Previous studies have demonstrated that hand shadows may activate the motor cortex associated with the mirror neuron system in human brain. However, there is no evidence of activity of the human mirror neuron system during the observation of intransitive movements by shadows and line drawings of hands. This study examined the suppression of electroencephalography mu waves (8-13 Hz) induced by observation of stimuli in 18 healthy students. Three stimuli were used: real hand actions, hand shadow actions and actions made by line drawings of hands. The results showed significant desynchronization of the mu rhythm ("mu suppression") across the sensorimotor cortex (recorded at C3, Cz and C4), the frontal cortex (recorded at F3, Fz and F4) and the central and right posterior parietal cortex (recorded at Pz and P4) under all three conditions. Our experimental findings suggest that the observation of "impoverished hand actions", such as intransitive movements of shadows and line drawings of hands, is able to activate widespread cortical areas related to the putative human mirror neuron system.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.03.007 | DOI Listing |
J Physiol
January 2025
School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
C-low threshold mechanoreceptors (C-LTMRs) in animals (termed C-tactile (CT) fibres in humans) are a subgroup of C-fibre primary afferents, which innervate hairy skin and respond to low-threshold punctate indentations and brush stimuli. These afferents respond to gentle touch stimuli and are implicated in mediating pleasant/affective touch. These afferents have traditionally been studied using low-throughput, technically challenging approaches, including microneurography in humans and teased fibre electrophysiology in other mammals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
January 2025
Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125.
Cognition relies on transforming sensory inputs into a generalizable understanding of the world. Mirror neurons have been proposed to underlie this process, mapping visual representations of others' actions and sensations onto neurons that mediate our own, providing a conduit for understanding. However, this theory has limitations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFiScience
December 2024
Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen 82319, Germany.
Automatic imitation is the involuntary tendency of humans to copy others' actions even when counterproductive. We examined the automatic imitation of actions in blue-throated macaws (), employing a stimulus-response-compatibility task. After training seven macaws to perform two different actions with legs and wings upon specific hand commands, the subjects were divided into a compatible and incompatible group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNatl Sci Rev
January 2025
School of Astronautics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China.
Front Neurosci
December 2024
Institute of Physiology, RG Neurophysiology and Optogenetics, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany.
Cognitive function in healthy aging and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD) correlates to olfactory performance. Aging and disease progression both show marked olfactory deficits in humans and rodents. As a clear understanding of what causes olfactory deficits is still missing, research on this topic is paramount to diagnostics and early intervention therapy.
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