Action, observation or imitation of virtual hand movement affect differently regions of the mirror neuron system and the default mode network
Brain Imaging and Behavior. 2017-12-14; 12(5): 1363-1378
DOI: 10.1007/s11682-017-9804-x
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Brihmat N(1), Tarri M(2), Quidé Y(2), Anglio K(3), Pavard B(4), Castel-Lacanal E(2)(3), Gasq D(2)(3), De Boissezon X(2)(3), Marque P(2)(3), Loubinoux I(2).
Author information:
(1)ToNIC, Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS,
Toulouse, France. .
(2)ToNIC, Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS,
Toulouse, France.
(3)Department of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Pôle Neurosciences,
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse CHU, Toulouse, France.
(4)Informatic Research Institute of Toulouse, IRIT, Université de Toulouse,
CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France.
Virtual reality (VR)-based paradigms use visual stimuli that can modulate
visuo-motor networks leading to the stimulation of brain circuits. The aims of
this study were to compare the changes in blood-oxygenation level dependent
(BOLD) signal when watching and imitating moving real (RH) and virtual hands
(VH) in 11 healthy participants (HP). No differences were found between the
observation of RH or VH making this VR-based experiment a promising tool for
rehabilitation protocols. VH-imitation involved more the ventral premotor cortex
(vPMC) as part of the mirror neuron system (MNS) compared to execution and
VH-observation conditions. The dorsal-anterior Precuneus (da-Pcu) as part of the
Precuneus/posterior Cingulate Cortex (Pcu/pCC) complex, a key node of the
Default Mode Network (DMN), was also less deactivated and therefore more
involved. These results may reflect the dual visuo-motor roles for the vPMC and
the implication of the da-Pcu in the reallocation of attentional and neural
resources for bimodal task management. The ventral Pcu/pCC was deactivated
regardless of the condition confirming its role in self-reference processes.
Imitation of VH stimuli can then modulate the activation of specific areas
including those belonging to the MNS and the DMN.