Regional brain activation evoked when approaching a virtual human on a virtual walk.
We investigated the necessity of biological motion for activation of the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) in circumstances in which the rapid approach of the observer to a virtual human induced the observer to make inferences about the characters intentions. Using a virtual reality environment, subjects experienced themselves walking towards a complex scene composed of animate and/or inanimate objects. During "person" trials, the scene contained a virtual human either making a simple gesture such as scratching his face (Study 1) or standing completely still (Study 2). During "object" trials, the scenes contained items such as furniture, a face portrait, and a clock, but not the virtual human. Using functional MRI to measure brain activity, we demonstrated strong activity in the pSTS while the observer approached the social scene, but only when the virtual human was making gestures. This result emphasizes the importance of biological motion in inferring the intentions of others.
Morris
James P
JP
Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
Pelphrey
Kevin A
KA
McCarthy
Gregory
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D005868:Gestures; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D064067:Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D012938:Social Perception; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
C577228:ARHGEF5 protein, human; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D064067:Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D010100:Oxygen