TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of visual orientation on mu suppression in children
T2 - A comparative EEG study with adults
AU - Nishimura, Yuki
AU - Ikeda, Yuki
AU - Suematsu, Airi
AU - Higuchi, Shigekazu
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Ms. Kuroki, Ms. Yoshikawa, Ms. Nishino, and teachers of elementary schools for their help in recruiting participants. We also thank Mr. Fujiwara, Dr. Lee, Ms. Tada, and other laboratory members for their technical support This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (16J04125).
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s).
PY - 2018/2/21
Y1 - 2018/2/21
N2 - Background: The human mirror neuron system exists in adults, and even in children. However, a significant, unanswered question in the literature concerns age differences in the effect of visual orientation of human body movements. The observation of actions performed by others is known to activate populations of neural cells called mirror neuron system. Moreover, the power of mu rhythms (8-13 Hz) in the EEG is known to decrease while performing and observing human movements. Therefore, the mu rhythm could be related to the activity of the mirror neuron system. This study investigated the effects of the visual perspective on electroencephalography responses to hand actions in two age groups. Methods: The participants were 28 elementary school students and 26 university students. Videos of the two hands operating switches were used as stimuli. The electroencephalogrammu rhythm (8-13 Hz) was measured during stimuli presentation as an index of mirror neuron system activity. Results: Adult participants showed significant mirror neuron system activation under both conditions, although no effect of visual perspectives was observed. On the other hand, children only reacted to egocentric stimuli and not to the others. Conclusions: These findings confirmed the suggested differences in the activity of the mirror neuron system between different age groups. The demonstration that brain activities related to mirroring change during development could help explain previous findings in the literature.
AB - Background: The human mirror neuron system exists in adults, and even in children. However, a significant, unanswered question in the literature concerns age differences in the effect of visual orientation of human body movements. The observation of actions performed by others is known to activate populations of neural cells called mirror neuron system. Moreover, the power of mu rhythms (8-13 Hz) in the EEG is known to decrease while performing and observing human movements. Therefore, the mu rhythm could be related to the activity of the mirror neuron system. This study investigated the effects of the visual perspective on electroencephalography responses to hand actions in two age groups. Methods: The participants were 28 elementary school students and 26 university students. Videos of the two hands operating switches were used as stimuli. The electroencephalogrammu rhythm (8-13 Hz) was measured during stimuli presentation as an index of mirror neuron system activity. Results: Adult participants showed significant mirror neuron system activation under both conditions, although no effect of visual perspectives was observed. On the other hand, children only reacted to egocentric stimuli and not to the others. Conclusions: These findings confirmed the suggested differences in the activity of the mirror neuron system between different age groups. The demonstration that brain activities related to mirroring change during development could help explain previous findings in the literature.
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U2 - 10.1186/s40101-018-0175-9
DO - 10.1186/s40101-018-0175-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 29884245
AN - SCOPUS:85050255613
SN - 1880-6791
VL - 37
JO - Journal of physiological anthropology
JF - Journal of physiological anthropology
IS - 1
M1 - 16
ER -
