Activation of the human mirror neuron system during the observation of the manipulation of virtual tools in the absence of a visible effector limb

Modroño, Cristián; Navarrete, Gorka; Rodríguez-Hernández, Antonio F.; González–Mora, José Luis

doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2013.09.044

Cited by 21 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…A statistical parametric map resulting from this contrast was displayed on the surface and on three selected axial slices of a MNI single‐subject T1 image (Figure ). The results revealed activations in cortical and noncortical regions typically involved in visuomotor tasks (Modroño et al, ; Modroño, Navarrete, Rodriguez‐Hernandez, & Gonzalez‐Mora, ), including the supplementary motor area, the premotor cortex, the primary motor cortex, the basal ganglia, the thalamus, parieto‐occipital regions and the cerebellum. Activations were found in the left (but not in the right) primary motor cortex, which is consistent with the fact that the task was performed with the right hand.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 86%

Neurofunctional correlates of eye to hand motor transfer

Modroño

Socas

Hernández‐Martín

et al. 2020

Human Brain Mapping

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This work investigates the transfer of motor learning from the eye to the hand and its neural correlates by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a sensorimotor task consisting of the continuous tracking of a virtual target. In pretraining evaluation, all the participants (experimental and control group) performed the tracking task inside an MRI scanner using their right hand and a joystick. After which, the experimental group practiced an eye‐controlled version of the task for 5 days using an eye tracking system outside the MRI environment. Post‐training evaluation was done 1 week after the first scanning session, where all the participants were scanned again while repeating the manual pretraining task. Behavioral results show that the training in the eye‐controlled task produced a better performance not only in the eye‐controlled modality (motor learning) but also in the hand‐controlled modality (motor transfer). Neural results indicate that eye to hand motor transfer is supported by the motor cortex, the basal ganglia and the cerebellum, which is consistent with previous research focused on other effectors. These results may be of interest in neurorehabilitation to activate the motor systems and help in the recovery of motor functions in stroke or movement disorder patients.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 86%

Neurofunctional correlates of eye to hand motor transfer

Modroño

Socas

Hernández‐Martín

et al. 2020

Human Brain Mapping

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“…As the mu suppression is closely related to the MNS activity, this finding has important implications for neurorehabilitation. The strong cortical activations of brain areas belonging to the MNS are associated with improvement in motor performance, by facilitating the reorganization of cortical motor loops that leads to the recruitment of stored motor programs [34][35][36]. Since neural substrates that play a role in learning new motion patterns include the MNS, the role of the MNS in motor learning is an important part of rehabilitation therapy for patients with stroke [37].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Brain Computer Interface-Based Action Observation Game Enhances Mu Suppression in Patients with Stroke

et al. 2019

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Action observation (AO), based on the mirror neuron theory, is a promising strategy to promote motor cortical activation in neurorehabilitation. Brain computer interface (BCI) can detect a user’s intention and provide them with brain state-dependent feedback to assist with patient rehabilitation. We investigated the effects of a combined BCI-AO game on power of mu band attenuation in stroke patients. Nineteen patients with subacute stroke were recruited. A BCI-AO game provided real-time feedback to participants regarding their attention to a flickering action video using steady-state visual-evoked potentials. All participants watched a video of repetitive grasping actions under two conditions: (1) BCI-AO game and (2) conventional AO, in random order. In the BCI-AO game, feedback on participants’ observation scores and observation time was provided. In conventional AO, a non-flickering video and no feedback were provided. The magnitude of mu suppression in the central motor, temporal, parietal, and occipital areas was significantly higher in the BCI-AO game than in the conventional AO. The magnitude of mu suppression was significantly higher in the BCI-AO game than in the conventional AO both in the affected and unaffected hemispheres. These results support the facilitatory effects of the BCI-AO game on mu suppression over conventional AO.

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“…A virtual environment, using Visual C# and DirectX, was developed in previous research, where the subjects play a paddle and ball game from an egocentric perspective [ 29 ]. It was based on an earlier video tennis game.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Sensorimotor Activity by Controlling Virtual Objects with Gaze

et al. 2015

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This fMRI work studies brain activity of healthy volunteers who manipulated a virtual object in the context of a digital game by applying two different control methods: using their right hand or using their gaze. The results show extended activations in sensorimotor areas, not only when participants played in the traditional way (using their hand) but also when they used their gaze to control the virtual object. Furthermore, with the exception of the primary motor cortex, regional motor activity was similar regardless of what the effector was: the arm or the eye. These results have a potential application in the field of the neurorehabilitation as a new approach to generate activation of the sensorimotor system to support the recovery of the motor functions.

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Activation of the human mirror neuron system during the observation of the manipulation of virtual tools in the absence of a visible effector limb

Cited by 21 publications

References 37 publications

Neurofunctional correlates of eye to hand motor transfer

Neurofunctional correlates of eye to hand motor transfer

Brain Computer Interface-Based Action Observation Game Enhances Mu Suppression in Patients with Stroke

Enhancing Sensorimotor Activity by Controlling Virtual Objects with Gaze

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