Project III: Functions of the Mirror Neuron System in Adult Monkeys

项目三：成年猴子镜像神经元系统的功能

• 批准号: 9763591
• 负责人: Pier F Ferrari
• 金额: $ 20.68万
• 依托单位: UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 至
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9763591
• 关键词: Achievement; Address; Adult; Affect; Anatomy; Area; Behavioral; Brain; Cells; Chronic; Code; Competence; Complex; Cues; Data; Development; Electrodes; Electroencephalography; Exhibits; Frequencies; Generations; Goals; Implant; Individual; Infant; Inferior; Learning; Link; Lobule; Macaca; Measurement; Methodology; Methods; Modification; Monitor; Monkeys; Motor; Nature; Neurons; Parietal; Pattern; Pharmacology; Play; Prefrontal Cortex; Process; Research; Role; Scalp structure; Shapes; Signal Transduction; Social Environment; Social Interaction; Social Perception; Stimulus; System; Training; Visual; Work; course development; experience; infancy; innovation; mirror neuron; mirror neuron system; neural network; neuron development; neurophysiology; programs; psychologic; relating to nervous system; response; social; tool

Project III: Abstract Since their description at the single cell level, mirror neurons (MN) exhibited plasticity, which only in recent years has been considered as a critical feature for understanding their development and their possible contributions to several psychological/behavioral processes. Prior findings in this Program Project demonstrated that the mirror neurons system (MNS) undergoes significant changes depending on social environment and on motor experience. By using different methodologies (single cell recording, EEG and behavioral/ethological assessment) we found that specific social/motor experiences (learning to use a tool, or acting in coordination with social partners) have profound effects on MN activity and on individual’s understanding of others’ actions, also when outside their motor repertoire. These findings suggest that: 1) the social environment plays an important role in shaping and refining this system; 2) a larger brain network is likely involved in modulating MN activity and in contributing to social perception; 3) key learning mechanisms are involved in shaping and tuning the MNS. Despite these important achievements, the role of social factors in MNS plasticity and their neurophysiological mechanisms (at the single cell level) have still been largely unexplored and are not well understood. In the current project we propose to address these core questions by investigating in adult macaques A) the activity of MN during learning the use of a tool, b) the neural networks that, together with the parietal-premotor mirror circuit, are involved in action coding during social interactions, and c) the causal role of MN regions to brain EEG signals. Within this context, the primary aims of our research program are as follows: Aim 1. Investigate the effects of visual and sensorimotor experience with tools on monkey premotor MN visual response to tool actions. This study will chronically record for 5 weeks the activity of neurons in the monkey premotor cortex, while she is visually exposed for several weeks to unfamiliar tool actions or trained to use a tool. Aim 2. Determine the role of the social context in modulating activity of neurons in the monkey ventral premotor cortex and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex. We will investigate, in F5 and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, the activity of MN and other neurons during a visual task requiring a monkey to simply observe an action that, depending on the social context, will be aimed at different goals (social or non-social). Aim 3. Investigate the relation between mu-desynchronization in the alpha and beta frequency band and the activity of MN in the ventral premotor cortex (F5) and the Inferior Parietal Lobule (IPL) of the monkey. Although EEG (mu rhythm) is widely used as an indirect measurement of MN activity, there is yet no direct evidence of this link. To address this issue we will use an innovative method (supported by Core B) of simultaneously recording monkey F5 and IPL MN activity from different cortical layers and EEG activity from the scalp. We will then investigate the causal role of these two regions to the generation of the mu rhythm, by pharmacologically inactivating F5 and IPL, and recording the subsequent alpha and beta EEG modifications.

项目三：摘要 镜像神经元（mirror neurons，MN）自被描述于单细胞水平以来，一直表现出可塑性，直到最近才被发现 年被认为是了解其发展及其可能的关键特征。 对一些心理/行为过程的贡献。本计划项目的先前发现 表明，镜像神经元系统（MNS）经历了显着的变化，这取决于社会 环境和运动体验。通过使用不同的方法（单细胞记录，EEG和 行为/行为学评估）我们发现特定的社会/运动体验（学习使用工具， 或与社会伙伴协调行动）对MN活动和个人的 理解他人的动作，也包括在他们的运动技能之外。这些发现表明：1） 社会环境在塑造和完善这一系统方面起着重要作用; 2）更大的大脑网络 可能参与调节MN活动并有助于社会感知; 3）关键学习 机制参与了MNS的形成和调谐。尽管取得了这些重要成就， MNS可塑性中的社会因素及其神经生理学机制（在单细胞水平上）仍然存在 基本上没有被探索过，也没有被很好地理解。在目前的项目中，我们建议解决这些问题 通过在成年猕猴中调查核心问题A）学习使用工具期间MN的活性，B） 神经网络，连同顶叶-前运动镜回路，参与动作编码， 社会互动，以及c）MN区域对脑EEG信号的因果作用。在这方面，主要 我们的研究计划的目标如下：目标1。研究视觉和感觉运动的影响 猴子前运动神经元对工具动作的视觉反应。本研究将 长期记录5周的猴子运动前皮层神经元的活动，而她的视觉 暴露于不熟悉的工具操作数周或接受过使用工具的培训。目标2.确定的作用 社会背景在调节猴子腹侧前运动皮层神经元活动中的作用， 腹外侧前额叶皮层我们将研究，在F5和腹外侧前额叶皮层， MN和其他神经元在视觉任务中需要猴子简单地观察一个动作， 在社会背景下，将针对不同的目标（社会或非社会）。目标3.调查关系 在α和β频带中的μ-去极化与在α和β频带中的MN的活性之间， 腹侧运动前皮质（F5）和顶下小叶（IPL）。虽然EEG（μ 尽管这种关联被广泛用作MN活动的间接测量，但还没有直接证据表明这种关联。 为了解决这个问题，我们将使用一种创新的方法（由核心B支持）， 猴子不同皮质层的F5和IPL MN活动以及头皮的EEG活动。然后我们将 调查的因果作用，这两个地区的产生亩节奏，由 灭活F5和IPL，并记录随后的α和β EEG修改。