Influence of perspective on the neural correlates of motor resonance during natural action observation

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 752-767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy Vingerhoets ◽  
Lenny Stevens ◽  
Morgan Meesdom ◽  
Pieterjan Honoré ◽  
Pieter Vandemaele ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Action Observation ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Motor Resonance ◽  
Natural Action

Conscious and Unconscious Representations of Observed Actions in the Human Motor System

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 2028-2041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan D. A. Mattiassi ◽  
Sonia Mele ◽  
Luca F. Ticini ◽  
Cosimo Urgesi
Keyword(s):  
Motor System ◽  
Action Observation ◽  
Single Pulse ◽  
Basic Mechanism ◽  
Perceptual Awareness ◽  
Unconscious Perception ◽  
Motor Resonance ◽  
Specific Increase ◽  
Human Motor ◽  
Hand Action

Action observation activates the observer's motor system. These motor resonance responses are automatic and triggered even when the action is only implied in static snapshots. However, it is largely unknown whether an action needs to be consciously perceived to trigger motor resonance. In this study, we used single-pulse TMS to study the facilitation of corticospinal excitability (a measure of motor resonance) during supraliminal and subliminal presentations of implied action images. We used a forward and backward dynamic masking procedure that successfully prevented the conscious perception of prime stimuli depicting a still hand or an implied abduction movement of the index or little finger. The prime was followed by the supraliminal presentation of a still or implied action probe hand. Our results revealed a muscle-specific increase of motor facilitation following observation of the probe hand actions that were consciously perceived as compared with observation of a still hand. Crucially, unconscious perception of prime hand actions presented before probe still hands did not increase motor facilitation as compared with observation of a still hand, suggesting that motor resonance requires perceptual awareness. However, the presentation of a masked prime depicting an action that was incongruent with the probe hand action suppressed motor resonance to the probe action such that comparable motor facilitation was recorded during observation of implied action and still hand probes. This suppression of motor resonance may reflect the processing of action conflicts in areas upstream of the motor cortex and may subserve a basic mechanism for dealing with the multiple and possibly incongruent actions of other individuals.

Robots can be perceived as goal-oriented agents

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Sciutti ◽  
Ambra Bisio ◽  
Francesco Nori ◽  
Giorgio Metta ◽  
Luciano Fadiga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor System ◽  
Humanoid Robot ◽  
Action Observation ◽  
Humanoid Robots ◽  
Interpersonal Interaction ◽  
Action Understanding ◽  
Motor Resonance ◽  
Implicit Processing ◽  
Gaze Behaviour ◽  
Open Question

Understanding the goals of others is fundamental for any kind of interpersonal interaction and collaboration. From a neurocognitive perspective, intention understanding has been proposed to depend on an involvement of the observer’s motor system in the prediction of the observed actions (Nyström et al. 2011; Rizzolatti & Sinigaglia 2010; Southgate et al. 2009). An open question is if a similar understanding of the goal mediated by motor resonance can occur not only between humans, but also for humanoid robots. In this study we investigated whether goal-oriented robotic actions can induce motor resonance by measuring the appearance of anticipatory gaze shifts to the goal during action observation. Our results indicate a similar implicit processing of humans’ and robots’ actions and propose to use anticipatory gaze behaviour as a tool for the evaluation of human-robot interactions. Keywords: Humanoid robot; motor resonance; anticipation; proactive gaze; action understanding

Investigation of the neural correlates underlying action observation in multiple sclerosis patients

2009 ◽  
Vol 217 (2) ◽  
pp. 252-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea C. Pierno ◽  
Luca Turella ◽  
Paola Grossi ◽  
Federico Tubaldi ◽  
Massimiliano Calabrese ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Action Observation ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients

scholarly journals Motor Resonance May Originate From Sensorimotor Experience

2010 ◽  
Vol 104 (4) ◽  
pp. 1867-1871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agustín Petroni ◽  
Federico Baguear ◽  
Valeria Della-Maggiore
Keyword(s):  
Motor System ◽  
Motor Evoked Potentials ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Action Observation ◽  
Physical Nature ◽  
Corticospinal Excitability ◽  
Motor Resonance ◽  
Major Interest ◽  
Movement Index ◽  
Static Pictures

In humans, the motor system can be activated by passive observation of actions or static pictures with implied action. The origin of this facilitation is of major interest to the field of motor control. Recently it has been shown that sensorimotor learning can reconfigure the motor system during action observation. Here we tested directly the hypothesis that motor resonance arises from sensorimotor contingencies by measuring corticospinal excitability in response to abstract non-action cues previously associated with an action. Motor evoked potentials were measured from the first dorsal interosseus (FDI) while human subjects observed colored stimuli that had been visually or motorically associated with a finger movement (index or little finger abduction). Corticospinal excitability was higher during the observation of a colored cue that preceded a movement involving the recorded muscle than during the observation of a different colored cue that preceded a movement involving a different muscle. Crucially this facilitation was only observed when the cue was associated with an executed movement but not when it was associated with an observed movement. Our findings provide solid evidence in support of the sensorimotor hypothesis of action observation and further suggest that the physical nature of the observed stimulus mediating this phenomenon may in fact be irrelevant.

scholarly journals Action observation produces motor resonance in Parkinson's disease

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 298-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Bek ◽  
Emma Gowen ◽  
Stefan Vogt ◽  
Trevor Crawford ◽  
Ellen Poliakoff
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Action Observation ◽  
Motor Resonance

Evidence for fast, low-level motor resonance to action observation: An MEG study

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 213-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hein T. van Schie ◽  
Thomas Koelewijn ◽  
Ole Jensen ◽  
Robert Oostenveld ◽  
Eric Maris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Action Observation ◽  
Motor Resonance ◽  
Low Level

Enhanced Neural Processing of Goal-directed Actions After Active Training in 4-Month-Old Infants

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 472-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Bakker ◽  
Jessica A. Sommerville ◽  
Gustaf Gredebäck
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Social Perception ◽  
Action Observation ◽  
Object Manipulation ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Neural Processing ◽  
Action Perception ◽  
Visual Exposure ◽  
The Neural Networks ◽  
Active Training

The current study explores the neural correlates of action perception and its relation to infants' active experience performing goal-directed actions. Study 1 provided active training with sticky mittens that enables grasping and object manipulation in prereaching 4-month-olds. After training, EEG was recorded while infants observed images of hands grasping toward (congruent) or away from (incongruent) objects. We demonstrate that brief active training facilitates social perception as indexed by larger amplitude of the P400 ERP component to congruent compared with incongruent trials. Study 2 presented 4-month-old infants with passive training in which they observed an experimenter perform goal-directed reaching actions, followed by an identical ERP session to that used in Study 1. The second study did not demonstrate any differentiation between congruent and incongruent trials. These results suggest that (1) active experience alters the brains' response to goal-directed actions performed by others and (2) visual exposure alone is not sufficient in developing the neural networks subserving goal processing during action observation in infancy.

scholarly journals Expressing our internal states and understanding those of others

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (33) ◽  
pp. 10331-10335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Di Cesare ◽  
Cinzia Di Dio ◽  
Massimo Marchi ◽  
Giacomo Rizzolatti
Keyword(s):  
Motor Activity ◽  
Action Observation ◽  
Arm Movements ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Interpersonal Behavior ◽  
Cortical Motor ◽  
Internal States ◽  
Cortical Circuit ◽  
Motor Actions ◽  
Conjunction Analysis

Vitality form is a term that describes the style with which motor actions are performed (e.g., rude, gentle, etc.). They represent one characterizing element of conscious and unconscious bodily communication. Despite their importance in interpersonal behavior, vitality forms have been, until now, virtually neglected in neuroscience. Here, using the functional MRI (fMRI) technique, we investigated the neural correlates of vitality forms in three different tasks: action observation, imagination, and execution. Conjunction analysis showed that, in all three tasks, there is a common, consistent activation of the dorsocentral sector of the insula. In addition, a common activation of the parietofrontal network, typically active during arm movements production, planning, and observation, was also found. We conclude that the dorsocentral part of the insula is a key element of the system that modulates the cortical motor activity, allowing individuals to express their internal states through action vitality forms. Recent monkey anatomical data show that the dorsocentral sector of the insula is, indeed, connected with the cortical circuit involved in the control of arm movements.

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