Scientific Institute and University Ospedale San Raffaele, Neuroradiology, CERMAC, via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
Neuroimage. 2010 May 15;51(1):313-23. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.01.103. Epub 2010 Feb 2.
The human mirror neuron system is a fronto-parietal neural pathway which, when activated by action observation, gives rise to an internal simulation of the observed action (motor resonance). Here we demonstrate how handedness shapes the resonant response, by engaging right-handed (RH) and left-handed (LH) subjects in observation and execution of actions preferentially performed by the dominant hand. We hypothesize that since motor resonance reproduces subliminally the specific motor program for the observed action, it should be subject to motor constraints, such as handedness. A conjunction analysis for observed and executed actions revealed that handedness determines a lateralized activation of the areas engaged in motor resonance. Premotor-BA6 and parietal-BA40 are strongly left lateralized in RH subjects observing or moving their right hand, and to a lesser degree their left hand. Extremely LH subjects show a similar pattern of lateralization on the right, while more ambidextrous LH subjects show a more bilateral activation. The activation of a cortical network outside the mirror neuron system is also discussed.
人类镜像神经元系统是一个额顶神经通路，当它通过观察动作被激活时，会对内隐地模拟所观察到的动作（运动共鸣）。在这里，我们通过让右利手（RH）和左利手（LH）受试者优先观察和执行惯用手执行的动作，来展示利手如何塑造共鸣反应。我们假设，由于运动共鸣再现了所观察到的动作的特定运动程序，因此它应该受到运动约束，例如利手。对观察和执行动作的联合分析表明，利手决定了参与运动共鸣的区域的偏侧激活。在 RH 受试者观察或移动右手时，运动前区-BA6 和顶叶-BA40 强烈地偏向左侧，而对左手的程度较小。极左利手受试者在右侧表现出类似的偏侧化模式，而更为双手灵巧的左利手受试者则表现出更为双侧的激活。还讨论了镜像神经元系统外的皮质网络的激活。
