The modulation of the motor resonance triggered by reach-to-grasp movements: No role of human physical similarity as conveyed by age

Background: Social apathy, a reduction in initiative in proposing or engaging in social activities or interactions, is common in mild neurocognitive disorders (MND). Current apathy assessment relies on self-reports or clinical scales, but growing attention is devoted to defining more objective, measurable and non-invasive apathy proxies. Objective: In the present study we investigated the interest of recording action kinematics in a social reach-to-grasp task for the assessment of social apathy. Methods: Thirty participants took part in the study: 11 healthy controls (HC; 6 females, mean age = 68.3±10.5 years) and 19 subjects with MND (13 females, mean age = 75.7±6.3 years). Based on the Diagnostic Criteria for Apathy, MND subjects were classified as socially apathetic (A-MND, N = 9) versus non-apathetic (NA-MND, N = 10). SensRing, a ring-shaped wearable sensor, was placed on their index finger, and subjects were asked to reach and grasp a can to place it into a cup (individual condition) and pass it to a partner (social condition). Results: In the reach-to-grasp phase of the action, HC and NA-MND showed different acceleration and velocity profiles in the social versus individual condition. No differences were found for A-MND. Conclusion: Previous studies showed the interest of recording patients’ level of weekly motor activity for apathy assessment. Here we showed that a 10-min reach-to-grasp task may provide information to differentiate socially apathetic and non-apathetic subjects with MND, thus providing a tool easily usable in the clinical practice. Future studies with a bigger sample are needed to better characterize these findings.

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The role of attention in human motor resonance

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0177457 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. e0177457 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Guglielmo Puglisi ◽

Antonella Leonetti ◽

Ayelet Landau ◽

Luca Fornia ◽

Gabriella Cerri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Motor Resonance ◽

Human Motor

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Corticospinal excitability underlying digit force planning for grasping in humans

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.00815.2013 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 111 (12) ◽

pp. 2560-2569 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Pranav Parikh ◽

Marco Davare ◽

Patrick McGurrin ◽

Marco Santello

Keyword(s):

Primary Motor Cortex ◽

Single Pulse ◽

Intracortical Inhibition ◽

Corticospinal Excitability ◽

Reach To Grasp ◽

Grasp Planning ◽

Sensorimotor Memory ◽

Force Planning ◽

Intracortical Inhibition And Facilitation

Control of digit forces for grasping relies on sensorimotor memory gained from prior experience with the same or similar objects and on online sensory feedback. However, little is known about neural mechanisms underlying digit force planning. We addressed this question by quantifying the temporal evolution of corticospinal excitability (CSE) using single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) during two reach-to-grasp tasks. These tasks differed in terms of the magnitude of force exerted on the same points on the object to isolate digit force planning from reach and grasp planning. We also addressed the role of intracortical circuitry within primary motor cortex (M1) by quantifying the balance between short intracortical inhibition and facilitation using paired-pulse TMS on the same tasks. Eighteen right-handed subjects were visually cued to plan digit placement at predetermined locations on the object and subsequently to exert either negligible force (“low-force” task, LF) or 10% of their maximum pinch force (“high-force” task, HF) on the object. We found that the HF task elicited significantly smaller CSE than the LF task, but only when the TMS pulse coincided with the signal to initiate the reach. This force planning-related CSE modulation was specific to the muscles involved in the performance of both tasks. Interestingly, digit force planning did not result in modulation of M1 intracortical inhibitory and facilitatory circuitry. Our findings suggest that planning of digit forces reflected by CSE modulation starts well before object contact and appears to be driven by inputs from frontoparietal areas other than M1.

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The Role of Baseline Physical Similarity to Humans in Consumer Responses to Anthropomorphic Animal Images

Psychology and Marketing ◽

10.1002/mar.20619 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 30 (6) ◽

pp. 461-468 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Paul M. Connell

Keyword(s):

Physical Similarity ◽

Consumer Responses ◽

Animal Images

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Degrees of Embodiment in Literary Reading

10.1093/oso/9780190457747.003.0002 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Marco Caracciolo

Keyword(s):

Lived Experience ◽

Literary Reading ◽

Motor Resonance ◽

Embodied Simulation ◽

Psychological Mechanisms ◽

Key Issues ◽

Bodily Feelings ◽

Literary Narrative

This chapter surveys some of the key issues in the study of embodiment in literary reading. Recent research in psycholinguistics has called attention to the role of motor resonance and experiential models in understanding language—two psychological mechanisms often brought together under the heading of “embodied simulation.” How does literary reading, and particularly reading literary narrative, leverage these embodied phenomena? Does embodiment always matter in reading or only in specific circumstances? Building on linguist David Ritchie’s scalar account of embodied simulation, and using Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho as a case study, this chapter distinguishes among various types of embodied involvement and shows how they shape the experience of reading Ellis’s novel. It also draws attention to the question of consciousness, calling for empirical research on the interplay between unconscious processes and lived experience (mental imagery, bodily feelings, etc.) in engaging with literary narrative.

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Role of Primate Magnocellular Red Nucleus Neurons in Controlling Hand Preshaping During Reaching to Grasp

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.2001.85.4.1461 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 85 (4) ◽

pp. 1461-1478 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Peter L. E. Van Kan ◽

Martha L. McCurdy

Keyword(s):

Task Performance ◽

Motor Behavior ◽

Red Nucleus ◽

Reaching Movements ◽

Emg Activity ◽

Reach To Grasp ◽

Spinal Circuitry ◽

A Minor ◽

Hand Preshaping

Reaching to grasp is of fundamental importance to primate motor behavior and requires coordinating hand preshaping with limb transport and grasping. We aimed to clarify the role of cerebellar output via the magnocellular red nucleus (RNm) to the control of reaching to grasp. Rubrospinal fibers originating from RNm constitute one pathway by which cerebellar output influences spinal circuitry directly. We recorded discharge from individual forelimb RNm neurons while monkeys performed a reach-to-grasp task and two tasks that were similar to the reach-to-grasp task in trajectory, amplitude, and direction but did not include a grasp. One of these, the device task, elicited reaches while holding a handle, and the other, the free-reach task, elicited reaches that did not require any specific hand use for task performance. The results demonstrate that coordinated whole-limb reaching movements are associated with large discharge modulations of RNm neurons predominantly when hand use is included. Therefore RNm neurons can at best only make a minor contribution to the control of reaching movements that lack hand use. We evaluated relations between the discharge of individual RNm neurons and electromyographic (EMG) activity of forelimb muscles during the reach-to-grasp task by comparing times of peak RNm discharge to times of peak EMG activity. The results are consistent with the view that RNm discharge may contribute to EMG activity of both distal and proximal muscles during reaching to grasp especially digit extensor and limb elevation muscles. Relations between the discharge of individual RNm neurons and movements of the metacarpi-phalangeal (MCP), wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints during individual trials of task performance were quantified by parametric correlation analyses on a subset of neurons studied during the reach-to-grasp and free-reach tasks. The results indicate that MCP extensions were consistently preceded by bursts of RNm discharge, and strong correlations were observed between parameters of discharge and the duration, velocity, and amplitude of corresponding MCP extensions. In contrast, relations between discharge and movements of proximal joints were poorly represented, and RNm discharge was not related to the speed of limb transport. Based on our data and those of others, we hypothesize that cerebellar output via RNm is specialized for controlling hand use and conclude that RNm may contribute to the control of hand preshaping during reaching to grasp by activating muscle synergies that produce the appropriate MCP extension at the appropriate phase of limb transport.

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Eye contact enhances interpersonal motor resonance: comparing video stimuli to a live two-person action context

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience ◽

10.1093/scan/nsz064 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (9) ◽

pp. 967-976 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Jellina Prinsen ◽

Kaat Alaerts

Keyword(s):

Visual Attention ◽

Primary Motor Cortex ◽

Ecological Validity ◽

Eye Gaze ◽

Eye Contact ◽

Social Responsiveness ◽

Gaze Behavior ◽

Motor Resonance ◽

Action Context

Abstract Previous research has shown a link between eye contact and interpersonal motor resonance, indicating that the mirroring of observed movements is enhanced when accompanied with mutual eye contact between actor and observer. Here, we further explored the role of eye contact within a naturalistic two-person action context. Twenty-two participants observed simple hand movements combined with direct or averted gaze presented via a live model in a two-person setting or via video recordings, while transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied over the primary motor cortex (M1) to measure changes in M1 excitability. Skin conductance responses and gaze behavior were also measured to investigate the role of arousal and visual attention herein. Eye contact significantly enhanced excitability of the observer’s M1 during movement observation within a two-person setting. Notably, participants with higher social responsiveness (Social Communication subscale of the Social Responsiveness Scale) displayed a more pronounced modulation of M1 excitability by eye gaze. Gaze-related modulations in M1 excitability were, however, not associated with differences in visual attention or autonomic arousal. In summary, the current study highlights the effectiveness and feasibility of adopting paradigms with high ecological validity for studying the modulation of mirror system processes by subtle social cues, such as eye gaze.

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Reach-to-Grasp: A Multisensory Experience

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.614471 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Sonia Betti ◽

Umberto Castiello ◽

Chiara Begliomini

Keyword(s):

Experimental Evidence ◽

Experimental Test ◽

Future Research ◽

Test Case ◽

Reach To Grasp ◽

Predominant Role ◽

Sensory Modalities ◽

Multisensory Experience ◽

Everyday Living

The reach-to-grasp movement is ordinarily performed in everyday living activities and it represents a key behavior that allows humans to interact with their environment. Remarkably, it serves as an experimental test case for probing the multisensory architecture of goal-oriented actions. This review focuses on experimental evidence that enhances or modifies how we might conceptualize the “multisensory” substrates of prehension. We will review evidence suggesting that how reach-to-grasp movements are planned and executed is influenced by information coming from different sensory modalities such as vision, proprioception, audition, taste, and olfaction. The review closes with some considerations about the predominant role of the multisensory constituents in shaping prehensile behavior and how this might be important for future research developments, especially in the rehabilitative domain.

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