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Della Vedova G, Proverbio AM. Neural signatures of imaginary motivational states: desire for music, movement and social play. Brain Topogr 2024:10.1007/s10548-024-01047-1. [PMID: 38625520 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-024-01047-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The literature has demonstrated the potential for detecting accurate electrical signals that correspond to the will or intention to move, as well as decoding the thoughts of individuals who imagine houses, faces or objects. This investigation examines the presence of precise neural markers of imagined motivational states through the combining of electrophysiological and neuroimaging methods. 20 participants were instructed to vividly imagine the desire to move, listen to music or engage in social activities. Their EEG was recorded from 128 scalp sites and analysed using individual standardized Low-Resolution Brain Electromagnetic Tomographies (LORETAs) in the N400 time window (400-600 ms). The activation of 1056 voxels was examined in relation to the 3 motivational states. The most active dipoles were grouped in eight regions of interest (ROI), including Occipital, Temporal, Fusiform, Premotor, Frontal, OBF/IF, Parietal, and Limbic areas. The statistical analysis revealed that all motivational imaginary states engaged the right hemisphere more than the left hemisphere. Distinct markers were identified for the three motivational states. Specifically, the right temporal area was more relevant for "Social Play", the orbitofrontal/inferior frontal cortex for listening to music, and the left premotor cortex for the "Movement" desire. This outcome is encouraging in terms of the potential use of neural indicators in the realm of brain-computer interface, for interpreting the thoughts and desires of individuals with locked-in syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Della Vedova
- Cognitive Electrophysiology lab, Dept. of Psychology, University of Milano, Bicocca, Italy
| | - Alice Mado Proverbio
- Cognitive Electrophysiology lab, Dept. of Psychology, University of Milano, Bicocca, Italy.
- NeuroMI, Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy.
- Department of Psychology of University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo nuovo 1, Milan, 20162, Italy.
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2
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Dahm SF, Hyna H, Krause D. Imagine to automatize: automatization of stimulus-response coupling after action imagery practice in implicit sequence learning. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023; 87:2259-2274. [PMID: 36871080 PMCID: PMC10457413 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-023-01797-w] [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: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Action imagery practice (AIP) describes the repetitive imagination of an action to improve subsequent action execution. Because AIP and action execution practice (AEP) draw on partly similar motor mechanisms, it was assumed that AIP may lead to motor automatization, which is observable in a reduction of dual-task costs after AEP. To investigate automatization in AIP, we compared dual-task and single-task performance in practice and random sequences in pretests and posttests. All participants practiced serial reactions to visual stimuli in ten single-task practice sessions. An AIP group imagined the reactions. An AEP group and a control practice group executed the reactions. Practice followed a sequential sequence in AIP and AEP but was random in control practice. In dual-task test conditions, tones were counted that appeared in addition to the visual stimuli. RTs decreased from pretest to posttest in both practice and random sequences in all groups indicating general sequence-unspecific learning. Further, RTs decreased to a greater extent in the practice sequence than in the random sequence after AIP and AEP, indicating sequence-specific learning. Dual-task costs-the difference between RTs after tone and no tone events-were reduced independent from the performed sequence in all groups indicating sequence-unspecific automatization. It is concluded that the stimulus-response coupling can be automatized by both, AEP and AIP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan F Dahm
- Department of Psychology, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
- UMIT Tirol-Private University for Health Sciences and Health Technology, Hall in Tyrol, Austria.
| | - Henri Hyna
- Department of Exercise and Health, Paderborn University, Paderborn, Germany
| | - Daniel Krause
- Department of Exercise and Health, Paderborn University, Paderborn, Germany
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3
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Foster Vander Elst O, Foster NHD, Vuust P, Keller PE, Kringelbach ML. The Neuroscience of Dance: A Conceptual Framework and Systematic Review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 150:105197. [PMID: 37100162 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105197] [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: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Ancient and culturally universal, dance pervades many areas of life and has multiple benefits. In this article, we provide a conceptual framework and systematic review, as a guide for researching the neuroscience of dance. We identified relevant articles following PRISMA guidelines, and summarised and evaluated all original results. We identified avenues for future research in: the interactive and collective aspects of dance; groove; dance performance; dance observation; and dance therapy. Furthermore, the interactive and collective aspects of dance constitute a vital part of the field but have received almost no attention from a neuroscientific perspective so far. Dance and music engage overlapping brain networks, including common regions involved in perception, action, and emotion. In music and dance, rhythm, melody, and harmony are processed in an active, sustained pleasure cycle giving rise to action, emotion, and learning, led by activity in specific hedonic brain networks. The neuroscience of dance is an exciting field, which may yield information concerning links between psychological processes and behaviour, human flourishing, and the concept of eudaimonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Foster Vander Elst
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University & The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg, Denmark; Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, Linacre College, University of Oxford, UK.
| | | | - Peter Vuust
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University & The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Peter E Keller
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University & The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg, Denmark; The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Australia
| | - Morten L Kringelbach
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University & The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg, Denmark; Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, Linacre College, University of Oxford, UK; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK
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4
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Kwon S, Kim J, Kim T. Neuropsychological Activations and Networks While Performing Visual and Kinesthetic Motor Imagery. Brain Sci 2023; 13:983. [PMID: 37508915 PMCID: PMC10377687 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13070983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to answer the questions 'What are the neural networks and mechanisms involved in visual and kinesthetic motor imagery?', and 'Is part of cognitive processing included during visual and kinesthetic motor imagery?' by investigating the neurophysiological networks and activations during visual and kinesthetic motor imagery using motor imagery tasks (golf putting). The experiment was conducted with 19 healthy adults. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine neural activations and networks during visual and kinesthetic motor imagery using golf putting tasks. The findings of the analysis on cerebral activation patterns based on the two distinct types of motor imagery indicate that the posterior lobe, occipital lobe, and limbic lobe exhibited activation, and the right hemisphere was activated during the process of visual motor imagery. The activation of the temporal lobe and the parietal lobe were observed during the process of kinesthetic motor imagery. This study revealed that visual motor imagery elicited stronger activation in the right frontal lobe, whereas kinesthetic motor imagery resulted in greater activation in the left frontal lobe. It seems that kinesthetic motor imagery activates the primary somatosensory cortex (BA 2), the secondary somatosensory cortex (BA 5 and 7), and the temporal lobe areas and induces human sensibility. The present investigation evinced that the neural network and the regions of the brain that are activated exhibit variability contingent on the category of motor imagery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sechang Kwon
- Department of Humanities & Arts, Korea Science Academy of KAIST, 105-47, Baegyanggwanmun-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan 47162, Republic of Korea
- Global Institute for Talented Education, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jingu Kim
- Department of Physical Education, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Teri Kim
- Institute of Sports Science, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
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Guillot A, Daligault S, Schwartz D, Di Rienzo F. Timing-specific patterns of cerebral activations during motor imagery: A case study of the expert brain signature. Brain Cogn 2023; 167:105971. [PMID: 37011436 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2023.105971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Brain activations elicited during motor imagery (MI) in experts are typically reduced compared to novices, which is interpreted as a neurophysiological correlate of increased neural efficiency. However, the modulatory effects of MI speed on expertise-related differences in brain activation remains largely unknown. In the present pilot study, we compared the magnetoencephalographic (MEG) correlates of MI in an Olympic medallist and an amateur athlete under conditions of slow, real-time and fast MI. Data revealed event-related changes in the time course of alpha (8-12 Hz) power of MEG oscillations, for all timing conditions. We found that slow MI was associated with a corollary increase in neural synchronization, in both participants. Sensor-level and source-level analyses however disclosed differences between the two expertise levels. The Olympic medallist achieved greater activation of cortical sensorimotor networks than the amateur athlete, particularly during fast MI. Fast MI elicited the strongest event-related desynchronization of alpha oscillations, which was generated from cortical sensorimotor sources in the Olympic medallist, but not in the amateur athlete. Taken together, data suggest that fast MI is a particularly demanding form of motor cognition, putting a specific emphasis on cortical sensorimotor networks to achieve the formation of accurate motor representations under demanding timing constraints.
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Proverbio AM, Pischedda F. Measuring brain potentials of imagination linked to physiological needs and motivational states. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1146789. [PMID: 37007683 PMCID: PMC10050745 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1146789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionWhile EEG signals reflecting motor and perceptual imagery are effectively used in brain computer interface (BCI) contexts, little is known about possible indices of motivational states. In the present study, electrophysiological markers of imagined motivational states, such as craves and desires were investigated.MethodsEvent-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in 31 participants during perception and imagery elicited by the presentation of 360 pictograms. Twelve micro-categories of needs, subdivided into four macro-categories, were considered as most relevant for a possible BCI usage, namely: primary visceral needs (e.g., hunger, linked to desire of food); somatosensory thermal and pain sensations (e.g., cold, linked to desire of warm), affective states (e.g., fear: linked to desire of reassurance) and secondary needs (e.g., desire to exercise or listen to music). Anterior N400 and centroparietal late positive potential (LPP) were measured and statistically analyzed.ResultsN400 and LPP were differentially sensitive to the various volition stats, depending on their sensory, emotional and motivational poignancy. N400 was larger to imagined positive appetitive states (e.g., play, cheerfulness) than negative ones (sadness or fear). In addition, N400 was of greater amplitude during imagery of thermal and nociceptive sensations than other motivational or visceral states. Source reconstruction of electromagnetic dipoles showed the activation of sensorimotor areas and cerebellum for movement imagery, and of auditory and superior frontal areas for music imagery.DiscussionOverall, ERPs were smaller and more anteriorly distributed during imagery than perception, but showed some similarity in terms of lateralization, distribution, and category response, thus indicating some overlap in neural processing, as also demonstrated by correlation analyses. In general, anterior frontal N400 provided clear markers of subjects’ physiological needs and motivational states, especially cold, pain, and fear (but also sadness, the urgency to move, etc.), than can signal life-threatening conditions. It is concluded that ERP markers might potentially allow the reconstruction of mental representations related to various motivational states through BCI systems.
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Krüger B, Hegele M, Rieger M. The multisensory nature of human action imagery. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2022:10.1007/s00426-022-01771-y. [PMID: 36441293 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-022-01771-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [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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Mao X, Huang S, Ouyang M, Xie Y, Tan X. Effect of skill proficiency on motor imagery ability between amateur dancers and non-dancers. Front Psychol 2022; 13:899724. [PMID: 36033030 PMCID: PMC9415613 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.899724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence has shown that athletes with high motor skill proficiency possess higher motor imagery ability than those with low motor skill proficiency. However, less is known whether this superiority in motor imagery ability emerges over amateur athletes. To address the issue, the present study aimed to investigate the individual differences in motor imagery ability between amateur dancers and non-dancers. Forty participants completed a novel dance movement reproduction task and measures of the vividness of visual imagery questionnaire (VVIQ) and the vividness of motor imagery questionnaire (VMIQ). The results showed that, relative to non-dancers, amateur dancers had higher ability of motor imagery to reproduce the lower-limb and upper-limb dance movements during the dance movement reproduction task. Besides, amateur dancers displayed higher abilities of the visual motor imagery and the kinesthetic imagery, but comparable visual imagery ability as the non-dancers. These findings suggest that the mental representation of motors but not the visual is affected by the motor skill levels, due to the motor imagery practice in sports amateurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Mao
- Education Center for Mental Health, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning, China
| | - Shaoxu Huang
- Education Center for Mental Health, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning, China
| | - Mingkun Ouyang
- School of Education Science, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning, China
- *Correspondence: Mingkun Ouyang,
| | - Yangqiu Xie
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Processing for Non-ferrous Metals and Featured Materials, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xinhua Tan
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, China
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Di Rienzo F, Joassy P, Ferreira Dias Kanthack T, Moncel F, Mercier Q, Collet C, Guillot A. Stabilometric Correlates of Motor and Motor Imagery Expertise. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 15:741709. [PMID: 35095444 PMCID: PMC8792864 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.741709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor Imagery (MI) reproduces cognitive operations associated with the actual motor preparation and execution. Postural recordings during MI reflect somatic motor commands targeting peripheral effectors involved in balance control. However, how these relate to the actual motor expertise and may vary along with the MI modality remains debated. In the present experiment, two groups of expert and non-expert gymnasts underwent stabilometric assessments while performing physically and mentally a balance skill. We implemented psychometric measures of MI ability, while stabilometric variables were calculated from the center of pressure (COP) oscillations. Psychometric evaluations revealed greater MI ability in experts, specifically for the visual modality. Experts exhibited reduced surface COP oscillations in the antero-posterior axis compared to non-experts during the balance skill (14.90%, 95% CI 34.48–4.68, p < 0.05). Experts further exhibited reduced length of COP displacement in the antero-posterior axis and as a function of the displacement area during visual and kinesthetic MI compared to the control condition (20.51%, 95% CI 0.99–40.03 and 21.85%, 95% CI 2.33–41.37, respectively, both p < 0.05). Predictive relationships were found between the stabilometric correlates of visual MI and physical practice of the balance skill, as well as between the stabilometric correlates of kinesthetic MI and the training experience in experts. Present results provide original stabilometric insights into the relationships between MI and expertise level. While data support the incomplete inhibition of postural commands during MI, whether postural responses during MI of various modalities mirror the level of motor expertise remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franck Di Rienzo
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
- *Correspondence: Franck Di Rienzo
| | - Pierric Joassy
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Thiago Ferreira Dias Kanthack
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - François Moncel
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Quentin Mercier
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Christian Collet
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Aymeric Guillot
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
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Kislinger L. Photographs of Actions: What Makes Them Special Cues to Social Perception. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11111382. [PMID: 34827381 PMCID: PMC8615998 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11111382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
I have reviewed studies on neural responses to pictured actions in the action observation network (AON) and the cognitive functions of these responses. Based on this review, I have analyzed the specific representational characteristics of action photographs. There has been consensus that AON responses provide viewers with knowledge of observed or pictured actions, but there has been controversy about the properties of this knowledge. Is this knowledge causally provided by AON activities or is it dependent on conceptual processing? What elements of actions does it refer to, and how generalized or specific is it? The answers to these questions have come from studies that used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to stimulate motor or somatosensory cortices. In conjunction with electromyography (EMG), TMS allows researchers to examine changes of the excitability in the corticospinal tract and muscles of people viewing pictured actions. The timing of these changes and muscle specificity enable inferences to be drawn about the cognitive products of processing pictured actions in the AON. Based on a review of studies using TMS and other neuroscience methods, I have proposed a novel hypothetical account that describes the characteristics of action photographs that make them effective cues to social perception. This account includes predictions that can be tested experimentally.
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Abstract
Abstract
Neurofeedback (NF) is a versatile non-invasive neuromodulation technique. In combination with motor imagery (MI), NF has considerable potential for enhancing motor performance or supplementing motor rehabilitation. However, not all users achieve reliable NF control. While research has focused on various brain signal properties and the optimisation of signal processing to solve this issue, the impact of context, i.e. the conditions in which NF motor tasks occur, is comparatively unknown. We review current research on the impact of context on MI NF and related motor domains. We identify long-term factors that act at the level of the individual or of the intervention, and short-term factors, with levels before/after and during a session. The reviewed literature indicates that context plays a significant role. We propose considering context factors as well as within-level and across-level interactions when studying MI NF.
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Zardi A, Carlotti EG, Pontremoli A, Morese R. Dancing in Your Head: An Interdisciplinary Review. Front Psychol 2021; 12:649121. [PMID: 34002113 PMCID: PMC8123236 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.649121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this review is to highlight the most relevant contributions on dance in neuroscientific research. Neuroscience has analyzed the mirror system through neuroimaging techniques, testing its role in imitative learning, in the recognition of other people's emotions and especially in the understanding of the motor behavior of others. This review analyses the literature related to five general areas: (I) breakthrough studies on the mirror system, and subsequent studies on its involvement in the prediction, the execution, the control of movement, and in the process of "embodied simulation" within the intersubjective relationship; (II) research focused on investigating the neural networks in action observation, and the neural correlates of motor expertise highlighted by comparative studies on different dance styles; (III) studies dealing with the viewer's experience of dance according to specific dance repertoires, which revealed the relevance of choreographic choices for aesthetic appreciation; (IV) studies focused on dance as an aesthetic experience, where both the emotional and the cultural dimension play a significant role, and whose investigation paves the way to further progress both in empirical and in phenomenological research methodologies; (V) collaboration-based experiments, in which neuroscientists and choreographers developed expertise-related questions, especially focusing on the multiple phenomena that underlie motor imagery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Zardi
- Department of Humanities, School of Human Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Pontremoli
- Department of Humanities, School of Human Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Rosalba Morese
- Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
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13
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Bläsing B, Zimmermann E. Dance Is More Than Meets the Eye-How Can Dance Performance Be Made Accessible for a Non-sighted Audience? Front Psychol 2021; 12:643848. [PMID: 33935898 PMCID: PMC8085341 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.643848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dance is regarded as visual art form by common arts and science perspectives. Definitions of dance as means of communication agree that its message is conveyed by the dancer/choreographer via the human body for the observer, leaving no doubt that dance is performed to be watched. Brain activation elicited by the visual perception of dance has also become a topic of interest in cognitive neuroscience, with regards to action observation in the context of learning, expertise and aesthetics. The view that the aesthetic experience of dance is primarily a visual one is still shared by many artists and cultural institutions, yet there is growing interest in making dance performances accessible for individuals with visual impairment / blindness. Means of supporting the non-visual experience of dance include verbal (audio description), auditive (choreographed body sounds, movement sonification), and haptic (touch tour) techniques, applied for different purposes by artists and researchers, with three main objectives: to strengthen the cultural participation of a non-sighted audience in the cultural and aesthetic experience of dance; to expand the scope of dance as an artistic research laboratory toward novel ways of perceiving what dance can convey; and to inspire new lines of (neuro-cognitive) research beyond watching dance. Reviewing literature from different disciplines and drawing on the personal experience of an inclusive performance of Simon Mayer's "Sons of Sissy," we argue that a non-exclusively visual approach can be enriching and promising for all three perspectives and conclude by proposing hypotheses for multidisciplinary lines of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina Bläsing
- Fakultät Rehabilitationswissenschaften, Musik und Bewegung in Rehabilitation und Pädagogik bei Behinderung, Technische Universität Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany.,Fakultät für Psychologie und Sportwissenschaft, Neurokognition und Bewegung-Biomechnanik, Universität Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Esther Zimmermann
- Institut für Lehrerinnenbildung, Inklusive Pädagogik, Universität Wien, Wien, Austria
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14
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Orlandi A, Cross ES, Orgs G. Timing is everything: Dance aesthetics depend on the complexity of movement kinematics. Cognition 2020; 205:104446. [PMID: 32932073 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2020.104446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
What constitutes a beautiful action? Research into dance aesthetics has largely focussed on subjective features like familiarity with the observed movement, but has rarely studied objective features like speed or acceleration. We manipulated the kinematic complexity of observed actions by creating dance sequences that varied in movement timing, but not in movement trajectory. Dance-naïve participants rated the dance videos on speed, effort, reproducibility, and enjoyment. Using linear mixed-effects modeling, we show that faster, more predictable movement sequences with varied velocity profiles are judged to be more effortful, less reproducible, and more aesthetically pleasing than slower sequences with more uniform velocity profiles. Accordingly, dance aesthetics depend not only on which movements are being performed but on how movements are executed and linked into sequences. The aesthetics of movement timing may apply across culturally-specific dance styles and predict both preference for and perceived difficulty of dance, consistent with information theory and effort heuristic accounts of aesthetic appreciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Orlandi
- Neuro-MI, Milan Center for Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychology, University of Milano - Bicocca, Italy; Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
| | - Emily S Cross
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, UK; Department of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Australia
| | - Guido Orgs
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
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