Neural activation in cognitive motor processes: comparing motor imagery and observation of gymnastic movements

Abstract

The simulation concept suggested by Jeannerod (Neuroimage 14:S103-S109, 2001) defines the S-states of action observation and mental simulation of action as action-related mental states lacking overt execution. Within this framework, similarities and neural overlap between S-states and overt execution are interpreted as providing the common basis for the motor representations implemented within the motor system. The present brain imaging study compared activation overlap and differential activation during mental simulation (motor imagery) with that while observing gymnastic movements. The fMRI conjunction analysis revealed overlapping activation for both S-states in primary motor cortex, premotor cortex, and the supplementary motor area as well as in the intraparietal sulcus, cerebellar hemispheres, and parts of the basal ganglia. A direct contrast between the motor imagery and observation conditions revealed stronger activation for imagery in the posterior insula and the anterior cingulate gyrus. The hippocampus, the superior parietal lobe, and the cerebellar areas were differentially activated in the observation condition. In general, these data corroborate the concept of action-related S-states because of the high overlap in core motor as well as in motor-related areas. We argue that differential activity between S-states relates to task-specific and modal information processing.

Searching for Conservation Laws in Brain Dynamics—BOLD Flux and Source Imaging

“…(2). It was not possible for example to fix q = 0.05 as otherwise the clear and strong BOLD amplitude map observed, concordant with literature results in motor imagery [15,[54][55][56][57]59,61,63], would not have shown up in this conservative analysis, although visible in all individual subjects. Maximal intensity projections or "glass brains" and SPMs were finally displayed by xjView, too.…”

“…Here we chose this kind of task as it normally elicits strong BOLD responses in various brain areas [55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64], and due to its widespread application in the study of disorders of consciousness [65,66].…”

Neurocognitive control in dance perception and performance

“…Cortical circuits activated during motor imagery (to be described in the next section) overlap to a large extent with those activated during movement generation and movement observation. Imagery in the absence of sensory input specifically necessitates 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 Neurocognitive control in dance 18 internal motor attention processes, evidenced by specific activation in the posterior insula and anterior cingulate gyrus (May et al, 2011;Munzert, Zentgraf, Stark, & Vaitl, 2008).…”

Cortical activation during executed, imagined, observed, and passive wrist movements in healthy volunteers and stroke patients

“…However, the majority of this literature investigated only one mode of covert movement mode or, at most, compared two modes, usually motor imagery and observation (Clark et al, 2003;Filimon et al, 2007;Iseki et al, 2008;Lui et al, 2008;Macuga and Frey, 2012;Munzert et al, 2008;Piefke et al, 2009;Roosink and Zijdewind, 2010;Wang et al, 2008). Therefore inferences between studies have to be made when comparison between all modes of covert movement is to be conducted.…”