Representation of body identity and body actions in extrastriate body area and ventral premotor cortex

Nat Neurosci. 2007 Jan;10(1):30-1. doi: 10.1038/nn1815. Epub 2006 Dec 10.

Abstract

Although inherently linked, body form and body action may be represented in separate neural substrates. Using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in healthy individuals, we show that interference with the extrastriate body area impairs the discrimination of bodily forms, and interference with the ventral premotor cortex impairs the discrimination of bodily actions. This double dissociation suggests that whereas extrastriate body area mainly processes actors' body identity, premotor cortex is crucial for visual discriminations of actions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Brain Mapping
  • Discrimination, Psychological / physiology*
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality / physiology
  • Human Body*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Motion Perception*
  • Motor Cortex / physiology*
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual / physiology*
  • Photic Stimulation / methods
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • Time Factors
  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
  • Visual Cortex / physiology*