title: How equivalent are the action execution, imagery, and observation of intransitive movements? Revisiting the concept of somatotopy during action simulation.
abstract: Jeannerod (2001) hypothesized that action execution, imagery, and observation are functionally equivalent. This led to the major prediction that these motor states are based on the same action-specific and even effector-specific motor representations. The present study examined whether hand and foot movements are represented in a somatotopic manner during action execution, imagery, and action observation. The experiment contained ten conditions: three execution conditions, three imagery conditions, three observation conditions, and one baseline condition. In the nine experimental conditions, participants had to execute, observe, or imagine right-hand extension/flexion movements or right-foot extension/flexion movements. The fMRI results showed a somatotopic organization within the contralateral premotor and primary motor cortex during motor imagery and motor execution. However, there was no clear somatotopic organization of action observation in the given regions of interest within the contralateral hemisphere, although observation of these movements activated these areas significantly.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Sports Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany. Britta.Lorey@sport.uni-giessen.de
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lorey
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Naumann
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pilgramm
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petermann
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bischoff
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zentgraf
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vaitl
authors.forename: Jörn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Munzert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000502:physiology; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult