Observation of Performance

项目摘要/摘要 镜像神经元构成了一类不同的神经元，因为它们的放电率在 在表演和观察期间。我们将从三个方面研究镜像神经元生理学。第一, 鉴于镜像神经元被认为调节对另一个人行为的理解，在目标1中，我们 询问观察期间的镜像神经元活动是否因个体的表现而不同 这场运动属于同一物种。我们假设H1a-镜像神经元的活动被更多地调制 当观察对象观看来自同一物种的个体时，比表演者来自 不同的物种。此外，我们假设H1B-同种表演者之间的交流 观察者增强了与观察相关的活动。第二，尽管大多数对镜像神经元的研究都有 我们的初步研究集中在运动本身的调制上，认为镜像神经元 种群代表多个行为时期的整个序列，包括其间没有 运动就会发生。在目标2中，我们询问镜像神经元群体是否代表其他行为时代 而不是运动本身。我们假设：H_2A-镜像神经元在分离过程中被调制 指导和/或准备期；H_2B-镜像神经元群体代表整个序列 多个行为纪元，无论受试者是在表演还是在观察；以及h2c-表征 在镜像神经元群体中的表现和观察过程中，行为纪元序列的比例相似 来自腹侧或背侧运动前皮质，但与初级运动皮质不同。第三，我们 引入新的概念，即i)镜像神经元活动的条件依赖性调制与 手臂必须到达的位置和手必须抓住的对象在实验上是可分离的 Ii)条件无关的调制，代表行为时期的序列。在《目标3》中，我们问 顶前区(PRR)和/或前顶内区(AIP)的失活是否会减少或 消除运动前和运动皮质中与条件有关的信息，同时保留条件- 独立调制相对不变。我们假设：H3A-在观察过程中，失活 PRR和/或AIP将分别减少或消除镜面的位置和/或对象相关调制 神经元群体，H3B--同时保持条件独立的调制相对不变。

Project Summary/Abstract Mirror neurons constitute a distinct class of neurons in that their firing rates are modulated both during performance and during observation. We will investigate three aspects of mirror neuron physiology. First, given that mirror neurons are thought to mediate understanding of another individual’s actions, in Aim 1 we ask if mirror neuron activity during observation differs depending on whether or not the individual performing the movement is of the same species. We hypothesize H1A – that mirror neuron activity is modulated more when the observing subject watches an individual from the same species than when the performer is from a different species. Furthermore, we hypothesize H1B – that communication between a conspecific performer and observer enhances observation-related activity. Second, although most studies of mirror neurons have focused on modulation during movement per se, our preliminary studies suggest that mirror neuron populations represent entire sequences of multiple behavioral epochs, including epochs during which no movement occurs. In Aim 2 we ask whether mirror neuron populations represent behavioral epochs other than the movement per se. We hypothesize: H2A – that mirror neurons are modulated during separate instruction and/or preparatory periods; H2B – that mirror neuron populations represent entire sequences of multiple behavioral epochs whether the subject is performing or observing; and H2C – that the representation of behavioral epoch sequences is similar during performance and observation in mirror neuron populations from the ventral or dorsal premotor cortex, but different in those from the primary motor cortex. Third, we introduce the novel notion that i) condition-dependent modulation of mirror neuron activity related to the location to which the arm must reach and to the object the hand must grasp is dissociable experimentally from ii) condition-independent modulation that represents the sequence of behavioral epochs. In Aim 3 we ask whether inactivation of the parietal reach region (PRR) and/or the anterior intraparietal area (AIP) reduces or eliminates condition-dependent information in the premotor and motor cortex, while leaving condition- independent modulation relatively unchanged. We hypothesize: H3A – that during observation, inactivation of PRR and/or AIP will reduce or eliminate the location- and/or object-related modulation, respectively, of mirror neuron populations, H3B – while leaving the condition-independent modulation relatively unchanged.