Analysis of mirror neuron system activation during action observation alone and action observation with motor imagery tasks

Date

2018-02-01

Author

CENGİZ, BÜLENT
Vuralli, Doga
ZİNNUROĞLU, MURAT
Bayer, Gozde
Golmohammadzadeh, Hassan
GÜNENDİ, ZAFER
Turgut, Ali Emre
İRFANOĞLU, BÜLENT
ARIKAN, KUTLUK BİLGE

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This study aimed to explore the relationship between action observation (AO)-related corticomotor excitability changes and phases of observed action and to explore the effects of pure AO and concurrent AO and motor imagery (MI) state on corticomotor excitability using TMS. It was also investigated whether the mirror neuron system activity is muscle-specific. Fourteen healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. EMG recordings were taken from the right first dorsal interosseous and the abductor digiti minimi muscles. There was a significant main effect of TMS timing (after the beginning of the movement, at the beginning of motor output state, and during black screen) on the mean motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude. Mean MEP amplitudes for AO combined with MI were significantly higher than pure AO session. There was a significant interaction between session and TMS timing. There was no significant main effect of muscle on MEP amplitude. The results indicate that corticomotor excitability is modulated by different phases of the observed motor movement and this modulation is not muscle-specific. Simultaneous MI and AO enhance corticomotor excitability significantly compared to pure AO.

Subject Keywords

Transcranial magnetic stimulation, Corticomotor excitability, Motor imagery, Action observation

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/38746

Collections

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Article