A large body of evidence has shown that the observation of actions done by others evokes a subliminal activation in motor pathways of observers (motor resonance, MR). In all MR published studies subjects’ attention is always explicitly focused on the observed action. In this study we evaluate the role played by attention in the development of the MR response with three experiments. Expt1: 14 subjects are instructed to observe a 1Hz flexion-extension sinusoidal hand movement (explicit observation). Expt2: 14 different subjects are instructed to count how many times a small light, on the dorsal surface of the experimenter’s hand, is turned on, while the experimenter performs the same hand movement as in Expt1 (implicit observation). Expt 3: 14 different subjects observed the same light/hand regime as in Expt2, but are instructed to report if when the last light is turned on the hand upon which it rested was flexed upward or downward (implicit observation with some attention to movement). MR is measured as the amplitude modulation of the H-reflex in the Flexor Carpi Radialis muscle (FCR) of observers. The number of times the light is turned on varies randomly in both experiments; the task is easy, but requires constant attention. Explicit observation evokes a significant (R2=0.42; p<0.0001) sinusoidal modulation in the observer’s FCR H-reflex. During implicit observation the amplitude of the reflex modulation is almost completely eliminated in Expt2 (R2 = 0.11; p<0.007) while it remains more evident, though also greatly reduced, in Expt3 (R2=0.18; p<0.0003).

Attention is necessary for the motor resonant response in human subjects / C. Fastame, R. Siugzdaite, G. Cerri, P. Borroni. ((Intervento presentato al 5. convegno Annual Workshop in Concepts, Actions and Objects tenutosi a Rovereto nel 2011.

Attention is necessary for the motor resonant response in human subjects

G. Cerri
Penultimo
;
P. Borroni
Ultimo
2011

Abstract

A large body of evidence has shown that the observation of actions done by others evokes a subliminal activation in motor pathways of observers (motor resonance, MR). In all MR published studies subjects’ attention is always explicitly focused on the observed action. In this study we evaluate the role played by attention in the development of the MR response with three experiments. Expt1: 14 subjects are instructed to observe a 1Hz flexion-extension sinusoidal hand movement (explicit observation). Expt2: 14 different subjects are instructed to count how many times a small light, on the dorsal surface of the experimenter’s hand, is turned on, while the experimenter performs the same hand movement as in Expt1 (implicit observation). Expt 3: 14 different subjects observed the same light/hand regime as in Expt2, but are instructed to report if when the last light is turned on the hand upon which it rested was flexed upward or downward (implicit observation with some attention to movement). MR is measured as the amplitude modulation of the H-reflex in the Flexor Carpi Radialis muscle (FCR) of observers. The number of times the light is turned on varies randomly in both experiments; the task is easy, but requires constant attention. Explicit observation evokes a significant (R2=0.42; p<0.0001) sinusoidal modulation in the observer’s FCR H-reflex. During implicit observation the amplitude of the reflex modulation is almost completely eliminated in Expt2 (R2 = 0.11; p<0.007) while it remains more evident, though also greatly reduced, in Expt3 (R2=0.18; p<0.0003).
2011
human motor resonance ; attention ; H-reflex
Settore BIO/09 - Fisiologia
Università di Trento
Attention is necessary for the motor resonant response in human subjects / C. Fastame, R. Siugzdaite, G. Cerri, P. Borroni. ((Intervento presentato al 5. convegno Annual Workshop in Concepts, Actions and Objects tenutosi a Rovereto nel 2011.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/224786
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