including Lokomat, for the treatment of lower limb paresis. Virtual reality (VR) has proved to be a valuable tool to improve neurorehabilitation training. The aim of our pilot randomized clinical trial was to understand the neurophysiological basis of motor function recovery induced by the association between RAGT (by using Lokomat device) and VR (an animated avatar in a 2D VR) by studying electroencephalographic (EEG) oscillations. METHODS Twenty-four patients suffering from a first unilateral ischemic stroke in the chronic phase were randomized into two groups. One group performed 40 sessions of Lokomat with VR (RAGT + VR), whereas the other group underwent Lokomat without VR (RAGT-VR). The outcomes (clinical, kinematic, and EEG) were measured before and after the robotic intervention. RESULTS As compared to the RAGT-VR group, all the patients of the RAGT + VR group improved in the Rivermead Mobility Index and Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment. Moreover, they showed stronger event-related spectral perturbations in the high-γ and β bands and larger fronto-central cortical activations in the affected hemisphere. CONCLUSIONS The robotic-based rehabilitation combined with VR in patients with chronic hemiparesis induced an improvement in gait and balance. EEG data suggest that the use of VR may entrain several brain areas (probably encompassing the mirror neuron system) involved in motor planning and learning, thus leading to an enhanced motor performance. TRIAL REGISTRATION Retrospectively registered in Clinical Trials on 21-11-2016, n. NCT02971371 .
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Antonino Naro
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Messina, Italy
| | | | - Antonino Leo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Messina, Italy
| | | | - Tina Balletta
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Messina, Italy
| | - Antonio Buda
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Messina, Italy
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Balconi M, Cortesi L, Crivelli D. Motor planning and performance in transitive and intransitive gesture execution and imagination: Does EEG (RP) activity predict hemodynamic (fNIRS) response? Neurosci Lett 2017; 648:59-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.03.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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47
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Neural foundations of overt and covert actions. Neuroimage 2017; 152:482-496. [PMID: 28323166 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Revised: 03/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
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48
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Scott M, Taylor S, Chesterton P, Vogt S, Eaves DL. Motor imagery during action observation increases eccentric hamstring force: an acute non-physical intervention. Disabil Rehabil 2017; 40:1443-1451. [DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2017.1300333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Scott
- Department of Psychology, Sport and Exercise, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Taylor
- Department of Psychology, Sport and Exercise, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Chesterton
- Department of Psychology, Sport and Exercise, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
| | - Stefan Vogt
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Lloyd Eaves
- Department of Psychology, Sport and Exercise, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
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49
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Sayegh PF, Gorbet DJ, Hawkins KM, Hoffman KL, Sergio LE. The Contribution of Different Cortical Regions to the Control of Spatially Decoupled Eye-Hand Coordination. J Cogn Neurosci 2017; 29:1194-1211. [PMID: 28253075 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Our brain's ability to flexibly control the communication between the eyes and the hand allows for our successful interaction with the objects located within our environment. This flexibility has been observed in the pattern of neural responses within key regions of the frontoparietal reach network. More specifically, our group has shown how single-unit and oscillatory activity within the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) and the superior parietal lobule (SPL) change contingent on the level of visuomotor compatibility between the eyes and hand. Reaches that involve a coupling between the eyes and hand toward a common spatial target display a pattern of neural responses that differ from reaches that require eye-hand decoupling. Although previous work examined the altered spiking and oscillatory activity that occurs during different types of eye-hand compatibilities, they did not address how each of these measures of neurological activity interacts with one another. Thus, in an effort to fully characterize the relationship between oscillatory and single-unit activity during different types of eye-hand coordination, we measured the spike-field coherence (SFC) within regions of macaque SPL and PMd. We observed stronger SFC within PMdr and superficial regions of SPL (areas 5/PEc) during decoupled reaches, whereas PMdc and regions within SPL surrounding medial intrapareital sulcus had stronger SFC during coupled reaches. These results were supported by meta-analysis on human fMRI data. Our results support the proposal of altered cortical control during complex eye-hand coordination and highlight the necessity to account for the different eye-hand compatibilities in motor control research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diana J Gorbet
- 1 York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,2 Canadian Action and Perception Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Kari L Hoffman
- 1 York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,2 Canadian Action and Perception Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lauren E Sergio
- 1 York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,2 Canadian Action and Perception Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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50
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Gertz H, Lingnau A, Fiehler K. Decoding Movement Goals from the Fronto-Parietal Reach Network. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:84. [PMID: 28286476 PMCID: PMC5323385 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During reach planning, fronto-parietal brain areas need to transform sensory information into a motor code. It is debated whether these areas maintain a sensory representation of the visual cue or a motor representation of the upcoming movement goal. Here, we present results from a delayed pro-/anti-reach task which allowed for dissociating the position of the visual cue from the reach goal. In this task, the visual cue was combined with a context rule (pro vs. anti) to infer the movement goal. Different levels of movement goal specification during the delay were obtained by presenting the context rule either before the delay together with the visual cue (specified movement goal) or after the delay (underspecified movement goal). By applying functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA), we demonstrate movement goal encoding in the left dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) and bilateral superior parietal lobule (SPL) when the reach goal is specified. This suggests that fronto-parietal reach regions (PRRs) maintain a prospective motor code during reach planning. When the reach goal is underspecified, only area PMd but not SPL represents the visual cue position indicating an incomplete state of sensorimotor integration. Moreover, this result suggests a potential role of PMd in movement goal selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Gertz
- Experimental Psychology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen Giessen, Germany
| | - Angelika Lingnau
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of LondonEgham, UK; Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of TrentoMattarello, Italy
| | - Katja Fiehler
- Experimental Psychology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen Giessen, Germany
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