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Quettier T, Ippolito G, Però L, Cardellicchio P, Battaglia S, Borgomaneri S. Individual differences in intracortical inhibition predict action control when facing emotional stimuli. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1391723. [PMID: 38933575 PMCID: PMC11199899 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1391723] [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: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient inhibitory control in the context of prepotent actions is vital. However, such action inhibition may be profoundly influenced by affective states. Interestingly, research indicates that action control can be either impaired or improved by emotional stimuli. Thus, a great deal of confusion surrounds our knowledge of the complex dynamics subtending emotions and action control. Here, we aimed to investigate whether negative stimuli, even when non-consciously presented and task-irrelevant, can affect action control relative to neutral stimuli. Additionally, we tested whether individual differences in intracortical excitability may predict action control capabilities. To address these issues, we asked participants to complete a modified version of the Stop Signal Task (SST) in which fearful or neutral stimuli were subliminally presented before the go signals as primes. Moreover, we assessed participants' resting-state corticospinal excitability, short intracortical inhibition (SICI), and intracortical facilitation (ICF). Results demonstrated better action control capabilities when fearful stimuli were subliminally presented and interindividual SICI predicted stronger action inhibition capabilities. Taken together, these results shed new light on the intricate dynamics between action, consciousness, and motor control, suggesting that intracortical measures can be used as potential biomarkers of reduced motor inhibition in research and clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Quettier
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari”, Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ippolito
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari”, Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Però
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari”, Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Pasquale Cardellicchio
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Simone Battaglia
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari”, Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
- Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Sara Borgomaneri
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology “Renzo Canestrari”, Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
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2
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Botta A, Pelosin E, Lagravinese G, Marchese R, Di Biasio F, Bonassi G, Terranova S, Ravizzotti E, Putzolu M, Mezzarobba S, Cosentino C, Avenanti A, Avanzino L. Modulation of response times in early-stage Parkinson's disease during emotional processing of embodied and non-embodied stimuli. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13031. [PMID: 38844758 PMCID: PMC11156934 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63701-9] [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: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Valence (positive and negative) and content (embodied vs non-embodied) characteristics of visual stimuli have been shown to influence motor readiness, as tested with response time paradigms. Both embodiment and emotional processing are affected in Parkinson's disease (PD) due to basal ganglia dysfunction. Here we aimed to investigate, using a two-choice response time paradigm, motor readiness when processing embodied (emotional body language [EBL] and emotional facial expressions [FACS]) vs non-embodied (emotional scenes [IAPS]) stimuli with neutral, happy, and fearful content. We enrolled twenty-five patients with early-stage PD and twenty-five age matched healthy participants. Motor response during emotional processing was assessed by measuring response times (RTs) in a home-based, forced two-choice discrimination task where participants were asked to discriminate the emotional stimulus from the neutral one. Rating of valence and arousal was also performed. A clinical and neuropsychological evaluation was performed on PD patients. Results showed that RTs for PD patients were longer for all conditions compared to HC and that RTs were generally longer in both groups for EBL compared to FACS and IAPS, with the sole exception retrieved for PD, where in discriminating fearful stimuli, RTs for EBL were longer compared to FACS but not to IAPS. Furthermore, in PD only, when discriminating fearful respect to neutral stimuli, RTs were shorter when discriminating FACS compared to IAPS. This study shows that PD patients were faster in discriminating fearful embodied stimuli, allowing us to speculate on mechanisms involving an alternative, compensatory, emotional motor pathway for PD patients undergoing fear processing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elisa Pelosin
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Gaia Bonassi
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Sara Terranova
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 3, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Elisa Ravizzotti
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Martina Putzolu
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 3, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Susanna Mezzarobba
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Carola Cosentino
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro Di Neuroscienze Cognitive and Dipartimento Di Psicologia, Campus Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy
- Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Laura Avanzino
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 3, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
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3
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Battaglia S, Nazzi C, Di Fazio C, Borgomaneri S. The role of pre-supplementary motor cortex in action control with emotional stimuli: A repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation study. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1536:151-166. [PMID: 38751225 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15145] [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] [Indexed: 06/19/2024]
Abstract
Swiftly halting ongoing motor actions is essential to react to unforeseen and potentially perilous circumstances. However, the neural bases subtending the complex interplay between emotions and motor control have been scarcely investigated. Here, we used an emotional stop signal task (SST) to investigate whether specific neural circuits engaged by action suppression are differently modulated by emotional signals with respect to neutral ones. Participants performed an SST before and after the administration of one session of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the pre-supplementary motor cortex (pre-SMA), the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG), and the left primary motor cortex (lM1). Results show that rTMS over the pre-SMA improved the ability to inhibit prepotent action (i.e., better action control) when emotional stimuli were presented. In contrast, action control in a neutral context was fostered by rTMS over the rIFG. No changes were observed after lM1 stimulation. Intriguingly, individuals with higher impulsivity traits exhibited enhanced motor control when facing neutral stimuli following rIFG stimulation. These results further our understanding of the interplay between emotions and motor functions, shedding light on the selective modulation of neural pathways underpinning these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Battaglia
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Claudio Nazzi
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Chiara Di Fazio
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Sara Borgomaneri
- Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", Cesena Campus, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
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4
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Roberti E, Turati C, Actis-Grosso R. Single point motion kinematics convey emotional signals in children and adults. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301896. [PMID: 38598520 PMCID: PMC11006184 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301896] [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: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigates whether humans recognize different emotions conveyed only by the kinematics of a single moving geometrical shape and how this competence unfolds during development, from childhood to adulthood. To this aim, animations in which a shape moved according to happy, fearful, or neutral cartoons were shown, in a forced-choice paradigm, to 7- and 10-year-old children and adults. Accuracy and response times were recorded, and the movement of the mouse while the participants selected a response was tracked. Results showed that 10-year-old children and adults recognize happiness and fear when conveyed solely by different kinematics, with an advantage for fearful stimuli. Fearful stimuli were also accurately identified at 7-year-olds, together with neutral stimuli, while, at this age, the accuracy for happiness was not significantly different than chance. Overall, results demonstrates that emotions can be identified by a single point motion alone during both childhood and adulthood. Moreover, motion contributes in various measures to the comprehension of emotions, with fear recognized earlier in development and more readily even later on, when all emotions are accurately labeled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Roberti
- Psychology Department, University of Milano–Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Neuromi, Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Turati
- Psychology Department, University of Milano–Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Neuromi, Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | - Rossana Actis-Grosso
- Psychology Department, University of Milano–Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Neuromi, Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
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5
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Borgomaneri S, Vitale F, Battaglia S, de Vega M, Avenanti A. Task-related modulation of motor response to emotional bodies: A TMS motor-evoked potential study. Cortex 2024; 171:235-246. [PMID: 38096756 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.10.013] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to emotional body postures during perceptual decision-making tasks has been linked to transient suppression of motor reactivity, supporting the monitoring of emotionally relevant information. However, it remains unclear whether this effect occurs implicitly, i.e., when emotional information is irrelevant to the task. To investigate this issue, we used single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to assess motor excitability while healthy participants were asked to categorize pictures of body expressions as emotional or neutral (emotion recognition task) or as belonging to a male or a female actor (gender recognition task) while receiving TMS over the motor cortex at 100 and 125 ms after picture onset. Results demonstrated that motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) were reduced for emotional body postures relative to neutral postures during the emotion recognition task. Conversely, MEPs increased for emotional body postures relative to neutral postures during the gender recognition task. These findings indicate that motor inhibition, contingent upon observing emotional body postures, is selectively associated with actively monitoring emotional features. In contrast, observing emotional body postures prompts motor facilitation when task-relevant features are non-emotional. These findings contribute to embodied cognition models that link emotion perception and action tendencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Borgomaneri
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, Cesena, Italy.
| | - Francesca Vitale
- Instituto Universitario de Neurociencia (IUNE), Universidad de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Simone Battaglia
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, Cesena, Italy
| | - Manuel de Vega
- Instituto Universitario de Neurociencia (IUNE), Universidad de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, Cesena, Italy; Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurosciencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica Del Maule, Talca, Chile.
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6
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Botta A, Zhao M, Samogin J, Pelosin E, Bonassi G, Lagravinese G, Mantini D, Avenanti A, Avanzino L. Early modulations of neural oscillations during the processing of emotional body language. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14436. [PMID: 37681463 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
The processing of threat-related emotional body language (EBL) has been shown to engage sensorimotor cortical areas early on and induce freezing in the observers' motor system, particularly when observing fearful EBL. To provide insights into the interplay between somatosensory and motor areas during observation of EBL, here, we used high-density electroencephalography (hd-EEG) in healthy humans while they observed EBL stimuli involving fearful and neutral expressions. To capture early sensorimotor brain response, we focused on P100 fronto-central event-related potentials (ERPs) and event-related desynchronization/synchronization (ERD/ERS) in the mu-alpha (8-13 Hz) and lower beta (13-20 Hz) bands over the primary motor (M1) and somatosensory (S1) cortices. Source-level ERP and ERD/ERS analyses were conducted using eLORETA. Results revealed higher P100 amplitudes in motor and premotor channels for 'Neutral' compared with 'Fear'. Additionally, analysis of ERD/ERS showed increased beta band desynchronization in M1 for 'Neutral', and the opposite pattern in S1. Source-level estimation showed significant differences between conditions mainly observed in the beta band over sensorimotor areas. These findings provide high-temporal resolution evidence suggesting that seeing fearful EBL induces early activation of somatosensory areas, which in turn could suppress M1 activity. These findings highlight early dynamics within the observer's sensorimotor system and hint at a sensorimotor mechanism supporting freezing during the processing of EBL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mingqi Zhao
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jessica Samogin
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elisa Pelosin
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, and Maternal Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Gaia Bonassi
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, and Maternal Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giovanna Lagravinese
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, and Maternal Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Dante Mantini
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Campus Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
- Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Laura Avanzino
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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7
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Oldrati V, Bardoni A, Poggi G, Urgesi C. Development of implicit and explicit attentional modulation of the processing of social cues conveyed by faces and bodies in children and adolescents. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1320923. [PMID: 38222848 PMCID: PMC10784122 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1320923] [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: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Emotions and sex of other people shape the way we interact in social environments. The influence of these dimensions on cognitive processing is recognized as a highly conditional phenomenon. While much of researches on the topic focused on adults, less evidence is available for the pediatric population. This study aimed at examining the development of the modulation of attention control on emotion and sex processing using facial and body expressions in children and adolescents (8–16 years old). In Experiment 1a, participants performed a Flanker task (probing space-based attention) in which they had to indicate either the emotion (happy/fearful) or the sex of the target stimulus while ignoring the distracting stimuli at the side. We found evidence for intrusion of the sex, but not emotion, of the stimuli during both sex and emotion recognition tasks, thus both at an explicit (i.e., task relevant) and implicit (i.e., task irrelevant) level. A control experiment consisting of an emotional Flanker task confirmed that, in contrast with previous findings in adults, emotion did not modulate attention control in children and adolescents even when task relevant (Experiment 1b). In Experiment 2 participants performed a same-or-different judgment task (probing feature-based attention) in which they indicated whether the central stimulus matched the lateral ones for emotion or sex. Results showed that emotional features exerted an implicit influence during sex judgements; likewise, sex features intruded on the processing of both faces and bodies during emotion judgments. Finally, Experiment 3 explored the development of the explicit attention modulation exerted by the sex dimension on the processing of faces and bodies. To this aim, participants performed a Flanker task in which they were asked to recognize the sex of faces and bodies. The results indicated that, while younger participants showed a task-relevant influence of sexual features when processing faces, older participants showed such influence when processing bodies. These findings point to a greater attentional modulation exerted by sex, as compared to emotion, during social processing in children and adolescents and suggest a developmental trend of the saliency of facial and bodily cues for the perception of others’ sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Oldrati
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | | | - Geraldina Poggi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Cosimo Urgesi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
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Bonassi G, Lagravinese G, Bove M, Bisio A, Botta A, Putzolu M, Cosentino C, Mezzarobba S, Pelosin E, Avanzino L. How Music Moves Us: Music-induced Emotion Influences Motor Learning. Neuroscience 2023; 526:246-255. [PMID: 37437801 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.06.023] [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: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Music is an important tool for the induction and regulation of emotion. Although learning a sequential motor behaviour is essential to normal motor function, to our knowledge, the role of music-induced emotion on motor learning has not been explored. Our experiment aimed to determine whether listening to different emotional music could influence motor sequence learning. We focused on two sub-components of motor sequence learning: the acquisition of the order of the elements in the sequence (the "what"), and the ability to carry out the sequence, combining the elements in a single, skilled action (the "how"). Twenty subjects performed a motor sequence-learning task with a digitizing tablet in three different experimental sessions. In each session they executed the task while listening to three different musical pieces, eliciting fearful, pleasant, and neutral mood. Eight targets were presented in a pre-set order and subjects were asked to learn the sequence while moving. Music-induced pleasure had an impact on movement kinematics with onset time and peak velocity decreasing and movement time increasing more with respect to neutral music session. Declarative learning, verbal recall of the sequence order, was improved under emotional manipulation, but only for fear-condition. Results suggest that music-induced emotion can influence both sub-components of motor learning in a different way. Music-induced pleasure may have improved motor components of sequence learning by means of increased striatal dopamine availability whereas music-induced fear may facilitate the recruitment of attentional circuits, thus acting on declarative knowledge of the sequence order.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaia Bonassi
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giovanna Lagravinese
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marco Bove
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 3, Genoa, 16132, Italy
| | - Ambra Bisio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 3, Genoa, 16132, Italy
| | | | | | - Carola Cosentino
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Susanna Mezzarobba
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Elisa Pelosin
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; IRCCS, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Laura Avanzino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 3, Genoa, 16132, Italy; IRCCS, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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Andò A, Garbarini F, Giromini L, Salatino A, Zennaro A, Ricci R, Fossataro C. Can static Rorschach stimuli perceived as in motion affect corticospinal excitability? PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287866. [PMID: 37440495 PMCID: PMC10343040 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287866] [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: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been proposed that seeing human movement or activity (M), while trying to say what the static Rorschach inkblot design look like, is accompanied by Mirror Neuron System (MNS)-like mirroring activity in the brain. The present study aimed to investigate whether the Rorschach cards eliciting M responses could affect the excitability of the motor cortex by recording motor evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by single-pulse TMS over the primary motor cortex (M1). We hypothesized that Rorschach inkblot stimuli triggering the viewer's experience of human movement would increase corticospinal excitability. Twenty-one healthy volunteers (15 women) participated in the preliminary experiment, while another different sample of twenty-two healthy participants (11 women) ranging in age from 21 to 41 years was enrolled in the main experiment. Our results showed that the Rorschach cards known to be associated with a high number of M responses elicited human movement both as automatic internal sensations and as verbal production of responses involving human movement. However, contrary to our hypothesis, the reported internal feeling of human movement had no corresponding physiological counterpart, as the amplitude of MEPs did not increase. Possible and innovative explanations for the involvement of bottom-up and top-down processes were provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Andò
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | | | - Adriana Salatino
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
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10
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Battaglia S, Cardellicchio P, Di Fazio C, Nazzi C, Fracasso A, Borgomaneri S. Stopping in (e)motion: Reactive action inhibition when facing valence-independent emotional stimuli. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:998714. [PMID: 36248028 PMCID: PMC9561776 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.998714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Emotions are able to impact our ability to control our behaviors. However, it is not clear whether emotions play a detrimental or an advantageous effect on action control and whether the valence of the emotional stimuli differently affects such motor abilities. One way to measure reactive inhibitory control is the stop-signal task (SST), which estimates the ability to cancel outright a response to the presentation of a stop signal by means of the stop signal reaction times (SSRT). Impaired as well as facilitated action control has been found when faced with emotional stimuli such as stop signals in SSTs and mixed results were observed for positive versus negative stimuli. Here, we aimed to investigate these unresolved issues more deeply. Action control capabilities were tested in 60 participants by means of a SST, in which the stop signals were represented by a fearful and a happy body posture together with their neutral counterpart. Results showed that both positive and negative body postures enhanced the ability to suppress an ongoing action compared to neutral body postures. These results demonstrate that emotional valence-independent emotional stimuli facilitate action control and suggest that emotional stimuli may trigger increased sensory representation and/or attentional processing that may have promote stop-signal processing and hence improved inhibitory performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Battaglia
- Department of Psychology, Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- *Correspondence: Simone Battaglia,
| | - Pasquale Cardellicchio
- IIT@UniFe Center for Translational Neurophysiology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Chiara Di Fazio
- Department of Psychology, Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudio Nazzi
- Department of Psychology, Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessio Fracasso
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Borgomaneri
- Department of Psychology, Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
- Sara Borgomaneri,
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Qiu F, Zhou Y, Zhang L, Zhang J, Liu H. Gender dimorphic M1 excitability during emotional processing: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13987. [PMID: 36061749 PMCID: PMC9438768 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13987] [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: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background It is widely held that emotions prime the body for action. However, the influence of gender on primary motor cortex (M1) excitability during emotional processing is not well explored. Methods Using single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we stimulated the right or left M1 at 150 ms and 300 ms after emotional stimulation onset (presentation of negative, neutral, and positive pictures to male and female subjects). Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) ratio induced by single-pulse TMS was used to assess changes in corticospinal excitability. Results In response to right M1 stimulation, males demonstrated higher MEP ratios following presentation of negative pictures at 150 ms while MEP ratios in response to presentation of positive pictures were greater at 300 ms. Furthermore, male subjects showed larger MEP ratios in right M1 versus left M1 at 300 ms after initiation of positive pictures, indicating lateralization of motor excitability in male subjects. Conclusions The current study thus provides neurophysiological evidence to support gender differences and functional lateralization of motor excitability in response to emotional stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanghui Qiu
- Department of Physical Education, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Qingdao University, China
| | - Lanlan Zhang
- Department of Leisure Sports and Management, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Shanghai Punan Hospital of Pudong New District, Shanghai, China
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12
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EmBody/EmFace as a new open tool to assess emotion recognition from body and face expressions. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14165. [PMID: 35986068 PMCID: PMC9391359 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17866-w] [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: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonverbal expressions contribute substantially to social interaction by providing information on another person’s intentions and feelings. While emotion recognition from dynamic facial expressions has been widely studied, dynamic body expressions and the interplay of emotion recognition from facial and body expressions have attracted less attention, as suitable diagnostic tools are scarce. Here, we provide validation data on a new open source paradigm enabling the assessment of emotion recognition from both 3D-animated emotional body expressions (Task 1: EmBody) and emotionally corresponding dynamic faces (Task 2: EmFace). Both tasks use visually standardized items depicting three emotional states (angry, happy, neutral), and can be used alone or together. We here demonstrate successful psychometric matching of the EmBody/EmFace items in a sample of 217 healthy subjects with excellent retest reliability and validity (correlations with the Reading-the-Mind-in-the-Eyes-Test and Autism-Spectrum Quotient, no correlations with intelligence, and given factorial validity). Taken together, the EmBody/EmFace is a novel, effective (< 5 min per task), highly standardized and reliably precise tool to sensitively assess and compare emotion recognition from body and face stimuli. The EmBody/EmFace has a wide range of potential applications in affective, cognitive and social neuroscience, and in clinical research studying face- and body-specific emotion recognition in patient populations suffering from social interaction deficits such as autism, schizophrenia, or social anxiety.
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13
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Spaccasassi C, Zanon M, Borgomaneri S, Avenanti A. Mu rhythm and corticospinal excitability capture two different frames of motor resonance: A TMS/EEG co-registration study. Cortex 2022; 154:197-211. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2022.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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14
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Botta A, Lagravinese G, Bove M, Pelosin E, Bonassi G, Avenanti A, Avanzino L. Sensorimotor inhibition during emotional processing. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6998. [PMID: 35488018 PMCID: PMC9054825 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10981-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual processing of emotional stimuli has been shown to engage complex cortical and subcortical networks, but it is still unclear how it affects sensorimotor integration processes. To fill this gap, here, we used a TMS protocol named short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI), capturing sensorimotor interactions, while healthy participants were observing emotional body language (EBL) and International Affective Picture System (IAPS) stimuli. Participants were presented with emotional (fear- and happiness-related) or non-emotional (neutral) EBL and IAPS stimuli while SAI was tested at 120 ms and 300 ms after pictures presentation. At the earlier time point (120 ms), we found that fear-related EBL and IAPS stimuli selectively enhanced SAI as indexed by the greater inhibitory effect of somatosensory afferents on motor excitability. Larger early SAI enhancement was associated with lower scores at the Behavioural Inhibition Scale (BIS). At the later time point (300 ms), we found a generalized SAI decrease for all kind of stimuli (fear, happiness or neutral). Because the SAI index reflects integrative activity of cholinergic sensorimotor circuits, our findings suggest greater sensitivity of such circuits during early (120 ms) processing of threat-related information. Moreover, the correlation with BIS score may suggest increased attention and sensory vigilance in participants with greater anxiety-related dispositions. In conclusion, the results of this study show that sensorimotor inhibition is rapidly enhanced while processing threatening stimuli and that SAI protocol might be a valuable option in evaluating emotional-motor interactions in physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Botta
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV/3, 16132, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giovanna Lagravinese
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marco Bove
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV/3, 16132, Genoa, Italy.,IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Elisa Pelosin
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Gaia Bonassi
- S.C. Medicina Fisica e Riabilitazione Ospedaliera, ASL4, Azienda Sanitaria Locale Chiavarese, Chiavari, Italy
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro di Neuroscienze Cognitive and Dipartimento di Psicologia, Campus Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy.,Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Laura Avanzino
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV/3, 16132, Genoa, Italy. .,IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
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15
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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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16
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Borgomaneri S, Vitale F, Battaglia S, Avenanti A. Early Right Motor Cortex Response to Happy and Fearful Facial Expressions: A TMS Motor-Evoked Potential Study. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11091203. [PMID: 34573224 PMCID: PMC8471632 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11091203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to rapidly process others' emotional signals is crucial for adaptive social interactions. However, to date it is still unclear how observing emotional facial expressions affects the reactivity of the human motor cortex. To provide insights on this issue, we employed single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate corticospinal motor excitability. Healthy participants observed happy, fearful and neutral pictures of facial expressions while receiving TMS over the left or right motor cortex at 150 and 300 ms after picture onset. In the early phase (150 ms), we observed an enhancement of corticospinal excitability for the observation of happy and fearful emotional faces compared to neutral expressions specifically in the right hemisphere. Interindividual differences in the disposition to experience aversive feelings (personal distress) in interpersonal emotional contexts predicted the early increase in corticospinal excitability for emotional faces. No differences in corticospinal excitability were observed at the later time (300 ms) or in the left M1. These findings support the notion that emotion perception primes the body for action and highlights the role of the right hemisphere in implementing a rapid and transient facilitatory response to emotional arousing stimuli, such as emotional facial expressions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Borgomaneri
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy;
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (A.A.)
| | - Francesca Vitale
- Instituto Universitario de Neurociencia (IUNE), Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain;
| | - Simone Battaglia
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy;
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy;
- Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurosciencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica Del Maule, Talca 3460000, Chile
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (A.A.)
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17
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Mazzoni N, Ricciardelli P, Actis-Grosso R, Venuti P. Difficulties in Recognising Dynamic but not Static Emotional Body Movements in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:1092-1105. [PMID: 33866488 PMCID: PMC8854267 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05015-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we investigated whether the difficulties in body motion (BM) perception may led to deficit in emotion recognition in Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To this aim, individuals with high-functioning ASD were asked to recognise fearful, happy, and neutral BM depicted as static images or dynamic point-light and full-light displays. Results showed slower response times in participants with ASD only in recognising dynamic stimuli, but no group differences in accuracy. This suggests that i) a deficit in action chaining mechanism in ASD may prevent the recognition of dynamic BM automatically and rapidly, ii) individuals with ASD and high cognitive resources can develop alternative—but equally successful—strategies to recognise emotional body expressions. Implications for treatment are discussed
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Mazzoni
- OFDLab - Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Via Matteo del Ben, 5B, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Paola Ricciardelli
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano - Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Milan Centre for Neuroscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell’Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Rossana Actis-Grosso
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano - Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Milan Centre for Neuroscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell’Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Venuti
- OFDLab - Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Via Matteo del Ben, 5B, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
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18
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Finisguerra A, Ticini LF, Kirsch LP, Cross ES, Kotz SA, Urgesi C. Dissociating embodiment and emotional reactivity in motor responses to artworks. Cognition 2021; 212:104663. [PMID: 33761410 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Perceiving art is known to elicit motor cortex activation in an observer's brain. This motor activation has often been attributed to a covert approach response associated with the emotional valence of an art piece (emotional reaction hypothesis). However, recent accounts have proposed that aesthetic experiences could be grounded in the motor simulation of actions required to produce an art piece and of the sensorimotor states embedded in its subject (embodied aesthetic hypothesis). Here, we aimed to test these two hypotheses by assessing whether motor facilitation during artwork perception mirrors emotional or motor simulation processes. To this aim, we capitalized on single pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation revealing a two-stage motor coding of emotional body postures: an early, non-specific activation related to emotion processing and a later action-specific activation reflecting motor simulation. We asked art-naïve individuals to rate how much they liked a series of pointillist and brushstroke canvases; photographs of artistic gardens served as control natural stimuli. After an early (150 ms) or a later (300 ms) post-stimulus delay, motor evoked potentials were recorded from wrist-extensor and finger muscles that were more involved in brushstroke- and pointillist-like painting, respectively. Results showed that observing the two canvas styles did not elicit differential motor activation in the early time window for either muscle, not supporting the emotional reaction hypothesis. However, in support of the embodied aesthetic hypothesis, we found in the later time window greater motor activation responses to brushstroke than pointillist canvases for the wrist-extensor, but not for the finger muscle. Furthermore, this muscle-selective facilitation was associated with lower liking ratings of brushstroke canvases and with greater empathy dispositions. These findings support the claim that simulation of the painter's movements is crucial for aesthetic experience, by documenting a link between motor simulation, dispositional empathy, and subjective appreciation in artwork perception.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luca F Ticini
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Manchester, M13 9PL Manchester, UK
| | - Louise P Kirsch
- Institute for Intelligent Systems and Robotics (ISIR), Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Emily S Cross
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, G12 8QB Glasgow, UK & Department of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sonja A Kotz
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Cosimo Urgesi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, 33037 Pasian di Prato, Italy; Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy.
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19
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Botta A, Lagravinese G, Bove M, Avenanti A, Avanzino L. Modulation of Response Times During Processing of Emotional Body Language. Front Psychol 2021; 12:616995. [PMID: 33716882 PMCID: PMC7947862 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.616995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The investigation of how humans perceive and respond to emotional signals conveyed by the human body has been for a long time secondary compared with the investigation of facial expressions and emotional scenes recognition. The aims of this behavioral study were to assess the ability to process emotional body postures and to test whether motor response is mainly driven by the emotional content of the picture or if it is influenced by motor resonance. Emotional body postures and scenes (IAPS) divided into three clusters (fear, happiness, and neutral) were shown to 25 healthy subjects (13 males, mean age ± SD: 22.3 ± 1.8 years) in a three-alternative forced choice task. Subjects were asked to recognize the emotional content of the pictures by pressing one of three keys as fast as possible in order to estimate response times (RTs). The rating of valence and arousal was also performed. We found shorter RTs for fearful body postures as compared with happy and neutral postures. In contrast, no differences across emotional categories were found for the IAPS stimuli. Analysis on valence and arousal and the subsequent item analysis showed an excellent reliability of the two sets of images used in the experiment. Our results show that fearful body postures are rapidly recognized and processed, probably thanks to the automatic activation of a series of central nervous system structures orchestrating the defensive threat reactions, strengthening and supporting previous neurophysiological and behavioral findings in body language processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Botta
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giovanna Lagravinese
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marco Bove
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro di Neuroscienze Cognitive and Dipartimento di Psicologia, Campus Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy
- Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Laura Avanzino
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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20
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Fiori F, Plow E, Rusconi ML, Cattaneo Z. Modulation of corticospinal excitability during paintings viewing: A TMS study. Neuropsychologia 2020; 149:107664. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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21
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Xia X, Wang D, Song Y, Zhu M, Li Y, Chen R, Zhang J. Involvement of the primary motor cortex in the early processing stage of the affective stimulus-response compatibility effect in a manikin task. Neuroimage 2020; 225:117485. [PMID: 33132186 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Compatible (positive approaching and negative avoiding) and incompatible (positive avoiding and negative approaching) behavior are of great significance for biological adaptation and survival. Previous research has found that reaction times of compatible behavior are shorter than the incompatible behavior, which is termed the stimulus-response compatibility (SRC) effect. However, the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of the SRC effect applied to affective stimuli is still unclear. Here, we investigated preparatory activities in both the left and right primary motor cortex (M1) before the execution of an approaching-avoiding behavior using the right index finger in a manikin task based on self-identity. The results showed significantly shorter reaction times for compatible than incompatible behavior. Most importantly, motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes from left M1 stimulation were significantly higher during compatible behavior than incompatible behavior at 150 and 200 ms after stimulus presentation, whereas the reversed was observed for right M1 stimulation with lower MEP amplitude in compatible compared to incompatible behavior at 150 ms. The current findings revealed the compatibility effect at both behavioral and neurophysiological levels, indicating that the affective SRC effect occurs early in the motor cortices during stimulus processing, and MEP modulation at this early processing stage could be a physiological marker of the affective SRC effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Xia
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Dandan Wang
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuyu Song
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengyan Zhu
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Yansong Li
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Robert Chen
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jian Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.
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22
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Borgomaneri S, Vitale F, Avenanti A. Early motor reactivity to observed human body postures is affected by body expression, not gender. Neuropsychologia 2020; 146:107541. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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23
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Rigby SN, Jakobson LS, Pearson PM, Stoesz BM. Alexithymia and the Evaluation of Emotionally Valenced Scenes. Front Psychol 2020; 11:1820. [PMID: 32793083 PMCID: PMC7394003 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alexithymia is a personality trait characterized by difficulties identifying and describing feelings (DIF and DDF) and an externally oriented thinking (EOT) style. The primary aim of the present study was to investigate links between alexithymia and the evaluation of emotional scenes. We also investigated whether viewers' evaluations of emotional scenes were better predicted by specific alexithymic traits or by individual differences in sensory processing sensitivity (SPS). Participants (N = 106) completed measures of alexithymia and SPS along with a task requiring speeded judgments of the pleasantness of 120 moderately arousing scenes. We did not replicate laterality effects previously described with the scene perception task. Compared to those with weak alexithymic traits, individuals with moderate-to-strong alexithymic traits were less likely to classify positively valenced scenes as pleasant and were less likely to classify scenes with (vs. without) implied motion (IM) in a way that was consistent with normative scene valence ratings. In addition, regression analyses confirmed that reporting strong EOT and a tendency to be easily overwhelmed by busy sensory environments negatively predicted classification accuracy for positive scenes, and that both DDF and EOT negatively predicted classification accuracy for scenes depicting IM. These findings highlight the importance of accounting for stimulus characteristics and individual differences in specific traits associated with alexithymia and SPS when investigating the processing of emotional stimuli. Learning more about the links between these individual difference variables may have significant clinical implications, given that alexithymia is an important, transdiagnostic risk factor for a wide range of psychopathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N Rigby
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Lorna S Jakobson
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Pauline M Pearson
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Brenda M Stoesz
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.,Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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24
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Support from a TMS/MEP study for a direct link between positive/negative stimuli and approach/avoidance tendencies. Neuropsychologia 2020; 143:107496. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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25
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Vicario CM, Rafal RD, di Pellegrino G, Lucifora C, Salehinejad MA, Nitsche MA, Avenanti A. Indignation for moral violations suppresses the tongue motor cortex: preliminary TMS evidence. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 17:151-159. [PMID: 32347307 PMCID: PMC8824570 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
We commonly label moral violations in terms of ‘disgust’, yet it remains unclear whether metaphorical expressions linking disgust and morality are genuinely shared at the cognitive/neural level. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we provide new insights into this debate by measuring motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) from the tongue generated by TMS over the tongue primary motor area (tM1) in a small group of healthy participants presented with vignettes of moral transgressions and non-moral vignettes. We tested whether moral indignation, felt while evaluating moral vignettes, affected tM1 excitability. Vignettes exerted a variable influence on MEPs with no net effect of the moral category. However, in accordance with our recent study documenting reduced tM1 excitability during exposure to pictures of disgusting foods or facial expressions of distaste, we found that the vignettes of highly disapproved moral violations reduced tM1 excitability. Moreover, tM1 excitability and moral indignation were linearly correlated: the higher the moral indignation, the lower the tM1 excitability. Respective changes in MEPs were not observed in a non-oral control muscle, suggesting a selective decrease of tM1 excitability. These preliminary findings provide neurophysiological evidence supporting the hypothesis that morality might have originated from the more primitive experience of oral distaste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmelo M Vicario
- Department of Cognitive, Psychological, and Pedagogical Sciences and Cultural Studies, University of Messina, Messina 98121, Italy.,Wolfson Centre for Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2DG, United Kingdom.,Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund 44139, Germany.,School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, McElwain Building, St Lucia Campus, Brisbane QLD 4072, Australia.,Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neurosciences Research Center, Universidad Católica del Maule, 346000 Talca, Chile
| | - Robert D Rafal
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Delaware 19716, USA
| | - Giuseppe di Pellegrino
- Department of Psychology and Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Cesena Campus, 47521 Cesena, Italy
| | - Chiara Lucifora
- Department of Cognitive, Psychological, and Pedagogical Sciences and Cultural Studies, University of Messina, Messina 98121, Italy.,Wolfson Centre for Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2DG, United Kingdom
| | - Mohammad A Salehinejad
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund 44139, Germany
| | - Michael A Nitsche
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund 44139, Germany
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neurosciences Research Center, Universidad Católica del Maule, 346000 Talca, Chile.,Department of Psychology and Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Cesena Campus, 47521 Cesena, Italy
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26
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Mazzoni N, Landi I, Ricciardelli P, Actis-Grosso R, Venuti P. "Motion or Emotion? Recognition of Emotional Bodily Expressions in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder With and Without Intellectual Disability". Front Psychol 2020; 11:478. [PMID: 32269539 PMCID: PMC7109394 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The recognition of emotional body movement (BM) is impaired in individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorder ASD, yet it is not clear whether the difficulty is related to the encoding of body motion, emotions, or both. Besides, BM recognition has been traditionally studied using point-light displays stimuli (PLDs) and is still underexplored in individuals with ASD and intellectual disability (ID). In the present study, we investigated the recognition of happy, fearful, and neutral BM in children with ASD with and without ID. In a non-verbal recognition task, participants were asked to recognize pure-body-motion and visible-body-form stimuli (by means of point-light displays-PLDs and full-light displays-FLDs, respectively). We found that the children with ASD were less accurate than TD children in recognizing both the emotional and neutral BM, either when presented as FLDs or PLDs. These results suggest that the difficulty in understanding the observed BM may rely on atypical processing of BM information rather than emotion. Moreover, we found that the accuracy improved with age and IQ only in children with ASD without ID, suggesting that high level of cognitive resources can mediate the acquisition of compensatory mechanisms which develop with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Mazzoni
- ODFLab - Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Isotta Landi
- ODFLab - Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.,MPBA, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy
| | - Paola Ricciardelli
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano - Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Milan Centre for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | - Rossana Actis-Grosso
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano - Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Milan Centre for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Venuti
- ODFLab - Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
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27
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Blocking facial mimicry affects recognition of facial and body expressions. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229364. [PMID: 32078668 PMCID: PMC7032686 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Facial mimicry is commonly defined as the tendency to imitate-at a sub-threshold level-facial expressions of other individuals. Numerous studies support a role of facial mimicry in recognizing others' emotions. However, the underlying functional mechanism is unclear. A prominent hypothesis considers facial mimicry as based on an action-perception loop, leading to the prediction that facial mimicry should be observed only when processing others' facial expressions. Nevertheless, previous studies have also detected facial mimicry during observation of emotional bodily expressions. An emergent alternative hypothesis is that facial mimicry overtly reflects the simulation of an "emotion", rather than the reproduction of a specific observed motor pattern. In the present study, we tested whether blocking mimicry ("Bite") on the lower face disrupted recognition of happy expressions conveyed by either facial or body expressions. In Experiment 1, we tested participants' ability to identify happy, fearful and neutral expressions in the Bite condition and in two control conditions. In Experiment 2, to ensure that such a manipulation selectively affects emotion recognition, we tested participants' ability to recognize emotional expressions, as well as the actors' gender, under the Bite condition and a control condition. Finally, we investigated the relationship between dispositional empathy and emotion recognition under the condition of blocked mimicry. Our findings demonstrated that blocking mimicry on the lower face hindered recognition of happy facial and body expressions, while the recognition of neutral and fearful expressions was not affected by the mimicry manipulation. The mimicry manipulation did not affect the gender discrimination task. Furthermore, the impairment of happy expression recognition correlated with empathic traits. These results support the role of facial mimicry in emotion recognition and suggest that facial mimicry reflects a global sensorimotor simulation of others' emotions rather than a muscle-specific reproduction of an observed motor expression.
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28
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Oldrati V, Bardoni A, Poggi G, Urgesi C. Influence of Attention Control on Implicit and Explicit Emotion Processing of Face and Body: Evidence From Flanker and Same-or-Different Paradigms. Front Psychol 2020; 10:2971. [PMID: 32038372 PMCID: PMC6985560 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Many existing findings indicate that processing of emotional information is pre-attentive, largely immune from attentional control. Nevertheless, inconsistent evidence on the interference of emotional cues on cognitive processing suggests that this influence may be a highly conditional phenomenon. The aim of the present study was twofold: (1) to examine the modulation of attention control on emotion processing using facial expressions (2) explore the very same effect for emotional body expressions. In Experiment 1, participants performed a Flanker task in which they had to indicate either the emotion (happy/fearful) or the gender of the target stimulus while ignoring the distracting stimuli at the side. We found evidence for intrusion of the emotional dimension of a stimulus in both the emotion and gender discrimination performance, thus when either task-relevant or task-irrelevant. To further explore the influence of attention control mechanisms, in Experiment 2 participants performed a same-or-different judgment task in which they were asked to pay attention to both the central and lateral stimuli and indicated whether the central stimulus matched the lateral for emotion or gender. Results showed that emotional features exerted an influence at an implicit level (i.e., during gender judgments) for bodies only. Gender features did not affect emotional processing in either experiments. To rule out the possibility that this effect was driven by postural rather than emotional features of fearful vs. happy stimuli, a control experiment was conducted. In Experiment 3, bodies with an opening/up-ward or closing/down-ward posture but with no emotional valence were presented. Results revealed that the body posture did not influence gender discrimination. Findings suggest that the emotional valence of a face or body stimulus can overpass attention filtering mechanisms, independently from the level of attentional modulation (Experiment 1). However, broadening the focus of attention to include the lateral stimuli led emotional information to intrude on the main task, exerting an implicit, bottom–up influence on gender processing, only when conveyed by bodies (Experiment 2). Results point to different mechanisms for the implicit processing of face and body emotional expressions, with the latter likely having role on action preparation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Oldrati
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
- *Correspondence: Viola Oldrati,
| | | | - Geraldina Poggi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Cosimo Urgesi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, San Vito al Tagliamento, Pordenone, Italy
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29
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Canderan C, Maieron M, Fabbro F, Tomasino B. Understanding Body Language Does Not Require Matching the Body's Egocentric Map to Body Posture: A Brain Activation fMRI Study. Percept Mot Skills 2019; 127:8-35. [PMID: 31537169 DOI: 10.1177/0031512519876741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Body language (BL) is a type of nonverbal communication in which the body communicates the message. We contrasted participants' cognitive processing of body representations or meanings versus body positions. Participants (N = 20) were shown pictures depicting body postures and were instructed to focus on their meaning (BL) or on the position of a body part relative to the position of another part (body structural description [BSD]). We examined activation in brain areas related to the two types of body representation-body schema and BSD-as modulated by the two tasks. We presumed that if understanding BL triggers embodiment of body posture, a matching procedure between the egocentric map coding the position of one's body segments in space and time should occur. We found that BL (vs. BSD) differentially activated the angular gyrus bilaterally, the anterior middle temporal gyrus, the temporal pole, and the right superior temporal gyrus, the inferior frontal gyrus, the superior medial gyrus, and the left superior frontal gyrus. BSD (vs. BL) differentially activated the superior parietal lobule (Area 7A) bilaterally, the posterior inferior temporal gyrus, the middle frontal gyrus, and the left precentral gyrus. Sensorimotor areas were differentially activated by BSD when compared with BL. Inclusive masking showed significant voxels in the superior colliculus and pulvinar, fusiform gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, the intraparietal sulcus bilaterally, inferior frontal gyrus bilaterally, and precentral gyrus. These results indicate common brain networks for processing BL and BSD, for which some areas show differentially stronger or weaker processing of one task or the other, with the precuneus and the superior parietal lobule, the intraparietal sulcus, and sensorimotor areas most related to the BSD as activated by the BSD task. In contrast, the parietal operculum, an area related to the body schema, a representation crucial during embodiment of body postures, was not activated for implicit masking or for the differential contrasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinzia Canderan
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS "E. Medea," San Vito al Tagliamento (PN), Italy
| | - Marta Maieron
- Fisica Medica, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata di Udine, Italy
| | - Franco Fabbro
- Dipartimento di Area Medica, Università di Udine, Italy
| | - Barbara Tomasino
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS "E. Medea," San Vito al Tagliamento (PN), Italy
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30
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Suzuki M, Suzuki T, Wang YJ, Hamaguchi T. Changes in Magnitude and Variability of Corticospinal Excitability During Rewarded Time-Sensitive Behavior. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:147. [PMID: 31312127 PMCID: PMC6614518 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Reward expectation and time estimation are important for behavior and affect corticospinal excitability. This study investigated changes in corticospinal excitability during rewarded time-sensitive behavioral tasks. The rewarded time-sensitive task comprised three fixed-ratio (FR) schedules: FRA contained a reward stimulus after every response, FRB after every two responses, and FRC after every four responses. The participants were instructed to press a left button with the index finger as quickly as possible in response to the appearance of a red circle. Just after the left button press, the word “10-yen” (approximately $0.1) or “no pay” was presented as feedback. Then, the participant had to mentally estimate/wait for 2.5 s from pressing the left button to pressing the right button. One second after the reward stimulus, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was delivered to the primary motor cortex at the hotspot of the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle. Each participant received items corresponding to the total monetary reward accumulated at the end of the experiment. The variability of motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes transformed from a random process during the resting state into an autoregressive process during the rewarded time-sensitive behavioral task. Additionally, the random variation of MEP amplitudes in the FRC, FRB, and FRA schedules increased in a stepwise fashion. However, the magnitude of MEP amplitudes significantly increased for the FRB and FRC schedules compared to the FRA schedule. The time estimation lag was negative for the three FR schedules but there was no difference among the three FR schedules. The magnitude of corticospinal excitability increased in low reward probability, whereas the variability of corticospinal excitability transformed into an autoregressive process in high reward probability. These results imply that the magnitude and variability of expectation-related corticospinal excitabilities can be differentially altered by reward probability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Suzuki
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Tokyo Kasei University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takako Suzuki
- School of Health Sciences, Saitama Prefectural University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yin-Jung Wang
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Tokyo Kasei University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Toyohiro Hamaguchi
- School of Health Sciences, Saitama Prefectural University, Saitama, Japan
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31
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Paracampo R, Montemurro M, de Vega M, Avenanti A. Primary motor cortex crucial for action prediction: A tDCS study. Cortex 2018; 109:287-302. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2018.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Revised: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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32
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Engelen T, Zhan M, Sack AT, de Gelder B. The Influence of Conscious and Unconscious Body Threat Expressions on Motor Evoked Potentials Studied With Continuous Flash Suppression. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:480. [PMID: 30061812 PMCID: PMC6054979 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The observation of threatening expression in others is a strong cue for triggering an action response. One method of capturing such action responses is by measuring the amplitude of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited with single pulse TMS over the primary motor cortex. Indeed, it has been shown that viewing whole body expressions of threat modulate the size of MEP amplitude. Furthermore, emotional cues have been shown to act on certain brain areas even outside of conscious awareness. In the current study, we explored if the influence of viewing whole body expressions of threat extends to stimuli that are presented outside of conscious awareness in healthy participants. To accomplish this, we combined the measurement of MEPs with a continuous flash suppression task. In experiment 1, participants were presented with images of neutral bodies, fearful bodies, or objects that were either perceived consciously or unconsciously, while single pulses of TMS were applied at different times after stimulus onset (200, 500, or 700 ms). In experiment 2 stimuli consisted of neutral bodies, angry bodies or objects, and pulses were applied at either 200 or 400 ms post stimulus onset. In experiment 1, there was a general effect of the time of stimulation, but no condition specific effects were evident. In experiment 2 there were no significant main effects, nor any significant interactions. Future studies need to look into earlier effects of MEP modulation by emotion body stimuli, specifically when presented outside of conscious awareness, as well as an exploration of other outcome measures such as intracortical facilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Beatrice de Gelder
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
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33
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Paracampo R, Pirruccio M, Costa M, Borgomaneri S, Avenanti A. Visual, sensorimotor and cognitive routes to understanding others' enjoyment: An individual differences rTMS approach to empathic accuracy. Neuropsychologia 2018; 116:86-98. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.01.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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34
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Pool-Goudzwaard A, Groeneveld W, Coppieters MW, Waterink W. Changes in spontaneous overt motor execution immediately after observing others' painful action: two pilot studies. Exp Brain Res 2018; 236:2333-2345. [PMID: 29876631 PMCID: PMC6061486 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-018-5290-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Research has demonstrated that motor control is directly influenced by observation of others’ action, stimulating the mirror neuron system. In addition, there is evidence that both emotion and empathy after observing a painful stimulus affects motor cortical excitability and reaction times. Aim of the present two pilot studies is a) to test for significant influence of observing other’s painful bending of the trunk on execution of the same activity in a self-directed bending action (study 1) and to compare these results with a bending action according to a strict bending protocol (study 2). In addition to study 1, differences between Low Back Pain (LBP) patients versus healthy subjects are tested. Video footage of a (1) neutral, (2) painful, and (3) happy bending action was presented in random order. Changes in flexion–relaxation phenomenon (FRP) of back muscles were studied directly after watching the videos with surface EMG, in study 1 during a self-directed bending action in LBP patients and healthy subjects, in study 2 according to a strict bending protocol. FRP ratios were calculated by a custom-made analysis scheme tested for sufficient reliability prior to both studies. Evoked emotions were measured with an Emotional Questionnaire after each video. A Mixed Model ANOVA was used to test for the effect video and the difference between LBP and healthy subjects on the FRP-rs. Differences in evoked emotion will be tested with a Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. In study 1, 24 healthy controls and 16 LBP patients FRP-rs were significantly influenced after observing a painful video in all subjects versus a happy and neutral video (p = 0.00). No differences were present between LBP and healthy controls. All subjects experienced more fear after observation of the painful video (p 0.05). In study 2, 6 healthy subjects followed the strict FRP bending protocol for three times after observing each video. No significant changes occurred in FRPs per video compared to FRPs of six healthy subjects carrying out the spontaneous bending activity. Observing a painful action in another person changes motor performance and increases fear in both people with and without back pain, during self-directed trunk flexion, but not during a protocolled trunk flexion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelies Pool-Goudzwaard
- Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behaviour and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Somt University of Physiotherapy, Amersfoort, The Netherlands.
| | - Wim Groeneveld
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, ErasmusMC University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michel W Coppieters
- Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behaviour and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.,School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Wim Waterink
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Open University of the Netherlands, Heerlen, The Netherlands
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35
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Lo Gerfo E, Pisoni A, Ottone S, Ponzano F, Zarri L, Vergallito A, Varoli E, Fedeli D, Romero Lauro LJ. Goal Achievement Failure Drives Corticospinal Modulation in Promotion and Prevention Contexts. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:71. [PMID: 29740290 PMCID: PMC5928196 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
When making decisions, people are typically differently sensitive to gains and losses according to the motivational context in which the choice is performed. As hypothesized by Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT), indeed, goals are supposed to change in relation to the set of possible outcomes. In particular, in a promotion context, the goal is achieving the maximal gain, whereas in a prevention context it turns into avoiding the greatest loss. We explored the neurophysiological counterpart of this phenomenon, by applying Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and recording the motor evoked potentials (MEPs) in participants taking part in an economic game, in which they observed actions conveying different goal attainment levels, framed in different motivational contexts. More than the actual value of the economic exchange involved in the game, what affected motor cortex excitability was the goal attainment failure, corresponding to not achieving the maximal payoff in a promotion context and not avoiding the greatest snatch in a prevention context. Therefore, the results provide support for the key predictions of RFT, identifying a neural signature for the goal attainment failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele Lo Gerfo
- Department of Economics, Management and Statistics, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,NeuroMI-Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy.,Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Economics, Psychology and Social Sciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Pisoni
- NeuroMI-Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy.,Department of Psychology, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefania Ottone
- Department of Economics, Management and Statistics, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,NeuroMI-Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy.,Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Economics, Psychology and Social Sciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Ferruccio Ponzano
- NeuroMI-Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy.,Department of Political Science, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Vercelli, Italy
| | - Luca Zarri
- Department of Economics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Erica Varoli
- NeuroMI-Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy.,Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Fedeli
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Leonor J Romero Lauro
- NeuroMI-Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy.,Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Economics, Psychology and Social Sciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Department of Psychology, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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36
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Cardellicchio P, Hilt PM, Olivier E, Fadiga L, D'Ausilio A. Early modulation of intra-cortical inhibition during the observation of action mistakes. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1784. [PMID: 29379086 PMCID: PMC5788976 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20245-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Errors while performing an action are fundamental for learning. During interaction others' errors must be monitored and taken into account to allow joint action coordination and imitation learning. This monitoring relies on an action observation network (AON) mainly based on parietofrontal recurrent circuits. Although different studies suggest that inappropriate actions may rapidly be inhibited during execution, little is known about the modulation of the AON when an action misstep is shown. Here we used single and paired pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation to assess corticospinal excitability, intracortical facilitation and intracortical inhibition at different time intervals (120, 180, 240 ms) after the visual presentation of a motor execution error. Results show a specific and early (120 ms) decrease of intracortical inhibition likely because of a significant mismatch between the observed erroneous action and observer's expectations. Indeed, as proposed by the top-down predictive framework, the motor system may be involved in the generation of these error signals and our data show that this mechanism could rely on the early decrease of intracortical inhibition within the corticomotor system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pasquale Cardellicchio
- IIT@UniFe Center for Translational Neurophysiology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Fossato di Mortara, 17-19, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Pauline M Hilt
- IIT@UniFe Center for Translational Neurophysiology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Fossato di Mortara, 17-19, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Etienne Olivier
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Luciano Fadiga
- IIT@UniFe Center for Translational Neurophysiology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Fossato di Mortara, 17-19, Ferrara, Italy
- Section of Human Physiology, Università di Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara, 17-19, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Alessandro D'Ausilio
- IIT@UniFe Center for Translational Neurophysiology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Fossato di Mortara, 17-19, Ferrara, Italy
- Section of Human Physiology, Università di Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara, 17-19, Ferrara, Italy
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37
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Suzuki M, Hamaguchi T, Matsunaga A. Nonequivalent modulation of corticospinal excitability by positive and negative outcomes. Brain Behav 2018; 8:e00862. [PMID: 29568678 PMCID: PMC5853642 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Revised: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The difference between positive and negative outcomes is important in trial-and-error decision-making processes and affects corticospinal excitability. This study investigated corticospinal excitability during the performance of trial-and-error decision-making tasks with varying competing behavioral outcomes. METHODS Each trial began with one of five colored circles presented as a cue. Each color represented a different reward probability, ranging from 10% to 90%. The subjects were instructed to decide whether to perform wrist flexion in response to the cue. Two seconds after the presentation of the cue, a reward stimulus (picture of a coin) or penalty stimulus (mauve circle) was randomly presented to the subject. If the picture of a coin appeared, the subjects received the coin after the experiment if they had performed wrist flexion, but not if they had not performed wrist flexion. If a mauve circle appeared, a coin was deducted from the total reward if the subjects had performed wrist flexion, but not if they had not performed wrist flexion. One second after the reward or penalty stimulus, transcranial magnetic stimulation was delivered to the primary motor cortex at the midpoint between the centers of gravity of the flexor carpi radialis (agonist) and extensor carpi radialis (antagonist) muscles. RESULTS Cumulative wrist flexions were positively correlated with reward probabilities. Motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes in agonist muscles were significantly higher when wrist flexion incurred a penalty than when it incurred a reward, but there was no difference in the MEP amplitudes of antagonist muscles. CONCLUSION Positive and negative behavioral outcomes differentially altered behavior and corticospinal excitability, and unexpected penalties had a stronger effect on corticospinal excitability for agonist muscles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Suzuki
- School of Health Sciences Saitama Prefectural University Saitama Japan
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38
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Vicario CM, Rafal RD, Borgomaneri S, Paracampo R, Kritikos A, Avenanti A. Pictures of disgusting foods and disgusted facial expressions suppress the tongue motor cortex. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2017; 12:352-362. [PMID: 27614770 PMCID: PMC5390717 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The tongue holds a unique role in gustatory disgust. However, it is unclear whether the tongue representation in the motor cortex (tM1) is affected by the sight of distaste-related stimuli. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in healthy humans, we recorded tongue motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) as an index of tM1 cortico-hypoglossal excitability. MEPs were recorded while participants viewed pictures associated with gustatory disgust and revulsion (i.e. rotten foods and faces expressing distaste), non-oral-related disgusting stimuli (i.e. invertebrates like worms) and control stimuli. We found that oral-related disgust pictures suppressed tM1 cortico-hypoglossal output. This tM1 suppression was predicted by interindividual differences in disgust sensitivity. No similar suppression was found for disgusting invertebrates or when MEPs were recorded from a control muscle. These findings suggest that revulsion-eliciting food pictures trigger anticipatory inhibition mechanisms, possibly preventing toxin swallowing and contamination. A similar suppression is elicited when viewing distaste expressions, suggesting vicarious motor inhibition during social perception of disgust. Our study suggests an avoidant-defensive mechanism in human cortico-hypoglossal circuits and its ‘resonant’ activation in the vicarious experience of others’ distaste. These findings support a role for the motor system in emotion-driven motor anticipation and social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmelo M Vicario
- Wolfson Centre for Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor Gwynedd LL57 2DG, UK.,School of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
| | - Robert D Rafal
- Wolfson Centre for Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor Gwynedd LL57 2DG, UK
| | - Sara Borgomaneri
- Department of Psychology and Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena 47521, Italy.,IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Roma 00179, Italy
| | - Riccardo Paracampo
- Department of Psychology and Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena 47521, Italy
| | - Ada Kritikos
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, McElwain Building, St Lucia Campus, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Department of Psychology and Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena 47521, Italy.,IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Roma 00179, Italy
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Tsachor RP, Shafir T. A Somatic Movement Approach to Fostering Emotional Resiliency through Laban Movement Analysis. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:410. [PMID: 28936167 PMCID: PMC5594083 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although movement has long been recognized as expressing emotion and as an agent of change for emotional state, there was a dearth of scientific evidence specifying which aspects of movement influence specific emotions. The recent identification of clusters of Laban movement components which elicit and enhance the basic emotions of anger, fear, sadness and happiness indicates which types of movements can affect these emotions (Shafir et al., 2016), but not how best to apply this knowledge. This perspective paper lays out a conceptual groundwork for how to effectively use these new findings to support emotional resiliency through voluntary choice of one's posture and movements. We suggest that three theoretical principles from Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) can guide the gradual change in movement components in one's daily movements to somatically support shift in affective state: (A) Introduce new movement components in developmental order; (B) Use LMA affinities-among-components to guide the expansion of expressive movement range and (C) Sequence change among components based on Laban's Space Harmony theory to support the gradual integration of that new range. The methods postulated in this article have potential to foster resiliency and provide resources for self-efficacy by expanding our capacity to adapt emotionally to challenges through modulating our movement responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachelle P. Tsachor
- Department of Theatre, School of Theatre & Music, The University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL, United States
| | - Tal Shafir
- The Graduate School of Creative Arts Therapies, The University of HaifaHaifa, Israel
- The Emili Sagol Creative Arts Therapies Research Center, The University of HaifaHaifa, Israel
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40
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State-Dependent TMS Reveals Representation of Affective Body Movements in the Anterior Intraparietal Cortex. J Neurosci 2017. [PMID: 28642285 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0913-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, recognition of others' actions involves a cortical network that comprises, among other cortical regions, the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), where biological motion is coded and the anterior intraparietal sulcus (aIPS), where movement information is elaborated in terms of meaningful goal-directed actions. This action observation system (AOS) is thought to encode neutral voluntary actions, and possibly some aspects of affective motor repertoire, but the role of the AOS' areas in processing affective kinematic information has never been examined. Here we investigated whether the AOS plays a role in representing dynamic emotional bodily expressions. In the first experiment, we assessed behavioral adaptation effects of observed affective movements. Participants watched series of happy or fearful whole-body point-light displays (PLDs) as adapters and were then asked to perform an explicit categorization of the emotion expressed in test PLDs. Participants were slower when categorizing any of the two emotions as long as it was congruent with the emotion in the adapter sequence. We interpreted this effect as adaptation to the emotional content of PLDs. In the second experiment, we combined this paradigm with TMS applied over either the right aIPS, pSTS, and the right half of the occipital pole (corresponding to Brodmann's area 17 and serving as control) to examine the neural locus of the adaptation effect. TMS over the aIPS (but not over the other sites) reversed the behavioral cost of adaptation, specifically for fearful contents. This demonstrates that aIPS contains an explicit representation of affective body movements.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In humans, a network of areas, the action observation system, encodes voluntary actions. However, the role of these brain regions in processing affective kinematic information has not been investigated. Here we demonstrate that the aIPS contains a representation of affective body movements. First, in a behavioral experiment, we found an adaptation after-effect for emotional PLDs, indicating the existence of a neural representation selective for affective information in biological motion. To examine the neural locus of this effect, we then combined the adaptation paradigm with TMS. Stimulation of the aIPS (but not over pSTS and control site) reversed the behavioral cost of adaptation, specifically for fearful contents, demonstrating that aIPS contains a representation of affective body movements.
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41
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Core, social and moral disgust are bounded: A review on behavioral and neural bases of repugnance in clinical disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 80:185-200. [PMID: 28506923 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Revised: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Disgust is a multifaceted experience that might affect several aspects of life. Here, we reviewed research on neurological and psychiatric disorders that are characterized by abnormal disgust processing to test the hypothesis of a shared neurocognitive architecture in the representation of three disgust domains: i) personal experience of 'core disgust'; ii) social disgust, i.e., sensitivity to others' expressions of disgust; iii) moral disgust, i.e., sensitivity to ethical violations. Our review provides some support to the shared neurocognitive hypothesis and suggests that the insula might be the "hub" structure linking the three domains of disgust sensitivity, while other brain regions may subserve specific facets of the multidimensional experience. Our review also suggests a role of serotonin core and moral disgust, supporting "neo-sentimentalist" theories of morality, which posit a causal role of affect in moral judgment.
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42
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Borgomaneri S, Vitale F, Avenanti A. Behavioral inhibition system sensitivity enhances motor cortex suppression when watching fearful body expressions. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 222:3267-3282. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1403-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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43
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Dynamic Changes in Amygdala Psychophysiological Connectivity Reveal Distinct Neural Networks for Facial Expressions of Basic Emotions. Sci Rep 2017; 7:45260. [PMID: 28345642 PMCID: PMC5366904 DOI: 10.1038/srep45260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The quest to characterize the neural signature distinctive of different basic emotions has recently come under renewed scrutiny. Here we investigated whether facial expressions of different basic emotions modulate the functional connectivity of the amygdala with the rest of the brain. To this end, we presented seventeen healthy participants (8 females) with facial expressions of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and emotional neutrality and analyzed amygdala's psychophysiological interaction (PPI). In fact, PPI can reveal how inter-regional amygdala communications change dynamically depending on perception of various emotional expressions to recruit different brain networks, compared to the functional interactions it entertains during perception of neutral expressions. We found that for each emotion the amygdala recruited a distinctive and spatially distributed set of structures to interact with. These changes in amygdala connectional patters characterize the dynamic signature prototypical of individual emotion processing, and seemingly represent a neural mechanism that serves to implement the distinctive influence that each emotion exerts on perceptual, cognitive, and motor responses. Besides these differences, all emotions enhanced amygdala functional integration with premotor cortices compared to neutral faces. The present findings thus concur to reconceptualise the structure-function relation between brain-emotion from the traditional one-to-one mapping toward a network-based and dynamic perspective.
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Avenanti A, Paracampo R, Annella L, Tidoni E, Aglioti SM. Boosting and Decreasing Action Prediction Abilities Through Excitatory and Inhibitory tDCS of Inferior Frontal Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2017; 28:1282-1296. [PMID: 28334143 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Avenanti
- Department of Psychology and Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena, Italy
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Riccardo Paracampo
- Department of Psychology and Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena, Italy
| | - Laura Annella
- Department of Psychology and Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena, Italy
| | - Emmanuele Tidoni
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Salvatore Maria Aglioti
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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45
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Vesper C, Abramova E, Bütepage J, Ciardo F, Crossey B, Effenberg A, Hristova D, Karlinsky A, McEllin L, Nijssen SRR, Schmitz L, Wahn B. Joint Action: Mental Representations, Shared Information and General Mechanisms for Coordinating with Others. Front Psychol 2017; 7:2039. [PMID: 28101077 PMCID: PMC5209366 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.02039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In joint action, multiple people coordinate their actions to perform a task together. This often requires precise temporal and spatial coordination. How do co-actors achieve this? How do they coordinate their actions toward a shared task goal? Here, we provide an overview of the mental representations involved in joint action, discuss how co-actors share sensorimotor information and what general mechanisms support coordination with others. By deliberately extending the review to aspects such as the cultural context in which a joint action takes place, we pay tribute to the complex and variable nature of this social phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cordula Vesper
- Department of Cognitive Science, Central European University (CEU) Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ekaterina Abramova
- Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies and Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Judith Bütepage
- School of Computer Science and Communication, KTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Francesca Ciardo
- Department of Communication and Economics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE) Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | | | - Alfred Effenberg
- Institute of Sports Science, Leibniz University of Hannover Hannover, Germany
| | | | - April Karlinsky
- School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia (UBC) Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Luke McEllin
- Department of Cognitive Science, Central European University (CEU) Budapest, Hungary
| | - Sari R R Nijssen
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Laura Schmitz
- Department of Cognitive Science, Central European University (CEU) Budapest, Hungary
| | - Basil Wahn
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Osnabrück Osnabrück, Germany
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46
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Nogueira-Campos AA, Saunier G, Della-Maggiore V, De Oliveira LAS, Rodrigues EC, Vargas CD. Observing Grasping Actions Directed to Emotion-Laden Objects: Effects upon Corticospinal Excitability. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:434. [PMID: 27625602 PMCID: PMC5004483 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The motor system is recruited whenever one executes an action as well as when one observes the same action being executed by others. Although it is well established that emotion modulates the motor system, the effect of observing other individuals acting in an emotional context is particularly elusive. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effect induced by the observation of grasping directed to emotion-laden objects upon corticospinal excitability (CSE). Participants classified video-clips depicting the right-hand of an actor grasping emotion-laden objects. Twenty video-clips differing in terms of valence but balanced in arousal level were selected. Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were then recorded from the first dorsal interosseous using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) while the participants observed the selected emotional video-clips. During the video-clip presentation, TMS pulses were randomly applied at one of two different time points of grasping: (1) maximum grip aperture, and (2) object contact time. CSE was higher during the observation of grasping directed to unpleasant objects compared to pleasant ones. These results indicate that when someone observes an action of grasping directed to emotion-laden objects, the effect of the object valence promotes a specific modulation over the motor system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ghislain Saunier
- Laboratory of Motor Cognition, Department of Anatomy, Federal University of Pará Belém, Brazil
| | - Valeria Della-Maggiore
- IFIBIO Houssay, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Erika C Rodrigues
- Post-Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Unisuam Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Claudia D Vargas
- Laboratory of Neurobiology II, Neurobiology Program, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto de Neurologia Deolindo Couto, Federal University of Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil
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47
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Salvia E, Süß M, Tivadar R, Harkness S, Grosbras MH. Mirror Neurons System Engagement in Late Adolescents and Adults While Viewing Emotional Gestures. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1099. [PMID: 27489547 PMCID: PMC4951528 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01099] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Observing others’ actions enhances muscle-specific cortico-spinal excitability, reflecting putative mirror neurons activity. The exposure to emotional stimuli also modulates cortico-spinal excitability. We investigated how those two phenomena might interact when they are combined, i.e., while observing a gesture performed with an emotion, and whether they change during the transition between adolescence and adulthood, a period of social and brain maturation. We delivered single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the hand area of the left primary motor cortex of 27 healthy adults and adolescents and recorded their right first dorsal interossus (FDI) muscle activity (i.e., motor evoked potential – MEP), while they viewed either videos of neutral or angry hand actions and facial expressions, or neutral objects as a control condition. We reproduced the motor resonance and the emotion effects – hand-actions and emotional stimuli induced greater cortico-spinal excitability than the faces/control condition and neutral videos, respectively. Moreover, the influence of emotion was present for faces but not for hand actions, indicating that the motor resonance and the emotion effects might be non-additive. While motor resonance was observed in both groups, the emotion effect was present only in adults and not in adolescents. We discuss the possible neural bases of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Salvia
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR 7291, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and Aix-Marseille UniversitéMarseille, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Fédération 3C (FR 3512), Aix-Marseille UniversitéMarseille, France
| | - Moritz Süß
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow Glasgow, UK
| | - Ruxandra Tivadar
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow Glasgow, UK
| | - Sarah Harkness
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow Glasgow, UK
| | - Marie-Hélène Grosbras
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR 7291, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and Aix-Marseille UniversitéMarseille, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Fédération 3C (FR 3512), Aix-Marseille UniversitéMarseille, France; Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of GlasgowGlasgow, UK
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48
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Hortensius R, de Gelder B, Schutter DJLG. When anger dominates the mind: Increased motor corticospinal excitability in the face of threat. Psychophysiology 2016; 53:1307-16. [PMID: 27325519 PMCID: PMC5113684 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.12685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Threat demands fast and adaptive reactions that are manifested at the physiological, behavioral, and phenomenological level and are responsive to the direction of threat and its severity for the individual. Here, we investigated the effects of threat directed toward or away from the observer on motor corticospinal excitability and explicit recognition. Sixteen healthy right‐handed volunteers completed a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) task and a separate three‐alternative forced‐choice emotion recognition task. Single‐pulse TMS to the left primary motor cortex was applied to measure motor evoked potentials from the right abductor pollicis brevis in response to dynamic angry, fearful, and neutral bodily expressions with blurred faces directed toward or away from the observer. Results showed that motor corticospinal excitability increased independent of direction of anger compared with fear and neutral. In contrast, anger was better recognized when directed toward the observer compared with when directed away from the observer, while the opposite pattern was found for fear. The present results provide evidence for the differential effects of threat direction on explicit recognition and motor corticospinal excitability. In the face of threat, motor corticospinal excitability increases independently of the direction of anger, indicative of the importance of more automatic reactions to threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruud Hortensius
- Brain and Emotion Laboratory, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.,Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Beatrice de Gelder
- Brain and Emotion Laboratory, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Dennis J L G Schutter
- Donders Institute of Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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49
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Fino E, Menegatti M, Avenanti A, Rubini M. Enjoying vs. smiling: Facial muscular activation in response to emotional language. Biol Psychol 2016; 118:126-135. [PMID: 27164178 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2016.04.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Revised: 04/03/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The present study examined whether emotionally congruent facial muscular activation - a somatic index of emotional language embodiment can be elicited by reading subject-verb sentences composed of action verbs, that refer directly to facial expressions (e.g., Mario smiles), but also by reading more abstract state verbs, which provide more direct access to the emotions felt by the agent (e.g., Mario enjoys). To address this issue, we measured facial electromyography (EMG) while participants evaluated state and action verb sentences. We found emotional sentences including both verb categories to have valence-congruent effects on emotional ratings and corresponding facial muscle activations. As expected, state verb-sentences were judged with higher valence ratings than action verb-sentences. Moreover, despite emotional congruent facial activations were similar for the two linguistic categories, in a late temporal window we found a tendency for greater EMG modulation when reading action relative to state verb sentences. These results support embodied theories of language comprehension and suggest that understanding emotional action and state verb sentences relies on partially dissociable motor and emotional processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edita Fino
- Department of Psychology, SociaLab, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy; Department of Sociology, Psychology and Education, SocialBrainLab, University Marin Barleti, Rr. Sami Frasheri, 41, 1000 Tirana, Albania.
| | - Michela Menegatti
- Department of Psychology, SociaLab, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Department of Psychology, Centre for studies and research in Cognitive Neuroscience (CsrNC), Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Europa 980, 47521 Cesena, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via Ardeatina 306, 00179 Roma, Italy.
| | - Monica Rubini
- Department of Psychology, SociaLab, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
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50
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Cracco E, De Coster L, Andres M, Brass M. Mirroring multiple agents: motor resonance during action observation is modulated by the number of agents. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2016; 11:1422-7. [PMID: 27118879 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Although social situations regularly involve multiple persons acting together, research on the mirror neuron system has focused on situations in which a single agent is observed. Therefore, the goal of the current study was to explore the role of the mirror mechanism in situations involving multiple agents. Specifically, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate whether mirror activation is modulated by the number of observed agents. Based on group contagion research, we hypothesized that multiple agents would provide a stronger trigger to the motor system and would therefore produce a stronger mirror response than a single agent. Participants observed movements performed by a single hand or by two hands while TMS was applied to the primary motor cortex. The results confirmed that activation in the motor system was stronger for two hands. This suggests that input to the motor system increases as the number of agents grows. Relating back to group contagion, our study suggests that groups may be more contagious simply because their actions resonate louder. Given that the mirror mechanism has been linked to a variety of social skills, our findings additionally have important implications for the understanding of social interaction at the group level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiel Cracco
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Lize De Coster
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Michael Andres
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, Ghent, 9000, Belgium Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université Catholique De Louvain, Place Cardinal Mercier 10, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium
| | - Marcel Brass
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
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