Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eugenio Scaliti, Kiri Pullar, Giulia Borghini, Andrea Cavallo, Stefano Panzeri, Cristina Becchio
Summary: Researchers developed an experimental and analytical framework to measure the implicit readout of prospective intention information from movement kinematics. They found that subtle differences in movement kinematics can prime action prediction. Results showed that human perceivers have rapid, implicit access to intention information encoded in movement kinematics.
Article
Cell Biology
Chaoyi Qin, Frederic Michon, Yoshiyuki Onuki, Yohei Ishishita, Keisuke Otani, Kensuke Kawai, Pascal Fries, Valeria Gazzola, Christian Keysers
Summary: This study utilized intracranial electrocorticography to investigate the changes in the action observation network (AON) when isolated motor acts are embedded in meaningful sequences of actions. The results showed that embedding predictable actions in meaningful sequences induced stronger top-down beta oscillation from the precentral to supramarginal contacts, and also suppressed bottom-up visual responses in the high-gamma range in visual areas.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jasper Mark, Hannah D. Ryan, Katie M. Fabian, Kaitlin DeMarco, Michael Lewek, Jessica Cassidy
Summary: Aerobic exercise and action observation are two clinic-ready modes of neural priming that enhance subsequent motor learning. This study aimed to investigate the effects of aerobic exercise and action observation priming on functional connectivity within the sensorimotor neural network using electroencephalography. The results showed that both forms of priming increased coherence between the primary motor cortex and motor-related areas in the alpha and beta frequency bands, with the most pronounced effects observed in the high beta band. The gradual increase in coherence over a post-priming window of 10 to 30 minutes can guide the pairing of priming with subsequent training to optimize learning outcomes.
Review
Neurosciences
David Kemmerer
Summary: Observing an agent perform an action can trigger a motor simulation in the Mirror Neuron System of the observer, which is modulated by various factors. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive survey of 22 distinct factors influencing the MNS during action observation, and to consider the implications of these factors on four theoretical models of the MNS. The assessments suggest that existing models are supported by some findings but challenged by others, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive model to account for all identified modulatory factors.
PROGRESS IN NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Helga O. Miguel, Emma E. Condy, Thien Nguyen, Selin Zeytinoglu, Emily Blick, Kimberly Bress, Kosar Khaksari, Hadis Dashtestani, John Millerhagen, Sheida Shahmohammadi, Nathan A. Fox, Amir Gandjbakhche
Summary: This study used fNIRS to investigate the neural correlates of action-observation and action-execution, and found that the parietal regions share neural activity during both processes. These findings confirm the applicability of fNIRS for studying the AON and provide a foundation for future research with developmental and clinical populations.
Article
Neurosciences
Christian Seegelke, Carolin Schonard, Tobias Heed
Summary: The study found that using the same limb consecutively facilitates the initiation of successive actions, indicating effector-specific repetition effects. This advantage was still present even when the two movements involved different directions, whether specified egocentrically or allocentrically.
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Rehabilitation
Yi-chun Li, Keh-chung Lin, Chia-ling Chen, Grace Yao, Ya-ju Chang, Ya-yun Lee, Chien-ting Liu, Wen-Shiang Chen
Summary: This study aimed to compare the effects of mirror therapy and bilateral arm training in stroke rehabilitation. It found that mirror therapy was more effective in improving upper limb motor function, and the effect can be maintained at three months follow-up.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Aoi Ichiyama, Samuel Mestern, Gabriel B. Benigno, Kaela E. Scott, Brian L. Allman, Lyle Muller, Wataru Inoue
Summary: This study reveals the mechanism underlying the activity state transition of hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) neurons during stress response, using a combination of electrophysiology and computational modeling.
Article
Neurosciences
Prosper A. Fiave, Koen Nelissen
Summary: Observing others performing motor acts can elicit neural responses in the observer's motor network, with viewpoint and observed effector identity potentially influencing lateralization effects. While conflicting results exist, it is still unclear how these factors modulate motor resonance effects in the monkey brain.
Article
Linguistics
Irati Hurtado, Silvina Montrul
Summary: The study showed that structural priming can effectively increase the use of clitics in Spanish monolingual speakers, L2 speakers, and heritage speakers, with the increase still significant a week later in L2 speakers and heritage speakers. This may imply the presence of implicit language learning and has pedagogical implications for language education.
STUDIES IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Riccardo Viaro, Emma Maggiolini, Emanuele Farina, Rosario Canto, Atsushi Iriki, Alessandro D'Ausilio, Luciano Fadiga
Summary: Mirror neurons, which respond when an individual performs an action and when observing others doing the same action, were found in both non-human primates and rats. The specificity of mirror responses suggests a fundamental role in action processing and cognitive functions. The discovery of mirror properties in rats opens up new avenues for studying sensorimotor representations and the effects of deprivation on sensorimotor development.
Article
Psychology, Biological
Karen Emmorey, Katherine J. Midgley, Phillip J. Holcomb
Summary: The study used repetition priming and event-related potentials to investigate sign recognition in deaf users of American Sign Language, finding that repetition priming effects began before sign onset within a video, and that the N400 effect in clipped videos was more parallel to that observed previously for auditorily presented words.
Article
Neurosciences
Nikolay Syrov, Lev Yakovlev, Andrei Miroshnikov, Alexander Kaplan
Summary: Action observation is commonly used to activate sensorimotor circuits in post-stroke therapy. Observing goal-directed actions is considered more effective than passive observation and has potential therapeutic benefits. This study investigates the use of observation of virtual hand movements as feedback in a P300-based BCI and explores the role of feedback anticipation and estimation mechanisms. The findings provide insights into the potential of P300-BCI with observation feedback as a tool for neurorehabilitation.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carolina G. Ferroni, Davide Albertini, Marco Lanzilotto, Alessandro Livi, Monica Maranesi, Luca Bonini
Summary: This research investigated the neural activity in the action observation network (AON) during self and others' action encoding, revealing temporal and tuning specificities of distinct brain areas and neuronal classes. Different areas within AON showed varied prevalence of facilitated and suppressed neurons during task execution and observation, with distinct cell classes carrying specific visuomotor signals. The findings elucidated the firing properties and time course of activity at both system and local levels in the AON.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
D. Romano, G. Tosi, V. Gobbetto, P. Pizzagalli, R. Avesani, V. Moro, A. Maravita
Summary: The study found that MB training improved apraxia compared to imitation and rest conditions, and this improvement was correlated with the impact of the mirror box on body representation. MB training shows promising effects in promoting recovery from apraxia.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Valentina Sulpizio, Gaspare Galati, Patrizia Fattori, Claudio Galletti, Sabrina Pitzalis
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2020)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Sara Di Marco, Patrizia Fattori, Gaspare Galati, Claudio Galletti, Markus Lappe, Teresa Maltempo, Chiara Serra, Valentina Sulpizio, Sabrina Pitzalis
Summary: The study found that certain cortical regions exhibit a significant preference for curved path motion or forward motion, suggesting a differentiated role in the visual guidance of locomotion.
Article
Neurosciences
Grazia Fernanda Spitoni, Giorgio Pireddu, Valerio Zanellati, Beatrice Dionisi, Gaspare Galati, Luigi Pizzamiglio
Summary: This study used tDCS to investigate the role of rAG in processing tactile distance estimation and suggested its potential involvement in visual distance discrimination on the body. The findings support the significance of rAG in body representation.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Teresa Maltempo, Sabrina Pitzalis, Martina Bellagamba, Sara Di Marco, Patrizia Fattori, Gaspare Galati, Claudio Galletti, Valentina Sulpizio
Summary: The study revealed asymmetry in the vertical dimension of the visual field (VF) in the area hPEc, with this area showing stronger activation for limb movements directed towards visual targets located in the lower VF compared to the upper VF. This confirms the role of PEc in processing visual information to guide body interaction with the external environment, including locomotion. Additionally, a contralateral dominance for the lower VF preference was observed in the foot selective somatomotor cortex anterior to hPEc, suggesting the role of this cortex in providing topographically organized signals for achieving an appropriate foot posture during locomotion.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2021)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Maddalena Boccia, Valentina Sulpizio, Federica Bencivenga, Cecilia Guariglia, Gaspare Galati
Summary: The study shows that spatial information is widely coded in the high-level visual cortex during perception and imagery, with visual information being coded in both preferred and non-preferred regions of the HVC, supporting a distributed view of encoding.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Federica Bencivenga, Valentina Sulpizio, Maria Giulia Tullo, Gaspare Galati
Summary: The study used Dynamic Causal Modelling (DCM) and Parametrical Empirical Bayes (PEB) analyses to evaluate the coupling between different brain regions during grasping process. The results showed that during actual grasping, aIPs, PMv, and M1 were serially involved, with PMv exerting a positive influence on PMd and SMA. In contrast, during grasping imagery, the connection strength from aIPs to PMv was weaker, indicating a simpler motor program planned.
Article
Clinical Neurology
V. Sulpizio, M. Berchicci, F. Di Russo, G. Galati, M. G. Grasso, M. Iosa, G. Lucci, S. Paolucci, M. Ripani, Sabrina Pitzalis
Summary: The use of Passive and Fully Articulated Exoskeleton has been shown to improve mobility, response accuracy and ambulation in MS patients. Rehabilitation intervention with HBP can help normalize prefrontal activity and mitigate cortical hyperactivity associated with MS.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Francesca Strappini, Gaspare Galati, Anna Pecchinenda
Summary: A systematic review of empirical evidence on the behavioral effects of emotion on pseudoneglect showed mixed results, indicating that emotion may indeed modulate pseudoneglect but the direction of the effect remains unclear.
Article
Neurosciences
Sara Di Marco, Valentina Sulpizio, Martina Bellagamba, Patrizia Fattori, Gaspare Galati, Claudio Galletti, Markus Lappe, Teresa Maltempo, Sabrina Pitzalis
Summary: This study used fMRI to investigate the integration of egomotion-related visual signals with somatomotor inputs from leg movements during heading changes. The results showed that certain regions were sensitive to congruent or incongruent stimuli, suggesting their involvement in multisensory integration processes for guiding or adjusting leg movements.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Maria Giulia Tullo, Hannes Almgren, Frederik Van de Steen, Valentina Sulpizio, Daniele Marinazzo, Gaspare Galati
Summary: Successful navigation relies on the ability to identify, perceive, and correctly process the spatial structure of a scene. Visual mental imagery plays a crucial role in navigation and is associated with the activity of relevant brain regions. This study investigated the intrinsic causal interactions among scene-selective brain regions and found that the strength of connectivity between these regions correlated with individual differences in mental imagery ability.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Maddalena Boccia, Sonia Barbetti, Federica Valentini, Carmela De Angelis, Antonio Tanzilli, Valentina Fabio, Cecilia Guariglia, Gaspare Galati, Rita Formisano, Maria Paola Ciurli
Summary: Slowness of information processing (SIP) is commonly observed after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Previous research has highlighted the importance of white matter damage in SIP, but there is limited knowledge about the comprehensive and ecological assessment of SIP in TBI. In this study, a combination of ecological assessment and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used to examine the fractional anisotropy (FA) maps of individuals. Results showed that TBI patients with SIP had lower FA values in various white matter regions, providing a more comprehensive and ecological perspective on SIP in TBI.
NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Daniele Armocida, Luca D'Angelo, Luigi Valentino Berra, Alessandro Pesce, Veronica di Palma, Gaspare Galati, Alessandro Frati, Antonio Santoro
Summary: Contrary to popular belief, performing awake surgery for AVMs in eloquent areas does not pose increased intraoperative risks. However, it appears to significantly improve patient outcomes from the 30th postoperative day onwards.
WORLD NEUROSURGERY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Federica Bencivenga, Maria Giulia Tullo, Teresa Maltempo, Alessandro von Gal, Chiara Serra, Sabrina Pitzalis, Gaspare Galati
Summary: Despite extensive research, the functional architecture of the subregions of the dorsal posterior parietal cortex (PPC) involved in sensorimotor processing is still unclear. This study provides a thorough understanding of the large-scale functional organization of the PPC and the fronto-parietal networks involved in visuomotor functions. The findings reveal differential associations between different subregions of the PPC and other brain areas during the execution of different movements, suggesting a finely regulated functioning of the action-specific fronto-parietal networks.
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Alberto Costa, Umberto Bivona, Valentina Sulpizio, Raffaele Nappo, Ludovica Mastrilli, Rita Formisano, Marta Aloisi, Marianna Contrada, Carlo Caltagirone, Gaspare Galati
Summary: This study investigated perspective taking ability in individuals with severe acquired brain injury (sABI). The results showed that individuals with sABI had reduced visual-spatial perspective taking compared to healthy controls. The findings suggest potential implications for rehabilitative interventions in sABI.
ARCHIVES OF CLINICAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Experimental
Hamed Taheri Gorji, Michela Leocadi, Francesco Grassi, Gaspare Galati
Summary: Humans exhibit significant individual differences in navigation skills and spatial memory. The study revealed that the intentional instruction group outperformed the other group, showing better performance in pair-matching tasks and making fewer memory errors. This suggests that intentional instructions may lead to more efficient navigation strategies.
COGNITIVE PROCESSING
(2021)