QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

The Journal of Neuroscience, July 26, 2006, 26(30):7942-7949; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1289-06.2006

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (8) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Urgesi, C. Articles by Aglioti, S. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Urgesi, C. Articles by Aglioti, S. M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive
Mapping Implied Body Actions in the Human Motor System

Cosimo Urgesi,^1,2 Valentina Moro,³ Matteo Candidi,^4,5 and Salvatore M. Aglioti^4,5

¹Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche e della Visione, Sezione di Fisiologia Umana, Università di Verona, I-37134 Verona, Italy, ²Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico "E. Medea," Polo Regionale Friuli Venezia Giulia, I-33078 San Vito al Tagliamento, Pordenone, Italy, ³Dipartimento di Psicologia e Antropologia Culturale, Università di Verona, I-37122 Verona, Italy, and ⁴Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Roma "La Sapienza," I-00185 Roma, Italy and ⁵Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Fondazione Santa Lucia, I-00179 Roma, Italy

Correspondence should be addressed to Salvatore M. Aglioti, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Roma "La Sapienza," Via dei Marsi 78, I-00185 Roma, Italy. salvatoremaria.aglioti{at}uniroma1.it

The human visual system is highly tuned to perceive actual motion as well as to extrapolate dynamic information from static pictures of objects or creatures captured in the middle of motion. Processing of implied motion activates higher-order visual areas that are also involved in processing biological motion. Imagery and observation of actual movements performed by others engenders selective activation of motor and premotor areas that are part of a mirror-neuron system matching action observation and execution. By using single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation, we found that the mere observation of static snapshots of hands suggesting a pincer grip action induced an increase in corticospinal excitability as compared with observation of resting, relaxed hands, or hands suggesting a completed action. This facilitatory effect was specific for the muscle that would be activated during actual execution of the observed action. We found no changes in responsiveness of the tested muscles during observation of nonbiological entities with (e.g., waterfalls) or without (e.g., icefalls) implied motion. Thus, extrapolation of motion information concerning human actions induced a selective activation of the motor system. This indicates that overlapping motor regions are engaged in the visual analysis of physical and implied body actions. The absence of motor evoked potential modulation during observation of end posture stimuli may indicate that the observation–execution matching system is preferentially activated by implied, ongoing but not yet completed actions.

Key words: implied motion; motor cortex; transcranial magnetic stimulation; mirror neurons; body actions; representational momentum

---

Received Jan. 20, 2006; revised May 5, 2006; accepted June 20, 2006.

Correspondence should be addressed to Salvatore M. Aglioti, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Roma "La Sapienza," Via dei Marsi 78, I-00185 Roma, Italy. salvatoremaria.aglioti{at}uniroma1.it

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Mercier, A. Aballea, C. D. Vargas, J. Paillard, and A. Sirigu Vision without Proprioception Modulates Cortico-spinal Excitability during Hand Motor Imagery Cereb Cortex, February 1, 2008; 18(2): 272 - 277. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Urgesi, B. Calvo-Merino, P. Haggard, and S. M. Aglioti Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Reveals Two Cortical Pathways for Visual Body Processing J. Neurosci., July 25, 2007; 27(30): 8023 - 8030. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help