Mizuguchi Nobuaki, Nakata Hiroki, Kanosue Kazuyuki
Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-1192, Japan.
Sci Rep. 2016 Jul 26;6:30274. doi: 10.1038/srep30274.
Smooth social interactions require a deep understanding of others' intentions and feelings. In the present study, to investigate brain regions that respond to inference of others' effort level, we recorded brain activity during action observation of different effort levels using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We used a dumbbell curl movement to depict a movement requiring effort. To dissociate the factors of effort level of the actor and weight of the dumbbell, we used four combinations of dumbbell weight and actor physique: a thin actor or a built actor lifting a heavy or light dumbbell. During observation of dumbbell curls, the bilateral front-parietal action observation network (AON) was activated. This included the premotor cortices, parietal cortices, visual areas 5/superior temporal cortices (STS), amygdalae, hippocampi, right dorsolateral and ventrolateral frontal cortices. When we evaluated brain regions associated with the actor's effort level, activity in the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and STS was observed. However, activity in the front-parietal AON was independent of the actor's effort during action observation. This finding suggests that the right TPJ and STS play an important role in the inference of others' effort levels during the observation of others' movements.
顺畅的社交互动需要对他人的意图和感受有深刻的理解。在本研究中，为了探究对他人努力程度推断做出反应的脑区，我们使用功能磁共振成像（fMRI）在观察不同努力程度的动作过程中记录脑活动。我们用哑铃弯举动作来描绘一个需要努力的动作。为了区分动作执行者的努力程度因素和哑铃重量因素，我们使用了哑铃重量和执行者体格的四种组合：一个瘦的执行者或一个强壮的执行者举起一个重的或轻的哑铃。在观察哑铃弯举过程中，双侧额顶叶动作观察网络（AON）被激活。这包括运动前皮质、顶叶皮质、视觉5区/颞上皮质（STS）、杏仁核、海马体、右侧背外侧和腹外侧额叶皮质。当我们评估与动作执行者努力程度相关的脑区时，观察到右侧颞顶联合区（TPJ）和STS有活动。然而，在动作观察过程中，额顶叶AON的活动与动作执行者的努力程度无关。这一发现表明，在观察他人动作过程中，右侧TPJ和STS在推断他人努力程度方面发挥着重要作用。
