The left inferior parietal lobe represents stored hand-postures for object use and action prediction

Abstract

Action semantics enables us to plan actions with objects and to predict others' object-directed actions as well. Previous studies have suggested that action semantics are represented in a fronto-parietal action network that has also been implicated to play a role in action observation. In the present fMRI study it was investigated how activity within this network changes as a function of the predictability of an action involving multiple objects and requiring the use of action semantics. Participants performed an action prediction task in which they were required to anticipate the use of a centrally presented object that could be moved to an associated target object (e.g., hammer—nail). The availability of actor information (i.e., presenting a hand grasping the central object) and the number of possible target objects (i.e., 0, 1, or 2 target objects) were independently manipulated, resulting in different levels of predictability. It was found that making an action prediction based on actor information resulted in an increased activation in the extrastriate body area (EBA) and the fronto-parietal action observation network (AON). Predicting actions involving a target object resulted in increased activation in the bilateral IPL and frontal motor areas. Within the AON, activity in the left inferior parietal lobe (IPL) and the left premotor cortex (PMC) increased as a function of the level of action predictability. Together these findings suggest that the left IPL represents stored hand-postures that can be used for planning object-directed actions and for predicting other's actions as well.

Network activity underlying the illusory self‐attribution of a dummy arm

“…Crucially, the EBA is activated during planning and producing actions with one's hand even in the absence of vision [Astafiev et al, 2004], suggesting that it also processes somatosensory (proprioceptive) information. Correspondingly, the EBA has been implied in processing action knowledge [Bracci et al, 2010], in predicting actions from visual action cues [van Elk, 2014], and in action imitation versus observation [Jackson et al, 2006]. These findings extend on previous proposals of cross-modal interactions in LOC [Beauchamp et al, 2007] in that they suggest a role of the EBA in a perception-action system that differentiates between oneself and others [Astafiev et al, 2004;Jeannerod, 2004].…”

The Neural Bases of Event Monitoring across Domains: a Simultaneous ERP-fMRI Study

“…These parietal regions, together with the middle temporal gyrus, store the representations of the movements associated with the object's use and are automatically engaged by viewing manipulable objects with a clear affordance (tools), independently of an overt motor output (Chao and Martin, 2000; Creem-Regehr and Lee, 2005). In particular, the left IPL stores hand-postures that can be used for planning object-directed actions (van Elk, 2014). Altogether, these findings suggest the involvement of both the ventral and the dorsal visual streams, deputed to the functional identification of an object, that is to its perceptual recognition and to its use, respectively (Goodale and Milner, 1992; Valyear and Culham, 2010).…”

The cognitive and neural bases of human tool use

“…This sensory-motor hypothesis assumes that manipulation knowledge stored within inferior fronto-parietal areas is critical to tool use skills. This link is also suggested by van Elk ( 2014 ), who conducted an fMRI study wherein participants had to predict the subsequent use of a presented tool. His results indicate that the left inferior parietal lobe might store hand-posture representations that can be used for planning tool-directed actions as well as for predicting other's actions.…”