1
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Haiduk F, Zatorre RJ, Benjamin L, Morillon B, Albouy P. Spectrotemporal cues and attention jointly modulate fMRI network topology for sentence and melody perception. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5501. [PMID: 38448636 PMCID: PMC10917817 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56139-6] [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: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Speech and music are two fundamental modes of human communication. Lateralisation of key processes underlying their perception has been related both to the distinct sensitivity to low-level spectrotemporal acoustic features and to top-down attention. However, the interplay between bottom-up and top-down processes needs to be clarified. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of acoustics and attention to melodies or sentences to lateralisation in fMRI functional network topology. We used sung speech stimuli selectively filtered in temporal or spectral modulation domains with crossed and balanced verbal and melodic content. Perception of speech decreased with degradation of temporal information, whereas perception of melodies decreased with spectral degradation. Applying graph theoretical metrics on fMRI connectivity matrices, we found that local clustering, reflecting functional specialisation, linearly increased when spectral or temporal cues crucial for the task goal were incrementally degraded. These effects occurred in a bilateral fronto-temporo-parietal network for processing temporally degraded sentences and in right auditory regions for processing spectrally degraded melodies. In contrast, global topology remained stable across conditions. These findings suggest that lateralisation for speech and music partially depends on an interplay of acoustic cues and task goals under increased attentional demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Haiduk
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Robert J Zatorre
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research (BRAMS) - CRBLM, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Lucas Benjamin
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, CNRS ERL 9003, INSERM U992, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, NeuroSpin Center, 91191, Gif/Yvette, France
| | - Benjamin Morillon
- Aix Marseille University, Inserm, INS, Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Marseille, France
| | - Philippe Albouy
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research (BRAMS) - CRBLM, Montreal, QC, Canada
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada
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2
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Giannakopoulos I, Karanika P, Papaxanthis C, Tsaklis P. The Effects of Action Observation Therapy as a Rehabilitation Tool in Parkinson’s Disease Patients: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19063311. [PMID: 35329000 PMCID: PMC8949895 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
During Action Observation (AO), patients observe human movements that they then try to imitate physically. Until now, few studies have investigated the effectiveness of it in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, due to the diversity of interventions, it is unclear how the dose and characteristics can affect its efficiency. We investigated the AO protocols used in PD, by discussing the intervention features and the outcome measures in relation to their efficacy. A search was conducted through MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane, and WoS until November 2021, for RCTs with AO interventions. Participant’s characteristics, treatment features, outcome measures, and main results were extracted from each study. Results were gathered into a quantitative synthesis (MD and 95% CI) for each time point. Seven studies were included in the review, with 227 participants and a mean PEDro score of 6.7. These studies reported positive effects of AO in PD patients, mainly on walking ability and typical motor signs of PD like freezing of gait. However, disagreements among authors exist, mainly due to the heterogeneity of the intervention features. In overall, AO improves functional abilities and motor control in PD patients, with the intervention dose and the characteristics of the stimulus playing a decisive role in its efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Giannakopoulos
- Biomechanics and Ergonomics Laboratory, Department of Physical Education and Sports Science (DPESS), University of Thessaly, 42100 Trikala, Greece; (I.G.); (P.K.); (C.P.)
| | - Panagiota Karanika
- Biomechanics and Ergonomics Laboratory, Department of Physical Education and Sports Science (DPESS), University of Thessaly, 42100 Trikala, Greece; (I.G.); (P.K.); (C.P.)
| | - Charalambos Papaxanthis
- Biomechanics and Ergonomics Laboratory, Department of Physical Education and Sports Science (DPESS), University of Thessaly, 42100 Trikala, Greece; (I.G.); (P.K.); (C.P.)
- L’Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) INSERM 1093 CAPS (Cognition, Action et Plasticité Sensorimotrice), Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, UFR des Sciences du Sport, F-21000 Dijon, France
- Pôle Recherche et Santé Publique, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, F-21000 Dijon, France
| | - Panagiotis Tsaklis
- Biomechanics and Ergonomics Laboratory, Department of Physical Education and Sports Science (DPESS), University of Thessaly, 42100 Trikala, Greece; (I.G.); (P.K.); (C.P.)
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Growth and Metabolism, Karolinska Institute, 17164 Solna, Sweden
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-24310-47006
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3
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Compartmentalized dynamics within a common multi-area mesoscale manifold represent a repertoire of human hand movements. Neuron 2022; 110:154-174.e12. [PMID: 34678147 PMCID: PMC9701546 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The human hand is unique in the animal kingdom for unparalleled dexterity, ranging from complex prehension to fine finger individuation. How does the brain represent such a diverse repertoire of movements? We evaluated mesoscale neural dynamics across the human "grasp network," using electrocorticography and dimensionality reduction methods, for a repertoire of hand movements. Strikingly, we found that the grasp network represented both finger and grasping movements alike. Specifically, the manifold characterizing the multi-areal neural covariance structure was preserved during all movements across this distributed network. In contrast, latent neural dynamics within this manifold were surprisingly specific to movement type. Aligning latent activity to kinematics further uncovered distinct submanifolds despite similarities in synergistic coupling of joints between movements. We thus find that despite preserved neural covariance at the distributed network level, mesoscale dynamics are compartmentalized into movement-specific submanifolds; this mesoscale organization may allow flexible switching between a repertoire of hand movements.
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4
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Kilteni K, Engeler P, Boberg I, Maurex L, Ehrsson HH. No evidence for somatosensory attenuation during action observation of self-touch. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:6422-6444. [PMID: 34463971 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of mirror neurons in the macaque brain in the 1990s triggered investigations on putative human mirror neurons and their potential functionality. The leading proposed function has been action understanding: Accordingly, we understand the actions of others by 'simulating' them in our own motor system through a direct matching of the visual information to our own motor programmes. Furthermore, it has been proposed that this simulation involves the prediction of the sensory consequences of the observed action, similar to the prediction of the sensory consequences of our executed actions. Here, we tested this proposal by quantifying somatosensory attenuation behaviourally during action observation. Somatosensory attenuation manifests during voluntary action and refers to the perception of self-generated touches as less intense than identical externally generated touches because the self-generated touches are predicted from the motor command. Therefore, we reasoned that if an observer simulates the observed action and, thus, he/she predicts its somatosensory consequences, then he/she should attenuate tactile stimuli simultaneously delivered to his/her corresponding body part. In three separate experiments, we found a systematic attenuation of touches during executed self-touch actions, but we found no evidence for attenuation when such actions were observed. Failure to observe somatosensory attenuation during observation of self-touch is not compatible with the hypothesis that the putative human mirror neuron system automatically predicts the sensory consequences of the observed action. In contrast, our findings emphasize a sharp distinction between the motor representations of self and others.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Patrick Engeler
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ida Boberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Linnea Maurex
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - H Henrik Ehrsson
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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5
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Urgen BA, Orban GA. The unique role of parietal cortex in action observation: Functional organization for communicative and manipulative actions. Neuroimage 2021; 237:118220. [PMID: 34058335 PMCID: PMC8285591 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Action observation is supported by a network of regions in occipito-temporal, parietal, and premotor cortex in primates. Recent research suggests that the parietal node has regions dedicated to different action classes including manipulation, interpersonal interactions, skin displacement, locomotion, and climbing. The goals of the current study consist of: 1) extending this work with new classes of actions that are communicative and specific to humans, 2) investigating how parietal cortex differs from the occipito-temporal and premotor cortex in representing action classes. Human subjects underwent fMRI scanning while observing three action classes: indirect communication, direct communication, and manipulation, plus two types of control stimuli, static controls which were static frames from the video clips, and dynamic controls consisting of temporally-scrambled optic flow information. Using univariate analysis, MVPA, and representational similarity analysis, our study presents several novel findings. First, we provide further evidence for the anatomical segregation in parietal cortex of different action classes: We have found a new site that is specific for representing human-specific indirect communicative actions in cytoarchitectonic parietal area PFt. Second, we found that the discriminability between action classes was higher in parietal cortex than the other two levels suggesting the coding of action identity information at this level. Finally, our results advocate the use of the control stimuli not just for univariate analysis of complex action videos but also when using multivariate techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burcu A Urgen
- Department of Psychology, Bilkent University, 06800, Bilkent, Ankara, Turkey; Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, Bilkent University, 06800, Bilkent, Ankara, Turkey; National Magnetic Resonance Research Center (UMRAM) and Aysel Sabuncu Brain Research Center, Bilkent University, 06800, Bilkent, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Guy A Orban
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Neuroscience Unit, University of Parma, Italy.
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6
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Courson M, Tremblay P. Neural correlates of manual action language: Comparative review, ALE meta-analysis and ROI meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 116:221-238. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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7
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Arioli M, Canessa N. Neural processing of social interaction: Coordinate-based meta-analytic evidence from human neuroimaging studies. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:3712-3737. [PMID: 31077492 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
While the action observation and mentalizing networks are considered to play complementary roles in understanding others' goals and intentions, they might be concurrently engaged when processing social interactions. We assessed this hypothesis via three activation-likelihood-estimation meta-analyses of neuroimaging studies on the neural processing of: (a) social interactions, (b) individual actions by the action observation network, and (c) mental states by the mentalizing network. Conjunction analyses and direct comparisons unveiled overlapping and specific regions among the resulting maps. We report quantitative meta-analytic evidence for a "social interaction network" including key nodes of the action observation and mentalizing networks. An action-social interaction-mentalizing gradient of activity along the posterior temporal cortex highlighted a hierarchical processing of interactions, from visuomotor analyses decoding individual and shared intentions to in-depth inferences on actors' intentional states. The medial prefrontal cortex, possibly in conjunction with the amygdala, might provide additional information concerning the affective valence of the interaction. This evidence suggests that the functional architecture underlying the neural processing of interactions involves the joint involvement of the action observation and mentalizing networks. These data might inform the design of rehabilitative treatments for social cognition disorders in pathological conditions, and the assessment of their outcome in randomized controlled trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Arioli
- Department of Humanities and Life Sciences, Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS, Pavia, Italy.,Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, IRCCS ICS Maugeri, Pavia, Italy
| | - Nicola Canessa
- Department of Humanities and Life Sciences, Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS, Pavia, Italy.,Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, IRCCS ICS Maugeri, Pavia, Italy
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8
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Brain Activity on Observation of Another Person’s Action: A Magnetoencephalographic Study. Motor Control 2018; 22:377-390. [DOI: 10.1123/mc.2017-0053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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9
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Cengiz B, Vurallı D, Zinnuroğlu M, Bayer G, Golmohammadzadeh H, Günendi Z, Turgut AE, İrfanoğlu B, Arıkan KB. Analysis of mirror neuron system activation during action observation alone and action observation with motor imagery tasks. Exp Brain Res 2017; 236:497-503. [DOI: 10.1007/s00221-017-5147-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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10
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Watanabe R, Higuchi T, Kikuchi Y, Taira M. Visuomotor effects of body part movements presented in the first-person perspective on imitative behavior. Hum Brain Mapp 2017; 38:6218-6229. [PMID: 28929542 PMCID: PMC6867061 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Imitative stimuli presented from a first-person perspective (FPP) produce stronger visuomotor effects than those presented from a third-person perspective (TPP) due to the relatively greater response of the mirror neuron system (MNS) to FPP stimuli. Some previous studies utilizing TPP stimuli have reported no differences in MNS activity between moving and static bodies' stimuli. However, few studies have compared visuomotor effects of such stimuli when presented in the FPP. To clarify this issue, we measured cortical activation in 17 participants during a functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imitation task involving three conditions: moving (a lifting finger was presented), static (an "X" appeared on a static finger), and control (an "X" appeared on a button). All stimuli were presented from the FPP or TPP. Participants were asked to lift the finger corresponding to the imitative stimulus. In the FPP condition, moving stimuli elicited greater MNS activation than static stimuli. Furthermore, such movement effects were stronger in the MNS and insula (a region associated with body-ownership) for FPP stimuli than for TPP stimuli. Psychophysiological interaction analysis revealed increased connectivity between the MNS and insula for moving stimuli in the FPP condition. These findings suggest that bodily movements presented in the FPP elicit a greater visuomotor response than static body presented in the FPP, and that the visuomotor effects of bodily movements were greater in the FPP condition than in the TPP condition. Our analyses further indicated that such responses are processed via the neural system underlying body-ownership. Hum Brain Mapp 38:6218-6229, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Watanabe
- Department of Cognitive Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesTokyo Medical and Dental UniversityTokyoJapan
- The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)TokyoJapan
| | - Takahiro Higuchi
- Department of Health Promotion Science, Division of Human Health SciencesGraduate School of Tokyo Metropolitan UniversityTokyoJapan
| | - Yoshiaki Kikuchi
- Department of Frontier Health Science, Division of Human Health SciencesGraduate School of Tokyo Metropolitan UniversityTokyoJapan
| | - Masato Taira
- Department of Cognitive Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesTokyo Medical and Dental UniversityTokyoJapan
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11
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Naish KR, Rajagobal A, Galang CM, Sartori L, Obhi SS. Effects of intentional movement preparation on response times to symbolic and imitative cues. Exp Brain Res 2016; 235:753-761. [PMID: 27866264 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-016-4837-8] [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: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Speeded responses to an external cue are slower when the cue interrupts preparation to perform the same or a similar action in a self-paced manner. To explore the mechanism underlying this 'cost of intention', we examined whether the size of the cost is influenced by the nature of the external cue. Specifically, we assessed whether the cost of intention is different for movements made in response to an imitative cue (an on-screen hand movement) compared to those made in response to a symbolic cue. Consistent with previous reports, externally cued responses were significantly slower on trials where participants were preparing to perform an internally driven movement later in the trial. Also as predicted, simple response times to the imitative cue were faster than those made to the symbolic cue. Critically, the cost of intention was similar for each cue type, suggesting that preparing an intentional action influenced responses cued by the symbolic and imitative cues to a similar degree. These findings suggest that the nature of the external cue does not influence the response time delay associated with concurrent intentional preparation. Together with previous findings, the results of the current study shed further light on the potential mechanisms underlying the cost of intention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine R Naish
- Social Brain, Body and Action Lab, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada.
| | - Amentha Rajagobal
- Social Brain, Body and Action Lab, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Carl Michael Galang
- Social Brain, Body and Action Lab, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Luisa Sartori
- Dipartimento di Psicologia Generale, Universita di Padova, Padua, Italy.,Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Universita di Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Sukhvinder S Obhi
- Social Brain, Body and Action Lab, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada
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12
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Plata-Bello J, Modroño C, Hernández-Martín E, Pérez-Martín Y, Fariña H, Castañón-Pérez A, Marcano F, González-Mora JL. The mirror neuron system also rests. Brain Struct Funct 2016; 222:2193-2202. [PMID: 27838795 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1335-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The mirror neuron system (MNS) is a brain network that has been associated with the understanding of the actions performed by others. The main areas of the brain that are considered as belonging to the MNS are the rostral part of the inferior parietal lobe (IPL) and the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Many studies have tried to focus on the relationship between the regions belonging to the MNS, but a little consideration has been given to the study of the MNS in resting conditions. In the present experiment, the MNS has been studied by two fMRI modalities (task-based fMRI and resting-fMRI) and three analytical procedures [task-block comparison, functional connectivity (FC), and independent component analysis (ICA)]. The task-fMRI with block design showed a mirror activity located in the rostral IPL. The coordinates of this local maximum voxel were defined as a region of interest (ROI) for an FC analysis of the resting-fMRI. This analysis revealed the existence of a functional connectivity within regions forming the core of MNS network and also with other regions with mirror properties. Finally, resting-state fMRI ICA showed the same functional network, although it was more restricted to the core MNS regions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that approaches the MNS using the resting-state fMRI analysis using independent component analysis and functional connectivity at the same time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Plata-Bello
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, CP 38320, La Laguna, Spain.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, S/C de Tenerife, CP 38320, La Laguna, Spain.
| | - Cristián Modroño
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, CP 38320, La Laguna, Spain
| | | | - Yaiza Pérez-Martín
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, S/C de Tenerife, CP 38320, La Laguna, Spain
| | - Helga Fariña
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, CP 38320, La Laguna, Spain
| | - Abril Castañón-Pérez
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, CP 38320, La Laguna, Spain
| | - Francisco Marcano
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, CP 38320, La Laguna, Spain
| | - José Luis González-Mora
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, CP 38320, La Laguna, Spain
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13
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Plata Bello J, Modroño C, Marcano F, González-Mora JL. The effect of motor familiarity during simple finger opposition tasks. Brain Imaging Behav 2016; 9:828-38. [PMID: 25511522 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-014-9340-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Humans are more familiar with performing (and observing) index-thumb than with any other finger to thumb grasping and the effect of familiarity has not been tested specifically with simple and intransitive actions. The study of simple and intransitive motor actions (i.e. simple actions without need of object interaction) provides the opportunity to investigate specifically the brain motor regions reducing the effect of non-motor aspects that are related with more complex and/or transitive motor actions. The aim of this study is to evaluate brain activity patterns during the execution of simple and intransitive finger movements with different degrees of familiarity. With this in mind, a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) study was performed in which participants were asked to execute finger to thumb opposition tasks with all the different fingers (index, middle, ring and little) with a fixed frequency (1 Hz) determined by a visual cue. This movement is considered as the pantomime of a precision grasping action. Significant activity was identified in the Sensory Motor Cortex (SMC), posterior parietal and premotor regions for all simple conditions (index-finger>control, middle-finger>control, ring-finger>control and little-finger>control). However, a linear trend contrast (index<middle<ring<little) demonstrated that there was a linear increase of activity in the SMC (mainly in the Precentral Gyrus) while the finger used to perform the action was further from the thumb. Therefore, the execution of less familiar simple intransitive movements seems to lead to a stronger activation of the SMC than familiar ones. Posterior parietal and premotor regions did not show the aforementioned stronger activation. The most important implication of this study is the identification of differences in brain activity during the execution of simple intransitive movements with different degrees of familiarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Plata Bello
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain. .,Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Department of Neurosurgery, Calle Ofra s/n La Cuesta, CP 38320, La Laguna, S/C de Tenerife, Spain.
| | - Cristián Modroño
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain.,Servicio de Resonancia Magnética para Investigaciones Biomédicas (SRMIB), University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Francisco Marcano
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain.,Servicio de Resonancia Magnética para Investigaciones Biomédicas (SRMIB), University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - José Luis González-Mora
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain.,Servicio de Resonancia Magnética para Investigaciones Biomédicas (SRMIB), University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
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14
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Itaguchi Y, Yamada C, Fukuzawa K. Writing in the Air: Contributions of Finger Movement to Cognitive Processing. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128419. [PMID: 26061273 PMCID: PMC4489584 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study investigated the interactions between motor action and cognitive processing with particular reference to kanji-culture individuals. Kanji-culture individuals often move their finger as if they are writing when they are solving cognitive tasks, for example, when they try to recall the spelling of English words. This behavior is called kusho, meaning air-writing in Japanese. However, its functional role is still unknown. To reveal the role of kusho behavior in cognitive processing, we conducted a series of experiments, employing two different cognitive tasks, a construction task and a stroke count task. To distinguish the effects of the kinetic aspects of kusho behavior, we set three hand conditions in the tasks; participants were instructed to use either kusho, unrelated finger movements or do nothing during the response time. To isolate possible visual effects, two visual conditions in which participants saw their hand and the other in which they did not, were introduced. We used the number of correct responses and response time as measures of the task performance. The results showed that kusho behavior has different functional roles in the two types of cognitive tasks. In the construction task, the visual feedback from finger movement facilitated identifying a character, whereas the kinetic feedback or motor commands for the behavior did not help to solve the task. In the stroke count task, by contrast, the kinetic aspects of the finger movements influenced counting performance depending on the type of the finger movement. Regardless of the visual condition, kusho behavior improved task performance and unrelated finger movements degraded it. These results indicated that motor behavior contributes to cognitive processes. We discussed possible mechanisms of the modality dependent contribution. These findings might lead to better understanding of the complex interaction between action and cognition in daily life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiro Itaguchi
- Psychology Section, Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Chiharu Yamada
- Psychology Section, Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Fukuzawa
- Psychology Section, Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
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15
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Nojima I, Koganemaru S, Kawamata T, Fukuyama H, Mima T. Action observation with kinesthetic illusion can produce human motor plasticity. Eur J Neurosci 2015; 41:1614-23. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Revised: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ippei Nojima
- Department of Physical Therapy; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Aichi Japan
| | - Satoko Koganemaru
- Human Brain Research Center; Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine; Kyoto 606-8507 Japan
| | - Toshio Kawamata
- Kobe University Graduate School of Health Science; Kobe Hyogo Japan
| | - Hidenao Fukuyama
- Human Brain Research Center; Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine; Kyoto 606-8507 Japan
| | - Tatsuya Mima
- Human Brain Research Center; Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine; Kyoto 606-8507 Japan
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The mirror neuron system and motor dexterity: What happens? Neuroscience 2014; 275:285-95. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2014] [Revised: 05/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Motor contagion during human-human and human-robot interaction. PLoS One 2014; 9:e106172. [PMID: 25153990 PMCID: PMC4143359 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2013] [Accepted: 08/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor resonance mechanisms are known to affect humans' ability to interact with others, yielding the kind of “mutual understanding” that is the basis of social interaction. However, it remains unclear how the partner's action features combine or compete to promote or prevent motor resonance during interaction. To clarify this point, the present study tested whether and how the nature of the visual stimulus and the properties of the observed actions influence observer's motor response, being motor contagion one of the behavioral manifestations of motor resonance. Participants observed a humanoid robot and a human agent move their hands into a pre-specified final position or put an object into a container at various velocities. Their movements, both in the object- and non-object- directed conditions, were characterized by either a smooth/curvilinear or a jerky/segmented trajectory. These trajectories were covered with biological or non-biological kinematics (the latter only by the humanoid robot). After action observation, participants were requested to either reach the indicated final position or to transport a similar object into another container. Results showed that motor contagion appeared for both the interactive partner except when the humanoid robot violated the biological laws of motion. These findings suggest that the observer may transiently match his/her own motor repertoire to that of the observed agent. This matching might mediate the activation of motor resonance, and modulate the spontaneity and the pleasantness of the interaction, whatever the nature of the communication partner.
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Observation of simple intransitive actions: the effect of familiarity. PLoS One 2013; 8:e74485. [PMID: 24073213 PMCID: PMC3779225 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2013] [Accepted: 08/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Humans are more familiar with index – thumb than with any other finger to thumb grasping. The effect of familiarity has been previously tested with complex, specialized and/or transitive movements, but not with simple intransitive ones. The aim of this study is to evaluate brain activity patterns during the observation of simple and intransitive finger movements with differing degrees of familiarity. Methodology A functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) study was performed using a paradigm consisting of the observation of 4 videos showing a finger opposition task between the thumb and the other fingers (index, middle, ring and little) in a repetitive manner with a fixed frequency (1 Hz). This movement is considered as the pantomime of a precision grasping action. Results Significant activity was identified in the bilateral Inferior Parietal Lobule and premotor regions with the selected level of significance (FDR [False Discovery Rate] = 0.01). The extent of the activation in both regions tended to decrease when the finger that performed the action was further from the thumb. More specifically, this effect showed a linear trend (index>middle>ring>little) in the right parietal and premotor regions. Conclusions The observation of less familiar simple intransitive movements produces less activation of parietal and premotor areas than familiar ones. The most important implication of this study is the identification of differences in brain activity during the observation of simple intransitive movements with different degrees of familiarity.
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Désy MC, Lepage JF. Skin color has no impact on motor resonance: evidence from mu rhythm suppression and imitation. Neurosci Res 2013; 77:58-63. [PMID: 23968689 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2013.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2013] [Revised: 07/31/2013] [Accepted: 08/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
It has been suggested that physical similarity with an observed model facilitates action-perception and understanding. Indeed, a number of studies have shown that observing actors of one's own race facilitate motor, sensory and pain resonance, possibly mediated by the human mirror-neuron system (hMNS). However, most of these studies have used stimuli that included emotional or cultural components, hence obscuring the precise contribution of physical similarity to resonance phenomena per se. The goal of the present study was to assess the effect of physical similarity (skin color) on motor resonance using stimuli that have no emotional and cultural components. We used both behavioral (imitation) and electrophysiological measures (mu-rhythm) to assess the effects of skin color on the hMNS during the observation of simple finger movements. Our results show that, in line with previous results, observation of biological movements resulted in faster reaction times and greater mu-rhythm suppression compared to non-biological movements. However, physical similarity did not affect imitation speed or mu-rhythm desynchronization. These results suggest that physical similarity with an observed action in terms of skin color does not modulate hMNS activity, and that the enhanced resonance effects reported in the previous studies are likely attributable to cultural and emotional aspects.
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Ray M, Dewey D, Kooistra L, Welsh TN. The relationship between the motor system activation during action observation and adaptation in the motor system following repeated action observation. Hum Mov Sci 2013; 32:400-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2012.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2010] [Revised: 01/13/2012] [Accepted: 02/11/2012] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Zhu H, Sun Y, Wang F. Electroencephalogram evidence for the activation of human mirror neuron system during the observation of intransitive shadow and line drawing actions. Neural Regen Res 2013; 8:251-7. [PMID: 25206595 PMCID: PMC4107518 DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2012] [Accepted: 10/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that hand shadows may activate the motor cortex associated with the mirror neuron system in human brain. However, there is no evidence of activity of the human mirror neuron system during the observation of intransitive movements by shadows and line drawings of hands. This study examined the suppression of electroencephalography mu waves (8–13 Hz) induced by observation of stimuli in 18 healthy students. Three stimuli were used: real hand actions, hand shadow actions and actions made by line drawings of hands. The results showed significant desynchronization of the mu rhythm (“mu suppression”) across the sensorimotor cortex (recorded at C3, Cz and C4), the frontal cortex (recorded at F3, Fz and F4) and the central and right posterior parietal cortex (recorded at Pz and P4) under all three conditions. Our experimental findings suggest that the observation of “impoverished hand actions”, such as intransitive movements of shadows and line drawings of hands, is able to activate widespread cortical areas related to the putative human mirror neuron system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaping Zhu
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Yaoru Sun
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Information Systems and Computing, Brunel University, St John's 043, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK
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Understanding and imitating unfamiliar actions: distinct underlying mechanisms. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46939. [PMID: 23071668 PMCID: PMC3468605 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2012] [Accepted: 09/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The human “mirror neuron system” has been proposed to be the neural substrate that underlies understanding and, possibly, imitating actions. However, since the brain activity with mirror properties seems insufficient to provide a good description for imitation of actions outside one’s own repertoire, the existence of supplementary processes has been proposed. Moreover, it is unclear whether action observation requires the same neural mechanisms as the explicit access to their meaning. The aim of this study was two-fold as we investigated whether action observation requires different processes depending on 1) whether the ultimate goal is to imitate or understand the presented actions and 2) whether the to-be-imitated actions are familiar or unfamiliar to the subject. Participants were presented with both meaningful familiar actions and meaningless unfamiliar actions that they had to either imitate or discriminate later. Event-related Potentials were used as differences in brain activity could have been masked by the use of other techniques with lower temporal resolution. In the imitation task, a sustained left frontal negativity was more pronounced for meaningless actions than for meaningful ones, starting from an early time-window. Conversely, observing unfamiliar versus familiar actions with the intention of discriminating them led to marked differences over right centro-posterior scalp regions, in both middle and latest time-windows. These findings suggest that action imitation and action understanding may be sustained by dissociable mechanisms: while imitation of unfamiliar actions activates left frontal processes, that are likely to be related to learning mechanisms, action understanding involves dedicated operations which probably require right posterior regions, consistent with their involvement in social interactions.
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Abstract
Point-light biological motions, conveying various different attributes of biological entities, have particular spatiotemporal properties that enable them to be processed with remarkable efficiency in the human visual system. Here we demonstrate that such signals automatically lengthen their perceived temporal duration independent of global configuration and without observers' subjective awareness of their biological nature. By using a duration discrimination paradigm, we showed that an upright biological motion sequence was perceived significantly longer than an inverted but otherwise identical sequence of the same duration. Furthermore, this temporal dilation effect could be extended to spatially scrambled biological motion signals, whose global configurations were completely disrupted, regardless of whether observers were aware of the nature of the stimuli. However, such an effect completely disappeared when critical biological characteristics were removed. Taken together, our findings suggest a special mechanism of time perception tuned to life motion signals and shed new light on the temporal encoding of biological motion.
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Abstract
The motor system has been intensively studied using the emerging neuroimaging technologies over the last twenty years. These include early applications of positron emission tomography of brain perfusion, metabolic rate and receptor function, as well as functional magnetic resonance imaging, tractography from diffusion weighted imaging, and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Motor system research has the advantage of the existence of extensive electrophysiological and anatomical information from comparative studies which enables cross-validation of new methods. We review the impact of neuroimaging on the understanding of diverse motor functions, including motor learning, decision making, inhibition and the mirror neuron system. In addition, we show how imaging of the motor system has supported a powerful platform for bidirectional translational neuroscience. In one direction, it has provided the opportunity to study safely the processes of neuroplasticity, neural networks and neuropharmacology in stroke and movement disorders and offers a sensitive tool to assess novel therapeutics. In the reverse direction, imaging of clinical populations has promoted innovations in cognitive theory, experimental design and analysis. We highlight recent developments in the analysis of structural and functional connectivity in the motor system; the advantages of integration of multiple methodologies; and new approaches to experimental design using formal models of cognitive-motor processes.
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25
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Liew SL, Garrison KA, Werner J, Aziz-Zadeh L. The Mirror Neuron System: Innovations and Implications for Occupational Therapy. OTJR-OCCUPATION PARTICIPATION AND HEALTH 2011. [DOI: 10.3928/15394492-20111209-01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Occupational therapy has traditionally championed the use of meaningful occupations in rehabilitation. Emerging research in neuroscience about the putative human mirror neuron system may provide empirical support for the use of occupations to improve outcomes in rehabilitation. This article provides an interdisciplinary framework for understanding the mirror neuron system—a network of motor-related brain regions activated during the production and perception of the same actions—in relation to occupational therapy. The authors present an overview of recent research on the mirror neuron system, highlighting features that are relevant to clinical practice in occupational therapy. They also discuss the potential use of the mirror neuron system in motor rehabilitation and how it may be deficient in populations served by occupational therapy, including individuals with dyspraxia, multisensory integration disorders, and social interaction difficulties. Methods are proposed for occupational therapy to translate these neuroscience findings on the mirror neuron system into clinical applications and the authors suggest that future research in neuroscience would benefit from integrating the occupational therapy perspective.
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Hars M, Hars M, Stam CJ, Calmels C. Effects of visual context upon functional connectivity during observation of biological motions. PLoS One 2011; 6:e25903. [PMID: 21991384 PMCID: PMC3186803 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2011] [Accepted: 09/13/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine brain responses, in particular functional connectivity, to different visual stimuli depicting familiar biological motions. Ten subjects actively observed familiar biological motions embedded in point-light and video displays. Electroencephalograms were recorded from 64 electrodes. Activity was considered in three frequency bands (4-8 Hz, 8-10 Hz, and 10-13 Hz) using a non-linear measure of functional connectivity. In the 4-8 Hz and 8-10 Hz frequency bands, functional connectivity for the SMA was greater during the observation of biological motions presented in a point-light display compared to the observation of motions presented in a video display. The reverse was observed for the 4-8 Hz frequency band for the left temporal area. Explanations related to: (i) the task demands (i.e., attention and mental effort), (ii) the role(s) of theta and alpha oscillations in cognitive processes, and (iii) the function(s) of cortical areas are discussed. It has been suggested that attention was required to process human biological motions under unfamiliar viewing conditions such as point-light display.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magaly Hars
- de l'Expertise et de la Performance, INSEP, Institut National du Sport, Paris, France
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Hétu S, Mercier C, Eugène F, Michon PE, Jackson PL. Modulation of brain activity during action observation: influence of perspective, transitivity and meaningfulness. PLoS One 2011; 6:e24728. [PMID: 21931832 PMCID: PMC3171468 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2011] [Accepted: 08/19/2011] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The coupling process between observed and performed actions is thought to be performed by a fronto-parietal perception-action system including regions of the inferior frontal gyrus and the inferior parietal lobule. When investigating the influence of the movements' characteristics on this process, most research on action observation has focused on only one particular variable even though the type of movements we observe can vary on several levels. By manipulating the visual perspective, transitivity and meaningfulness of observed movements in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study we aimed at investigating how the type of movements and the visual perspective can modulate brain activity during action observation in healthy individuals. Importantly, we used an active observation task where participants had to subsequently execute or imagine the observed movements. Our results show that the fronto-parietal regions of the perception action system were mostly recruited during the observation of meaningless actions while visual perspective had little influence on the activity within the perception-action system. Simultaneous investigation of several sources of modulation during active action observation is probably an approach that could lead to a greater ecological comprehension of this important sensorimotor process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Hétu
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Réadaptation et Intégration Sociale, Québec City, Québec, Canada
- École de Psychologie, Faculté des Sciences Sociales, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Catherine Mercier
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Réadaptation et Intégration Sociale, Québec City, Québec, Canada
- Département de Réadaptation, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Fanny Eugène
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Réadaptation et Intégration Sociale, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Pierre-Emmanuel Michon
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Réadaptation et Intégration Sociale, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Philip L. Jackson
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Réadaptation et Intégration Sociale, Québec City, Québec, Canada
- École de Psychologie, Faculté des Sciences Sociales, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche Université Laval Robert-Giffard, Québec City, Québec, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Imitation of hand and tool actions is effector-independent. Exp Brain Res 2011; 214:539-47. [PMID: 21904930 PMCID: PMC3183242 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-011-2852-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2011] [Accepted: 08/24/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Following the theoretical notion that tools often extend one’s body, in the present study, we investigated whether imitation of hand or tool actions is modulated by effector-specific information. Subjects performed grasping actions toward an object with either a handheld tool or their right hand. Actions were initiated in response to pictures representing a grip at an object that could be congruent or incongruent with the required action (grip-type congruency). Importantly, actions could be cued by means of a tool cue, a hand cue, and a symbolic cue (effector-type congruency). For both hand and tool actions, an action congruency effect was observed, reflected in faster reaction times if the observed grip type was congruent with the required movement. However, neither hand actions nor tool actions were differentially affected by the effector represented in the picture (i.e., when performing a tool action, the action congruency effect was similar for tool cues and hand cues). This finding suggests that imitation of hand and tool actions is effector-independent and thereby supports generalist rather than specialist theories of imitation.
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Molenberghs P, Cunnington R, Mattingley JB. Brain regions with mirror properties: a meta-analysis of 125 human fMRI studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2011; 36:341-9. [PMID: 21782846 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2011.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 535] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2011] [Revised: 06/23/2011] [Accepted: 07/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Mirror neurons in macaque area F5 fire when an animal performs an action, such as a mouth or limb movement, and also when the animal passively observes an identical or similar action performed by another individual. Brain-imaging studies in humans conducted over the last 20 years have repeatedly attempted to reveal analogous brain regions with mirror properties in humans, with broad and often speculative claims about their functional significance across a range of cognitive domains, from language to social cognition. Despite such concerted efforts, the likely neural substrates of these mirror regions have remained controversial, and indeed the very existence of a distinct subcategory of human neurons with mirroring properties has been questioned. Here we used activation likelihood estimation (ALE), to provide a quantitative index of the consistency of patterns of fMRI activity measured in human studies of action observation and action execution. From an initial sample of more than 300 published works, data from 125 papers met our strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. The analysis revealed 14 separate clusters in which activation has been consistently attributed to brain regions with mirror properties, encompassing 9 different Brodmann areas. These clusters were located in areas purported to show mirroring properties in the macaque, such as the inferior parietal lobule, inferior frontal gyrus and the adjacent ventral premotor cortex, but surprisingly also in regions such as the primary visual cortex, cerebellum and parts of the limbic system. Our findings suggest a core network of human brain regions that possess mirror properties associated with action observation and execution, with additional areas recruited during tasks that engage non-motor functions, such as auditory, somatosensory and affective components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Molenberghs
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute & School of Psychology, Queensland 4072, Australia.
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Press C. Action observation and robotic agents: learning and anthropomorphism. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2011; 35:1410-8. [PMID: 21396398 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2011.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2010] [Revised: 02/18/2011] [Accepted: 03/03/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The 'action observation network' (AON), which is thought to translate observed actions into motor codes required for their execution, is biologically tuned: it responds more to observation of human, than non-human, movement. This biological specificity has been taken to support the hypothesis that the AON underlies various social functions, such as theory of mind and action understanding, and that, when it is active during observation of non-human agents like humanoid robots, it is a sign of ascription of human mental states to these agents. This review will outline evidence for biological tuning in the AON, examining the features which generate it, and concluding that there is evidence for tuning to both the form and kinematic profile of observed movements, and little evidence for tuning to belief about stimulus identity. It will propose that a likely reason for biological tuning is that human actions, relative to non-biological movements, have been observed more frequently while executing corresponding actions. If the associative hypothesis of the AON is correct, and the network indeed supports social functioning, sensorimotor experience with non-human agents may help us to predict, and therefore interpret, their movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Press
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
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31
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Grosbras MH, Beaton S, Eickhoff SB. Brain regions involved in human movement perception: a quantitative voxel-based meta-analysis. Hum Brain Mapp 2011; 33:431-54. [PMID: 21391275 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.21222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2010] [Revised: 11/04/2010] [Accepted: 11/08/2010] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Face, hands, and body movements are powerful signals essential for social interactions. In the last 2 decades, a large number of brain imaging studies have explored the neural correlates of the perception of these signals. Formal synthesis is crucially needed, however, to extract the key circuits involved in human motion perception across the variety of paradigms and stimuli that have been used. Here, we used the activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis approach with random effect analysis. We performed meta-analyses on three classes of biological motion: movement of the whole body, hands, and face. Additional analyses of studies of static faces or body stimuli and sub-analyses grouping experiments as a function of their control stimuli or task employed allowed us to identify main effects of movements and forms perception, as well as effects of task demand. In addition to specific features, all conditions showed convergence in occipito-temporal and fronto-parietal regions, but with different peak location and extent. The conjunction of the three ALE maps revealed convergence in all categories in a region of the right posterior superior temporal sulcus as well as in a bilateral region at the junction between middle temporal and lateral occipital gyri. Activation in these regions was not a function of attentional demand and was significant also when controlling for non-specific motion perception. This quantitative synthesis points towards a special role for posterior superior temporal sulcus for integrating human movement percept, and supports a specific representation for body parts in middle temporal, fusiform, precentral, and parietal areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Hélène Grosbras
- Institute for Neuroscience and Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, University of Glasgow.
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Molenberghs P, Brander C, Mattingley JB, Cunnington R. The role of the superior temporal sulcus and the mirror neuron system in imitation. Hum Brain Mapp 2011; 31:1316-26. [PMID: 20087840 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.20938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been suggested that in humans the mirror neuron system provides a neural substrate for imitation behaviour, but the relative contributions of different brain regions to the imitation of manual actions is still a matter of debate. To investigate the role of the mirror neuron system in imitation we used fMRI to examine patterns of neural activity under four different conditions: passive observation of a pantomimed action (e.g., hammering a nail); (2) imitation of an observed action; (3) execution of an action in response to a word cue; and (4) self-selected execution of an action. A network of cortical areas, including the left supramarginal gyrus, left superior parietal lobule, left dorsal premotor area and bilateral superior temporal sulcus (STS), was significantly active across all four conditions. Crucially, within this network the STS bilaterally was the only region in which activity was significantly greater for action imitation than for the passive observation and execution conditions. We suggest that the role of the STS in imitation is not merely to passively register observed biological motion, but rather to actively represent visuomotor correspondences between one's own actions and the actions of others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Molenberghs
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute & School of Psychology, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
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Spunt RP, Satpute AB, Lieberman MD. Identifying the What, Why, and How of an Observed Action: An fMRI Study of Mentalizing and Mechanizing during Action Observation. J Cogn Neurosci 2011; 23:63-74. [PMID: 20146607 DOI: 10.1162/jocn.2010.21446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Humans commonly understand the unobservable mental states of others by observing their actions. Embodied simulation theories suggest that this ability may be based in areas of the fronto-parietal mirror neuron system, yet neuroimaging studies that explicitly investigate the human ability to draw mental state inferences point to the involvement of a “mentalizing” system consisting of regions that do not overlap with the mirror neuron system. For the present study, we developed a novel action identification paradigm that allowed us to explicitly investigate the neural bases of mentalizing observed actions. Across repeated viewings of a set of ecologically valid video clips of ordinary human actions, we manipulated the extent to which participants identified the unobservable mental states of the actor (mentalizing) or the observable mechanics of their behavior (mechanizing). Although areas of the mirror neuron system did show an enhanced response during action identification, its activity was not significantly modulated by the extent to which the observers identified mental states. Instead, several regions of the mentalizing system, including dorsal and ventral aspects of medial pFC, posterior cingulate cortex, and temporal poles, were associated with mentalizing actions, whereas a single region in left lateral occipito-temporal cortex was associated with mechanizing actions. These data suggest that embodied simulation is insufficient to account for the sophisticated mentalizing that human beings are capable of while observing another and that a different system along the cortical midline and in anterior temporal cortex is involved in mentalizing an observed action.
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Calmels C, Foutren M, Stam CJ. Influences of Instructions and Expertise on the Mechanisms Involved During a Working Memory Task. J PSYCHOPHYSIOL 2011. [DOI: 10.1027/0269-8803/a000046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of instructions and expertise upon cortical mechanisms during a working memory task. Ten professional pianists and ten musically naïve subjects were instructed to retain for a short period of time, sequential finger movements viewed previously with the aim of either replicating them or recognizing them at a later stage. The results showed that in the 20–30 Hz frequency band and in musically naïve subjects, functional connectivity was greater within the occipital, parietal, central, frontal, right, and left temporal areas when the subjects were invited to remember the observed movement in order to replicate it compared to the recognition condition in which they had to recognize it. In professional pianists, incomplete connectivity equivalence was detected between the two conditions. In addition, under the condition for replica, functional connectivity in musically naïve subjects was greater in the central area compared to professional pianists. Explanations related to the: (i) level of expertise, (ii) nature of operations involved during the retention period, and (iii) task demand are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Calmels
- Institut National du Sport, de l’Expertise et de La Performance, Paris, France
| | - Marion Foutren
- Institut National du Sport, de l’Expertise et de La Performance, Paris, France
| | - Cornelis J. Stam
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Jonas M, Thomalla G, Biermann-Ruben K, Siebner HR, Müller-Vahl K, Bäumer T, Gerloff C, Schnitzler A, Orth M, Münchau A. Imitation in patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome-A behavioral study. Mov Disord 2010; 25:991-9. [DOI: 10.1002/mds.22994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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36
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Newman-Norlund RD, Ondobaka S, van Schie HT, van Elswijk G, Bekkering H. Virtual Lesions of the IFG Abolish Response Facilitation for Biological and Non-Biological Cues. Front Behav Neurosci 2010; 4:5. [PMID: 20339485 PMCID: PMC2845062 DOI: 10.3389/neuro.08.005.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2009] [Accepted: 02/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans are faster to perform a given action following observation of that same action. Converging evidence suggests that the human mirror neuron system (MNS) plays an important role in this phenomenon. However, the specificity of the neural mechanisms governing this effect remain controversial. Specialist theories of imitation suggest that biological cues are maximally capable of eliciting imitative facilitation. Generalist models, on the other hand, posit a broader role for the MNS in linking visual stimuli with appropriate responses. In the present study, we investigated the validity of these two theoretical approaches by disrupting the left and right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) during the preparation of congruent (imitative) and incongruent (complementary) actions cued by either biological (hand) or non-biological (static dot) stimuli. Delivery of TMS over IFG abolished imitative response facilitation. Critically, this effect was identical whether actions were cued by biological or non-biological stimuli. This finding argues against theories of imitation in which biological stimuli are treated preferentially and stresses the notion of the IFG as a vital center of general perception–action coupling in the human brain.
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Heyes C. Where do mirror neurons come from? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2010; 34:575-83. [PMID: 19914284 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 294] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2009] [Revised: 11/06/2009] [Accepted: 11/07/2009] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Caspers S, Zilles K, Laird AR, Eickhoff SB. ALE meta-analysis of action observation and imitation in the human brain. Neuroimage 2010; 50:1148-67. [PMID: 20056149 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.12.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 924] [Impact Index Per Article: 66.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2009] [Revised: 12/23/2009] [Accepted: 12/24/2009] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, many neuroimaging studies have assessed the human brain networks underlying action observation and imitation using a variety of tasks and paradigms. Nevertheless, questions concerning which areas consistently contribute to these networks irrespective of the particular experimental design and how such processing may be lateralized remain unresolved. The current study aimed at identifying cortical areas consistently involved in action observation and imitation by combining activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis with probabilistic cytoarchitectonic maps. Meta-analysis of 139 functional magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography experiments revealed a bilateral network for both action observation and imitation. Additional subanalyses for different effectors within each network revealed highly comparable activation patterns to the overall analyses on observation and imitation, respectively, indicating an independence of these findings from potential confounds. Conjunction analysis of action observation and imitation meta-analyses revealed a bilateral network within frontal premotor, parietal, and temporo-occipital cortex. The most consistently rostral inferior parietal area was PFt, providing evidence for a possible homology of this region to macaque area PF. The observation and imitation networks differed particularly with respect to the involvement of Broca's area: whereas both networks involved a caudo-dorsal part of BA 44, activation during observation was most consistent in a more rostro-dorsal location, i.e., dorsal BA 45, while activation during imitation was most consistent in a more ventro-caudal aspect, i.e., caudal BA 44. The present meta-analysis thus summarizes and amends previous descriptions of the human brain networks related to action observation and imitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Caspers
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-2), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
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Van Overwalle F, Baetens K. Understanding others' actions and goals by mirror and mentalizing systems: A meta-analysis. Neuroimage 2009; 48:564-84. [PMID: 19524046 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 832] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2009] [Revised: 04/28/2009] [Accepted: 06/01/2009] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
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40
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Willems RM, Hagoort P. Hand preference influences neural correlates of action observation. Brain Res 2009; 1269:90-104. [PMID: 19272363 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.02.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2008] [Revised: 01/28/2009] [Accepted: 02/25/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
It has been argued that we map observed actions onto our own motor system. Here we added to this issue by investigating whether hand preference influences the neural correlates of action observation of simple, essentially meaningless hand actions. Such an influence would argue for an intricate neural coupling between action production and action observation, which goes beyond effects of motor repertoire or explicit motor training, as has been suggested before. Indeed, parts of the human motor system exhibited a close coupling between action production and action observation. Ventral premotor and inferior and superior parietal cortices showed differential activation for left- and right-handers that was similar during action production as well as during action observation. This suggests that mapping observed actions onto the observer's own motor system is a core feature of action observation - at least for actions that do not have a clear goal or meaning. Basic differences in the way we act upon the world are not only reflected in neural correlates of action production, but can also influence the brain basis of action observation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roel M Willems
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Bien N, Roebroeck A, Goebel R, Sack AT. The Brain's Intention to Imitate: The Neurobiology of Intentional versus Automatic Imitation. Cereb Cortex 2009; 19:2338-51. [PMID: 19153108 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhn251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nina Bien
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
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Observing repetitive finger movements modulates response times of auditorily cued finger movements. Brain Cogn 2008; 68:107-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2008.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2007] [Revised: 03/05/2008] [Accepted: 03/10/2008] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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43
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Calmels C, Hars M, Holmes P, Jarry G, Stam CJ. Non-linear EEG synchronization during observation and execution of simple and complex sequential finger movements. Exp Brain Res 2008; 190:389-400. [DOI: 10.1007/s00221-008-1480-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2008] [Accepted: 06/19/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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44
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Biermann-Ruben K, Kessler K, Jonas M, Siebner HR, Bäumer T, Münchau A, Schnitzler A. Right hemisphere contributions to imitation tasks. Eur J Neurosci 2008; 27:1843-55. [PMID: 18380675 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2008.06146.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Humans imitate biological movements faster than non-biological movements. The faster response has been attributed to an activation of the human mirror neuron system, which is thought to match observation and execution of actions. However, it is unclear which cortical areas are responsible for this behavioural advantage. Also, little is known about the timing of activations. Using whole-head magnetoencephalography we recorded neuronal responses to single biological finger movements and non-biological dot movements while the subjects were required to perform an imitation task or an observation task, respectively. Previous imaging studies on the human mirror neurone system suggested that activation in response to biological movements would be stronger in ventral premotor, parietal and superior temporal regions. In accordance with previous studies, reaction times to biological movements were faster than those to dot movements in all subjects. The analysis of evoked magnetic fields revealed that the reaction time benefit was paralleled by stronger and earlier activation of the left temporo-occipital cortex, right superior temporal area and right ventral motor/premotor area. The activity patterns suggest that the latter areas mediate the observed behavioural advantage of biological movements and indicate a predominant contribution of the right temporo-frontal hemisphere to action observation-execution matching processes in intransitive movements, which has not been reported previously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Biermann-Ruben
- Department of Neurology, MEG Laboratory, Düsseldorf University Hospital, Moorenstrasse 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.
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45
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Press C, Bird G, Walsh E, Heyes C. Automatic imitation of intransitive actions. Brain Cogn 2008; 67:44-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2007.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2007] [Revised: 10/26/2007] [Accepted: 11/03/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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46
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Morin O, Grèzes J. What is “mirror” in the premotor cortex? A review. Neurophysiol Clin 2008; 38:189-95. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neucli.2008.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2008] [Accepted: 02/18/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
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