The present study used electroencephalography to examine mu rhythm suppression （a putative index of human mirror neuron system activation） at frontal sites （F3, Fz and F4）, central sites （C3, Cz and C4）, parieta...The present study used electroencephalography to examine mu rhythm suppression （a putative index of human mirror neuron system activation） at frontal sites （F3, Fz and F4）, central sites （C3, Cz and C4）, parietal sites （P3, Pz and P4） and occipital sites （O1 and O2）, while subjects observed real hand motion （real hand motion condition） and illustrative depictions of hand motion （drawn hand motion condition）. Experimental data revealed that mu rhythm suppression was exhibited in the mirror neuron system when subjects observed both real and drawn hand motion. Moreover, the mu rhythm recorded at the F3, Fz, F4, and Pz poles was significantly suppressed while observing both stimulus types, but no obvious mu suppression occurred at the O1, 02 and 03 poles. These results suggest that the observation of drawings of human hand actions can activate the human mirror neuron system. This evidence supports the hypothesis that the mirror neuron system may be involved in intransitively abstract action understanding.展开更多
Previous studies have reported that the mirror neuron system plays a crucial role in social cognition. We examined whether the higher-order cognitive functions are involved in the activations in the mirror neuron area...Previous studies have reported that the mirror neuron system plays a crucial role in social cognition. We examined whether the higher-order cognitive functions are involved in the activations in the mirror neuron area when we perceive simplified pseudo-postures. We measured 14 participants’ brain activation during the posture-recognition task using near-infrared spectroscopy. The participants’ task was to observe five sequentially presented target pseudo-postures and judge whether a test pseudo-posture was identical to one of the preceding five target pseudo-postures. The results in the majority of participants (n = 10/14) revealed that the activity in the inferior frontal mirror neuron area is modulated by perception of human-likeness, but not in the remaining four participants (n = 4/14). These results suggest that the degree of the activation of higher-order cognitive functions, which may be engaged in the inhibitory and/or facilitative processing of human body or bodily movement, leads to the distinctive activities in the inferior frontal mirror neuron area.展开更多
Cognitive scientists often use probabilistic equations to model human behavior in ambiguous situations. How, where, and even if such probabilities are represented in the human brain remains largely unknown. Here, we m...Cognitive scientists often use probabilistic equations to model human behavior in ambiguous situations. How, where, and even if such probabilities are represented in the human brain remains largely unknown. Here, we manipulated the probability of simple bottle-pouring action based on two considerations, the relative fullness of two glasses and the relative distance between the two glasses and the bottle. Whole brain functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure brain activity while participants viewed probable and improbable pouring actions. Improbable actions elicited increased activity in the theory of mind (ToM) network, commonly found active when trying to grasp the intentions of others, whereas probable actions elicited increased activity in the human mirror neuron system (hMNS) and areas associated with mental imagery and memory. These data provide novel insight into the brain mechanisms humans use to distinguish between high and low-probability actions.展开更多
Mirror neuron system can be activated by observation and execution of an action.It has an important function of action understanding.We investigated brain activations in humans by observing the strength of a hand gras...Mirror neuron system can be activated by observation and execution of an action.It has an important function of action understanding.We investigated brain activations in humans by observing the strength of a hand grasp using functional magnetic resonance imaging.Twenty right-handed healthy individuals,consisting of 10 males and 10 females,aged 22.40 ± 2.04 years,were recruited into this study from September to November 2017 via posters.Light hand grasp task video showed a hand lightly grasping and releasing a ball repeatedly.Powerful hand grasp task video showed a hand tightly grasping and releasing a ball repeatedly.Functional magnetic resonance imaging block design paradigm comprised five stimulation blocks alternating with five baseline blocks.Stimulation blocks were presented with two stimulus tasks,consisting of a light grasp and a powerful grasp.Region of interest was defined around the inferior parietal lobule,inferior frontal gyrus,and superior temporal sulcus which have been called mirror neuron system.The inferior parietal lobule,fusiform,postcentral,occipital,temporal,and frontal gyri were activated during light and powerful grasp tasks.The BOLD signal response of a powerful grasp was stronger than that of a light grasp.These results suggest that brain activation of the inferior parietal lobule,which is the core brain region of the mirror neuron system,was stronger in the powerful grasp task than in the light grasp task.We believe that our results might be helpful for instructing rehabilitation of brain injury.This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Daegu Oriental Hospital of Daegu Haany University on September 8,2017 (approval No.DHUMC-D-17020-PRO-01).展开更多
基金the Grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 60775019, 60970062the Shanghai Pujiang Program, No. 09PJ1410200the Project-sponsored by SRF for ROCS, SEM
文摘The present study used electroencephalography to examine mu rhythm suppression （a putative index of human mirror neuron system activation） at frontal sites （F3, Fz and F4）, central sites （C3, Cz and C4）, parietal sites （P3, Pz and P4） and occipital sites （O1 and O2）, while subjects observed real hand motion （real hand motion condition） and illustrative depictions of hand motion （drawn hand motion condition）. Experimental data revealed that mu rhythm suppression was exhibited in the mirror neuron system when subjects observed both real and drawn hand motion. Moreover, the mu rhythm recorded at the F3, Fz, F4, and Pz poles was significantly suppressed while observing both stimulus types, but no obvious mu suppression occurred at the O1, 02 and 03 poles. These results suggest that the observation of drawings of human hand actions can activate the human mirror neuron system. This evidence supports the hypothesis that the mirror neuron system may be involved in intransitively abstract action understanding.
文摘Previous studies have reported that the mirror neuron system plays a crucial role in social cognition. We examined whether the higher-order cognitive functions are involved in the activations in the mirror neuron area when we perceive simplified pseudo-postures. We measured 14 participants’ brain activation during the posture-recognition task using near-infrared spectroscopy. The participants’ task was to observe five sequentially presented target pseudo-postures and judge whether a test pseudo-posture was identical to one of the preceding five target pseudo-postures. The results in the majority of participants (n = 10/14) revealed that the activity in the inferior frontal mirror neuron area is modulated by perception of human-likeness, but not in the remaining four participants (n = 4/14). These results suggest that the degree of the activation of higher-order cognitive functions, which may be engaged in the inhibitory and/or facilitative processing of human body or bodily movement, leads to the distinctive activities in the inferior frontal mirror neuron area.
文摘Cognitive scientists often use probabilistic equations to model human behavior in ambiguous situations. How, where, and even if such probabilities are represented in the human brain remains largely unknown. Here, we manipulated the probability of simple bottle-pouring action based on two considerations, the relative fullness of two glasses and the relative distance between the two glasses and the bottle. Whole brain functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure brain activity while participants viewed probable and improbable pouring actions. Improbable actions elicited increased activity in the theory of mind (ToM) network, commonly found active when trying to grasp the intentions of others, whereas probable actions elicited increased activity in the human mirror neuron system (hMNS) and areas associated with mental imagery and memory. These data provide novel insight into the brain mechanisms humans use to distinguish between high and low-probability actions.
基金supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education(No.2017R1D1A1B03033985to MYL)+1 种基金the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) grant funded by the Korea government(MSIT)(No.2018R1A5A2025272to MYL)
文摘Mirror neuron system can be activated by observation and execution of an action.It has an important function of action understanding.We investigated brain activations in humans by observing the strength of a hand grasp using functional magnetic resonance imaging.Twenty right-handed healthy individuals,consisting of 10 males and 10 females,aged 22.40 ± 2.04 years,were recruited into this study from September to November 2017 via posters.Light hand grasp task video showed a hand lightly grasping and releasing a ball repeatedly.Powerful hand grasp task video showed a hand tightly grasping and releasing a ball repeatedly.Functional magnetic resonance imaging block design paradigm comprised five stimulation blocks alternating with five baseline blocks.Stimulation blocks were presented with two stimulus tasks,consisting of a light grasp and a powerful grasp.Region of interest was defined around the inferior parietal lobule,inferior frontal gyrus,and superior temporal sulcus which have been called mirror neuron system.The inferior parietal lobule,fusiform,postcentral,occipital,temporal,and frontal gyri were activated during light and powerful grasp tasks.The BOLD signal response of a powerful grasp was stronger than that of a light grasp.These results suggest that brain activation of the inferior parietal lobule,which is the core brain region of the mirror neuron system,was stronger in the powerful grasp task than in the light grasp task.We believe that our results might be helpful for instructing rehabilitation of brain injury.This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Daegu Oriental Hospital of Daegu Haany University on September 8,2017 (approval No.DHUMC-D-17020-PRO-01).
