Taking two to tango: fMRI analysis of improvised joint action with physical contact

Neurologic dance training and home exercise improve motor-cognitive dual-task function similarly, but through potentially different mechanisms, among breast cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy: Initial results of a randomized, controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Dual-task function is compromised among individuals with prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) and others at risk of developing AD. While exercise has been studied as a therapeutic candidate, the activity of social dance might promote dual-task rehabilitation as well or better than conventional exercise.

OBJECTIVE

Compare effects of social dance versus home exercise on dual-task function and intervention adherence among individuals with increased risk of developing AD: survivors of breast cancer (BC) with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy (CIN).

METHODS

Fifty-two (n = 52) survivors of BC with CIN-related symptoms and functional deficits were randomized (1:1) to 8 weeks of biweekly physical activity that took the form of partnered AdapTango dance (20 min) or home exercise (45 min) (NCT05114005, registered 08/15/2021). Primary outcome: dual-task function (TUG-Cog counting backward by 3 s). Secondary outcome: adherence. Exploratory outcomes: participant rating of perceived exertion in physical versus cognitive domains and cognitive load during dual-task performance.

RESULTS

Both interventions improved Timed-Up-and-Go with cognitive task (TUGCog) after 4 weeks (p < 0.001); gains were maintained at 8 weeks of intervention (p < 0.001) and 1 month follow-up (p < 0.001). The dance intervention met adherence feasibility criteria for 8 weeks; exercise met criteria for 4 weeks. The ratio of cognitive to physical exertion was higher for dance (1 to 1) than exercise (0.8 to 1.0; p < 0.001). Dance, only, was associated with reduced cognitive load (p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Among survivors of BC with CIN, small doses of social dance improved dual-task function comparably to larger doses of home exercise, possibly due to differences in cognitive engagement.

Mobile brain imaging in butoh dancers: from rehearsals to public performance

BACKGROUND

Dissecting the neurobiology of dance would shed light on a complex, yet ubiquitous, form of human communication. In this experiment, we sought to study, via mobile electroencephalography (EEG), the brain activity of five experienced dancers while dancing butoh, a postmodern dance that originated in Japan.

RESULTS

We report the experimental design, methods, and practical execution of a highly interdisciplinary project that required the collaboration of dancers, engineers, neuroscientists, musicians, and multimedia artists, among others. We explain in detail how we technically validated all our EEG procedures (e.g., via impedance value monitoring) and minimized potential artifacts in our recordings (e.g., via electrooculography and inertial measurement units). We also describe the engineering details and hardware that enabled us to achieve synchronization between signals recorded at different sampling frequencies, along with a signal preprocessing and denoising pipeline that we used for data re-sampling and power line noise removal. As our experiment culminated in a live performance, where we generated a real-time visualization of the dancers' interbrain synchrony on a screen via an artistic brain-computer interface, we outline all the methodology (e.g., filtering, time-windows, equation) we used for online bispectrum estimations. Additionally, we provide access to all the raw EEG data and codes we used in our recordings. We, lastly, discuss how we envision that the data could be used to address several hypotheses, such as that of interbrain synchrony or the motor theory of vocal learning.

CONCLUSIONS

Being, to our knowledge, the first study to report synchronous and simultaneous recording from five dancers, we expect that our findings will inform future art-science collaborations, as well as dance-movement therapies.

An Active-Inference Approach to Second-Person Neuroscience

Social neuroscience has often been criticized for approaching the investigation of the neural processes that enable social interaction and cognition from a passive, detached, third-person perspective, without involving any real-time social interaction. With the emergence of second-person neuroscience, investigators have uncovered the unique complexity of neural-activation patterns in actual, real-time interaction. Social cognition that occurs during social interaction is fundamentally different from that unfolding during social observation. However, it remains unclear how the neural correlates of social interaction are to be interpreted. Here, we leverage the active-inference framework to shed light on the mechanisms at play during social interaction in second-person neuroscience studies. Specifically, we show how counterfactually rich mutual predictions, real-time bodily adaptation, and policy selection explain activation in components of the default mode, salience, and frontoparietal networks of the brain, as well as in the basal ganglia. We further argue that these processes constitute the crucial neural processes that underwrite bona fide social interaction. By placing the experimental approach of second-person neuroscience on the theoretical foundation of the active-inference framework, we inform the field of social neuroscience about the mechanisms of real-life interactions. We thereby contribute to the theoretical foundations of empirical second-person neuroscience.

Synergy of the mirror neuron system and the mentalizing system in a single brain and between brains during joint actions

Cooperative action involves the simulation of actions and their co-representation by two or more people. This requires the involvement of two complex brain systems: the mirror neuron system (MNS) and the mentalizing system (MENT), both of critical importance for successful social interaction. However, their internal organization and the potential synergy of both systems during joint actions (JA) are yet to be determined. The aim of this study was to examine the role and interaction of these two fundamental systems-MENT and MNS-during continuous interaction. To this hand, we conducted a multiple-brain connectivity analysis in the source domain during a motor cooperation task using high-density EEG dual-recordings providing relevant insights into the roles of MNS and MENT at the intra- and interbrain levels. In particular, the intra-brain analysis demonstrated the essential function of both systems during JA, as well as the crucial role played by single brain regions of both neural mechanisms during cooperative activities. Specifically, our intra-brain analysis revealed that both neural mechanisms are essential during Joint Action (JA), showing a solid connection between MNS and MENT and a central role of the single brain regions of both mechanisms during cooperative actions. Additionally, our inter-brain study revealed increased inter-subject connections involving the motor system, MENT and MNS. Thus, our findings show a mutual influence between two interacting agents, based on synchronization of MNS and MENT systems. Our results actually encourage more research into the still-largely unknown realm of inter-brain dynamics and contribute to expand the body of knowledge in social neuroscience.

Partnered dance evokes greater intrinsic motivation than home exercise as therapeutic activity for chemotherapy-induced deficits: secondary results of a randomized, controlled clinical trial

Introduction

Dance has been proposed to support superior intrinsic motivation over non-dance forms of therapeutic physical activity. However, this hypothesis has yet to be evaluated empirically, particularly among populations living with neuropathology such as survivors of cancer with neurologic complications from chemotherapy treatment. Questions about motivation are relevant to clinical outcomes because motivation mediates neuroplasticity. We conducted this secondary analysis of a randomized-controlled study to begin to investigate the relationships between personal motivation and neurophysiologic effects of dance-based intervention for healthy aging among populations with neurologic complications of cancer.

Methods

We measured motivation using the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, a validated patient-reported outcome from the psychological approach of Self Determination Theory. We assessed intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and satisfaction with intervention within a randomized controlled trial of dance versus exercise designed to alleviate symptoms of chemotherapy-induced impairment. Fifty-two survivors of breast cancer with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy diagnosis and associated sensorimotor functional deficits were randomized (1:1) to 8 weeks of partnered dance or home exercise, performed biweekly (NCT05114005; R21-AG068831).

Results

While satisfaction did not differ between interventions, intrinsic motivation was higher among participants randomized to dance than those randomized to exercise (p < 0.0001 at all timepoints: 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 8 weeks of intervention), as was extrinsic motivation at 2 weeks (p = 0.04) and 8 weeks (p = 0.01).

Discussion

These data provide evidence that social dance is more motivating than the type of home exercise generally recommended as therapeutic physical activity. The results inform directions for future study of the effect of dance-based therapeutics on embodied agency, neuroplastic changes, and clinically-relevant neuropathic improvement.

Enhancing human-human musical interaction through kinesthetic haptic feedback using wearable exoskeletons: theoretical foundations, validation scenarios, and limitations

In this perspective paper, we explore the use of haptic feedback to enhance human-human interaction during musical tasks. We start by providing an overview of the theoretical foundation that underpins our approach, which is rooted in the embodied music cognition framework, and by briefly presenting the concepts of action-perception loop, sensorimotor coupling and entrainment. Thereafter, we focus on the role of haptic information in music playing and we discuss the use of wearable technologies, namely lightweight exoskeletons, for the exchange of haptic information between humans. We present two experimental scenarios in which the effectiveness of this technology for enhancing musical interaction and learning might be validated. Finally, we briefly discuss some of the theoretical and pedagogical implications of the use of technologies for haptic communication in musical contexts, while also addressing the potential barriers to the widespread adoption of exoskeletons in such contexts.

Pilot Studies on Empathy and Closeness in Mutual Entrainment/Improvisation vs. Formalised Dance with Different Types of Rhythm (Regular, Irregular, and No Rhythm) and Coupling (Visual, Haptic, Full Coupling): Building a Case for the Origin of Dance in Mutual Entrainment Empathic Interactions in the Mother-Infant Dyad

This paper employs a novel research design to examine changes in empathy and closeness in partnered face-to-face dance, considering both different types of rhythm (regular, irregular, and no external rhythm, or 'mutual entrainment only') and different types of coupling (visual only, haptic only, and full visual and haptic coupling). Two studies were undertaken to pilot the design. In both studies, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and Inclusion of Other in the Self were used to measure empathy and closeness, respectively. Study 1 employed 24 participants (12 pairs) distributed across two rhythm conditions, external regular rhythm, and no external rhythm, with full coupling in both conditions. Closeness increased similarly in both conditions. Empathic concern (EC) was significantly affected in the 'no rhythm' condition. Study 2 employed 54 participants assigned to form pairs and distributed across all combinations of rhythm and coupling types. Closeness decreased with irregular rhythm. EC increased in the 'no rhythm' conditions relative to regular rhythm. Fantasy (F) decreased with haptic coupling only (no visual coupling) while personal distress (PD) increased. In addition, the analyses suggest that perspective taking (PT) increases with irregular rhythm and in the condition without rhythm (mutual entrainment only). The discussion gauges the value of the designs and results for capturing changes in empathy and closeness with different rhythm and coupling types. Capturing such changes is important for research on the origins of dance in empathic mutual entrainment in the mother-infant dyad.

Alpha oscillations related to self-other integration and distinction during live orchestral performance: A naturalistic case study

Ensemble music performance requires musicians to achieve precise interpersonal coordination while maintaining autonomous control over their own actions. To do so, musicians dynamically shift between integrating other performers' actions into their own action plans and maintaining a distinction between their own and others' actions. Research in laboratory settings has shown that this dynamic process of self-other integration and distinction is indexed by sensorimotor alpha oscillations. The purpose of the current descriptive case study was to examine oscillations related to self-other integration and distinction in a naturalistic performance context. We measured alpha activity from four violinists during a concert hall performance of a 60-musician orchestra. We selected a musical piece from the orchestra's repertoire and, before analyzing alpha activity, performed a score analysis to divide the piece into sections that were expected to strongly promote self-other integration and distinction. In line with previous laboratory findings, performers showed suppressed and enhanced alpha activity during musical sections that promoted self-other integration and distinction, respectively. The current study thus provides preliminary evidence that findings from carefully controlled laboratory experiments generalize to complex real-world performance. Its findings also suggest directions for future research and potential applications of interest to musicians, music educators, and music therapists.

The neural basis of creative production: A cross-modal ALE meta-analysis

One of the central questions about the cognitive neuroscience of creativity is the extent to which creativity depends on either domain-specific or domain-general mechanisms. To address this question, we carried out two parallel activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses of creativity: 1) a motoric analysis that combined studies across five domains of creative production (verbalizing, music, movement, writing, and drawing), and 2) an analysis of the standard ideational task used to study divergent thinking, the Alternate Uses task. All experiments contained a contrast between a creative task and a matched non-creative or less-creative task that controlled for the sensorimotor demands of task performance. The activation profiles of the two meta-analyses were non-overlapping, but both pointed to a domain-specific interpretation in which creative production is, at least in part, an enhancement of sensorimotor brain areas involved in non-creative production. The most concordant areas of activation in the motoric meta-analysis were high-level motor areas such as the pre-supplementary motor area and inferior frontal gyrus that interface motor planning and executive control, suggesting a means of uniting domain-specificity and -generality in creative production.

Multivariate model for cooperation: bridging social physiological compliance and hyperscanning

The neurophysiological analysis of cooperation has evolved over the past 20 years, moving towards the research of common patterns in neurophysiological signals of people interacting. Social physiological compliance (SPC) and hyperscanning represent two frameworks for the joint analysis of autonomic and brain signals, respectively. Each of the two approaches allows to know about a single layer of cooperation according to the nature of these signals: SPC provides information mainly related to emotions, and hyperscanning that related to cognitive aspects. In this work, after the analysis of the state of the art of SPC and hyperscanning, we explored the possibility to unify the two approaches creating a complete neurophysiological model for cooperation considering both affective and cognitive mechanisms We synchronously recorded electrodermal activity, cardiac and brain signals of 14 cooperative dyads. Time series from these signals were extracted, and multivariate Granger causality was computed. The results showed that only when subjects in a dyad cooperate there is a statistically significant causality between the multivariate variables representing each subject. Moreover, the entity of this statistical relationship correlates with the dyad’s performance. Finally, given the novelty of this approach and its exploratory nature, we provided its strengths and limitations.

Yoga, Dance, Team Sports, or Individual Sports: Does the Type of Exercise Matter? An Online Study Investigating the Relationships Between Different Types of Exercise, Body Image, and Well-Being in Regular Exercise Practitioners

Physical activity, specifically exercising, has been suggested to improve body image, mental health, and well-being. With respect to body image, previous findings highlight a general benefit of exercise. This study investigates whether the relationship between exercising and body image varies with the type of exercise that individuals preferentially and regularly engage in. In addition, physical efficacy was explored as a potential psychological mediator between type of exercise and body image. Using a cross-sectional design, healthy regular exercise practitioners of yoga, ballroom dance, team sports, or individual sports as well as healthy adults reporting no regular exercising were surveyed. Body image and its different facets were assessed by a set of standardized self-report questionnaires, covering perceptual, cognitive, and affective body image dimensions particularly related to negative body image. In addition, participants were questioned with regard to mental health. Participants were 270 healthy adults. Descriptive statistics, measures of variance (ANOVA), and multiple linear regression analysis with orthogonal contrasts were performed to investigate differences between the different exercise and non-exercise groups in the variables of interest. In line with the hypotheses and previous findings, the statistic comparisons revealed that body dissatisfaction (as one important factor of negative body image) was most pronounced in the non-exercise group compared to all exercise groups [contrast: no exercise versus exercise (all groups taken together)]. Physical efficacy, as assessed with a standardized questionnaire, mediated the difference between type of exercise (using contrasts) and body image including perceptual, cognitive, and affective body image dimensions. The findings shed light on so far less systematically investigated questions regarding the relationship between types of exercise, like yoga and ballroom dance, and body image. The results underscore the relevance of considering possible influencing factors in exercise research, such as the perception of one's physical efficacy as a mediator of this relationship.

Synchronous vs. non-synchronous imitation: Using dance to explore interpersonal coordination during observational learning

Observational learning can enhance the acquisition and performance quality of complex motor skills. While an extensive body of research has focused on the benefits of synchronous (i.e., concurrent physical practice) and non-synchronous (i.e., delayed physical practice) observational learning strategies, the question remains as to whether these approaches differentially influence performance outcomes. Accordingly, we investigate the differential outcomes of synchronous and non-synchronous observational training contexts using a novel dance sequence. Using multidimensional cross-recurrence quantification analysis, movement time-series were recorded for novice dancers who either synchronised with (n = 22) or observed and then imitated (n = 20) an expert dancer. Participants performed a 16-count choreographed dance sequence for 20 trials assisted by the expert, followed by one final, unassisted performance trial. Although end-state performance did not significantly differ between synchronous and non-synchronous learners, a significant decline in performance quality from imitation to independent replication was shown for synchronous learners. A non-significant positive trend in performance accuracy was shown for non-synchronous learners. For all participants, better imitative performance across training trials led to better end-state performance, but only for the accuracy (and not timing) of movement reproduction. Collectively, the results suggest that synchronous learners came to rely on a real-time mapping process between visual input from the expert and their own visual and proprioceptive intrinsic feedback, to the detriment of learning. Thus, the act of synchronising alone does not ensure an appropriate training context for advanced sequence learning.

Dance on the Brain: Enhancing Intra- and Inter-Brain Synchrony

Dance has traditionally been viewed from a Eurocentric perspective as a mode of self-expression that involves the human body moving through space, performed for the purposes of art, and viewed by an audience. In this Hypothesis and Theory article, we synthesize findings from anthropology, sociology, psychology, dance pedagogy, and neuroscience to propose The Synchronicity Hypothesis of Dance, which states that humans dance to enhance both intra- and inter-brain synchrony. We outline a neurocentric definition of dance, which suggests that dance involves neurobehavioral processes in seven distinct areas including sensory, motor, cognitive, social, emotional, rhythmic, and creative. We explore The Synchronicity Hypothesis of Dance through several avenues. First, we examine evolutionary theories of dance, which suggest that dance drives interpersonal coordination. Second, we examine fundamental movement patterns, which emerge throughout development and are omnipresent across cultures of the world. Third, we examine how each of the seven neurobehaviors increases intra- and inter-brain synchrony. Fourth, we examine the neuroimaging literature on dance to identify the brain regions most involved in and affected by dance. The findings presented here support our hypothesis that we engage in dance for the purpose of intrinsic reward, which as a result of dance-induced increases in neural synchrony, leads to enhanced interpersonal coordination. This hypothesis suggests that dance may be helpful to repattern oscillatory activity, leading to clinical improvements in autism spectrum disorder and other disorders with oscillatory activity impairments. Finally, we offer suggestions for future directions and discuss the idea that our consciousness can be redefined not just as an individual process but as a shared experience that we can positively influence by dancing together.

The motor-related brain activity that supports joint action: A review

Recent years have seen a rapid increase in research investigating the motor-related brain activity that supports joint action. This research has employed a variety of joint action tasks and an array of neuroimaging techniques, including fMRI, fNIRS, EEG, and TMS. In this review, we provide an overview of this research to delineate what is known about the motor-related brain activity that contributes to joint action and to highlight key questions for future research. Taken together, the surveyed research supports three major conclusions. First, the mere presence of a joint action context is sufficient to modulate motor activity elicited by observing others' actions. Second, joint action is supported by dissociable motor activity associated with a person's own actions, their partner's actions, and the joint action, and by between-brain coupling of motor-related oscillatory activity. Third, the structure of a joint action modulates the motor activity involved: Unique motor activity is associated with performing joint actions comprised of complementary actions and with holding the roles of leader and follower within a joint action. We conclude the review by highlighting overarching themes and key questions for future research.

The Human Dynamic Clamp Reveals the Fronto-Parietal Network Linking Real-Time Social Coordination and Cognition

How does the brain allow us to interact with others? Social neuroscience has already provided some answers to these questions but has tended to treat high-level, cognitive interpretations of social behavior separately from the sensorimotor mechanisms upon which they rely. The goal here is to identify the underlying neural processes and mechanisms linking sensorimotor coordination and intention attribution. We combine the human dynamic clamp, a novel paradigm for studyingrealistic social behavior, with high-resolution electroencephalography. The collection of humanness and intention attribution reports, kinematics, and neural data affords an opportunity to relate brain activity to the ongoing social behavior. Behavioral results demonstrate that sensorimotor coordination influences the judgments of cooperativeness and humanness. Analysis of brain dynamics reveals two distinct networks related to the integration of visuo-motor information from self and other which overlap over the right parietal region. Furthermore, judgment of humanness and cooperation of others modulate the functional connectivity between this right parietal hub and the prefrontal cortex. These results reveal how distributed neural dynamics integrates information from "low-level" sensorimotor mechanisms and "high-level" social cognition to support the realistic social behaviors that play out in real time during interactive scenarios.

Partnered, adapted argentine tango dance for cancer survivors: A feasibility study and pilot study of efficacy

BACKGROUND

Neurotoxic cancer treatments can cause chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and postural control deficits that cancer survivors report as a concern. Exercise-based sensorimotor training has emerged as a promising treatment for symptoms including balance deficits, however, more study is needed to optimize engagement and participation. We evaluated feasibility, satisfaction, and preliminary efficacy of a novel balance training program for cancer survivors: partnered, Adapted Argentine Tango dance (Tango).

METHODS

Twenty-two individuals participated (n = 22). Tango classes (1 h) were offered twice/week. At baseline, midpoint (8 classes), and conclusion of the training (15 or 16 classes), we assessed postural control by measuring center-of-pressure (CoP) measures during quiet standing with eyes closed. We also documented attendance, barriers to attendance, and satisfaction (7 point scale; 1 high). At conclusion, we analyzed whether 1) attendance and satisfaction met feasibility criteria; 2) postural control improved among participants who were outside of normal range at baseline; and 3) co-enrolling with a companion increased attendance.

FINDINGS

Feasibility criteria were met: more than half of participants attended more than half the classes offered with a mean satisfaction rate of 1.2 (SD 0.4). Those who enrolled with a companion (n = 9) attended more sessions than those who did not (n = 13) (Mann-Whitney U value = 20; p = 0.012). Participants with demonstrated deficits (n = 9) improved in 3 CoP measures at midpoint (i.e., medial-lateral sway, ellipse area, medial-lateral velocity), retaining improvement in 2 CoP measures at endpoint (i.e., medial-lateral sway, ellipse area).

INTERPRETATION

Partnered, Adapted Argentine Tango is feasible for cancer survivors and may improve postural control. Enrolling with a companion improved attendance.

Effect of dance on lower-limb range of motion in young people with cerebral palsy: a blinded randomized controlled clinical trial

Purpose

One of the most limiting conditions in cerebral palsy (CP) is the impairment in musculoskeletal mobility. CP may impair the ability to perform efficient movements. The aim of this trial was to investigate the effect of dance on the range of motion (ROM) of lower limbs in young people with CP.

Patients and methods

the randomized clinical trial consisted of two groups: dance group (DG) and control group (CG). Both of them underwent a 1-hour treatment, twice a week, for 2 months. Sanny^® pendulum fleximeter was used to measure ROM in pre- and posttreatment. The applied procedures in both groups were conducted at suitable locations. Twenty-six participants were allocated to these two groups of study.

Results

In DG, the sampling variances showed improvements in all lower limb joints and axes of movements (P<0.05). In CG, there was increase in passive ROM in some lower limb joints (P≤0.05).

Conclusion

Physical intervention is imperative to improve ROM. It seems dance practice can contribute to CP corporal mobility in a positive way.

Clinical trial number

Nº CAAE-06154012.4.0000.0058-12, number 98.993.

fNIRS Responses in Professional Violinists While Playing Duets: Evidence for Distinct Leader and Follower Roles at the Brain Level

Music played in ensembles is a naturalistic model to study joint action and leader-follower relationships. Recently, the investigation of the brain underpinnings of joint musical actions has gained attention; however, the cerebral correlates underlying the roles of leader and follower in music performance remain elusive. The present study addressed this question by simultaneously measuring the hemodynamic correlates of functional neural activity elicited during naturalistic violin duet performance using fNIRS. Findings revealed distinct patterns of functional brain activation when musicians played the Violin 2 (follower) than the Violin 1 part (leader) in duets, both compared to solo performance. More specifically, results indicated that musicians playing the Violin 2 part had greater oxy-Hb activation in temporo-parietal (p = 0.02) and somatomotor (p = 0.04) regions during the duo condition in relation to the solo. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in the activation of these areas between duo/solo conditions during the execution of the Violin 1 part (p's > 0.05). These findings suggest that ensemble cohesion during a musical performance may impose particular demands when musicians play the follower position, especially in brain areas associated with the processing of dynamic social information and motor simulation. This study is the first to use fNIRS hyperscanning technology to simultaneously measure the brain activity of two musicians during naturalistic music ensemble performance, opening new avenues for the investigation of brain correlates underlying joint musical actions with multiple subjects in a naturalistic environment.

Toward a Unification of the Arts

This article presents a manifesto for the scientific exploration of the arts in their totality, rather than conceiving of each artform independently on its own terms. In order to achieve this, I present an analytical procedure that is comprised of two related steps. The first step is to identify instances of sharing in the production mechanisms across artforms, for example the occurrence of rhythmic structure in music, dance, and poetry. The second is to examine how this sharing creates "affordances for combinations," making it possible for music to be set to a poem or for dance movements to be choreographed to music. By elucidating the neurocognitive mechanisms of sharing across arts domains and the affordances that they offer for creating combinations, it should be possible to achieve a unification of the arts.

Role-Specific Brain Activations in Leaders and Followers During Joint Action

Much of social interaction in human life requires that individuals perform different roles during joint actions, the most basic distinction being that between a leader and a follower. A number of neuroimaging studies have examined the brain networks for leading and following, but none have examined what effect prior expertise at these roles has on brain activations during joint motor tasks. Couple dancers (e.g., dancers of Tango, Salsa, and swing) are an ideal population in which examine such effects, since leaders and followers of partnered dances have similar overall levels of motor expertise at dancing, but can differ strikingly in their role-specific skill sets. To explore role-specific expertise effects on brain activations for the first time, we recruited nine skilled leaders and nine skilled followers of couple dances for a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. We employed a two-person scanning arrangement that allowed a more naturalistic interaction between two individuals. The dancers interacted physically with an experimenter standing next to the bore of the magnet so as to permit bimanual partnered movements. Together, they alternated between leading and following the joint movements. The results demonstrated that the brain activations during the acts of leading and following were enhanced by prior expertise at being a leader or follower, and that activity in task-specific brain areas tended to be positively correlated with the level of expertise at the corresponding role. These findings provide preliminary evidence that training at one role of a joint motor task can selectively enhance role-related brain activations.