Mirror Neuron System Differentially Activated by Facial Expressions and Social Hand Gestures: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 1866-1877 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly J. Montgomery ◽  
James V. Haxby
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Nonverbal Communication ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Mirror Neuron System ◽  
Mirror Neuron ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Hand Gestures ◽  
Neuron System ◽  
Frontal Operculum

Facial expressions and hand gestures are utilized in nonverbal communication to convey socially relevant information. One key process that mediates nonverbal communication is simulation. The mirror neuron system (MNS), which maps observed actions onto the motor representations used when producing those actions, likely plays a role in simulation. Previous neuroimaging experiments have identified a putative human MNS that includes the inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and the frontal operculum. Although understanding nonverbal communication presumably involves the MNS, it is unknown whether these two forms of nonverbal social communication have distinct representations within that system. Here we report the results of a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment in which participants viewed, imitated, and produced facial expressions and social hand gestures. The observation and execution of facial expressions and social hand gestures activated the MNS, but the magnitude of response differed. Activation in the IPL was greater for social hand gestures, whereas activation in the frontal operculum was greater for viewing facial expressions. The locations of neural activity evoked by viewing facial expressions and social hand gestures in the frontal operculum were significantly different. These data argue that there are distinct representations of different types of social nonverbal communication in the MNS.

scholarly journals Is it necessary to show virtual limbs in action observation neurorehabilitation systems?

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 205566831985914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristián Modroño ◽  
Sergi Bermúdez ◽  
Mónica Cameirão ◽  
Fábio Pereira ◽  
Teresa Paulino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Mirror Neuron System ◽  
Action Observation ◽  
Mirror Neuron ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Neuron System

Introduction Action observation neurorehabilitation systems are usually based on the observation of a virtual limb performing different kinds of actions. In this way, the activity in the frontoparietal Mirror Neuron System is enhanced, which can be helpful to rehabilitate stroke patients. However, the presence of limbs in such systems might not be necessary to produce mirror activity, for example, frontoparietal mirror activity can be produced just by the observation of virtual tool movements. The objective of this work was to explore to what point the presence of a virtual limb impacts the Mirror Neuron System activity in neurorehabilitation systems. Methods The study was conducted by using an action observation neurorehabilitation task during a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment with healthy volunteers and comparing two action observation conditions that: 1 – included or 2 – did not include a virtual limb. Results It was found that activity in the Mirror Neuron System was similar during both conditions (i.e. virtual limb present or absent). Conclusions These results open up the possibility of using new tasks that do not include virtual limbs in action observation neurorehabilitation environments, which can give more freedom to develop such systems.

Facial expressions: What the mirror neuron system can and cannot tell us

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 179-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiaan van der Gaag ◽  
Ruud B. Minderaa ◽  
Christian Keysers
Keyword(s):  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Mirror Neuron System ◽  
Mirror Neuron ◽  
Neuron System

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of facial information processing in children with autistic disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and typically developing controls

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Krisztina L. Malisza ◽  
Christine Clancy ◽  
Deborah Shiloff ◽  
Jeanette Holden ◽  
Cheryl Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Neural Activity ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare the neural activation patterns of children diagnosed with autistic disorder (AD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and typically developing controls (TCs) in response to a task involving evaluation of facial expressions. Substantially greater functional activity was noted in TCs compared to both subjects diagnosed with AD and ADHD. Consistent with previous studies, differences in functional activation of the amygdala, fusiform gyrus, cerebellum, mesolimbic, and temporal lobe cortical regions of the brain during a task evaluating facial expressions were noted in AD compared to TCs. Differences in the neural activity in these brain regions were also observed in children diagnosed with AD compared to those diagnosed with ADHD. Overall decreased neural activity was observed during the faces task performance in the AD group compared to the other two groups, a finding consistent with studies using adults. Both TC and ADHD control groups showed increased inferior frontal cortex activity compared to the AD group. Significant activity was present in both TC and ADHD control groups in the insula which was absent in the AD group; this is consistent with other studies showing dysfunction of the mesolimbic system in children with AD. Although frontostriatal and mesolimbic systems appear to be affected in AD, these deficits were not in the same attentional networks which are dysfunctional in children diagnosed with ADHD.

Amygdala activation to masked happy facial expressions

2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 383-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARIO F. JURUENA ◽  
VINCENT P. GIAMPIETRO ◽  
STEPHEN D. SMITH ◽  
SIMON A. SURGULADZE ◽  
JEFFREY A. DALTON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Backward Masking ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Emotional Stimuli ◽  
Amygdala Activation ◽  
Amygdala Activity ◽  
Conscious Processing

AbstractThe amygdala has a key role in automatic non-conscious processing of emotions. Highly salient emotional stimuli elicit amygdala activity, and happy faces are among the most rapidly perceived facial expressions. In backward masking paradigms, an image is presented briefly and then masked by another stimulus. However, reports of amygdala responses to masked happy faces have been mixed. In the present study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine amygdala activation to masked happy, sad, and neutral facial expressions. Masked happy faces elicited greater amygdala activation bilaterally as compared to masked sad faces. Our findings indicate that the amygdala is highly responsive to non-consciously perceived happy facial expressions. (JINS, 2010, 16, 383–387.)

scholarly journals Mirror Neuron and Theory of Mind Mechanisms Involved in Face-to-Face Interactions: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Approach to Empathy

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 1354-1372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Schulte-Rüther ◽  
Hans J. Markowitsch ◽  
Gereon R. Fink ◽  
Martina Piefke
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Mirror Neurons ◽  
Emotional State ◽  
Mirror Neuron ◽  
The Self ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Common

Empathy allows emotional psychological inference about other person's mental states and feelings in social contexts. We aimed at specifying the common and differential neural mechanisms of “self”- and “other”-related attribution of emotional states using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging. Subjects viewed faces expressing emotions with direct or averted gaze and either focused on their own emotional response to each face (self-task) or evaluated the emotional state expressed by the face (other-task). The common network activated by both tasks included the left lateral orbito-frontal and medial prefrontal cortices (MPFC), bilateral inferior frontal cortices, superior temporal sulci and temporal poles, as well as the right cerebellum. In a subset of these regions, neural activity was significantly correlated with empathic abilities. The self- (relative to the other-) task differentially activated the MPFC, the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus, and the temporo-parietal junction bilaterally. Empathy-related processing of emotional facial expressions recruited brain areas involved in mirror neuron and theory-of-mind (ToM) mechanisms. The differential engagement of the MPFC, the PCC/precuneus, and temporo-parietal regions in the self-task indicates that these structures act as key players in the evaluation of one's own emotional state during empathic face-to-face interaction. Activation of mirror neurons in a task relying on empathic abilities without explicit task-related motor components supports the view that mirror neurons are not only involved in motor cognition but also in emotional interpersonal cognition. An interplay between ToM and mirror neuron mechanisms may hold for the maintenance of a self-other distinction during empathic interpersonal face-to-face interactions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document