title: Drawing lines while imagining circles: Neural basis of the bimanual coupling effect during motor execution and motor imagery.
abstract: When people simultaneously draw lines with one hand and circles with the other hand, both trajectories tend to assume an oval shape, showing that hand motor programs interact (the so-called "bimanual coupling effect"). The aim of the present study was to investigate how motor parameters (drawing trajectories) and the related brain activity vary during bimanual movements both in real execution and in motor imagery tasks. In the 'Real' modality, subjects performed right hand movements (lines) and, simultaneously, Congruent (lines) or Non-congruent (circles) left hand movements. In the 'Imagery' modality, subjects performed only right hand movements (lines) and, simultaneously, imagined Congruent (lines) or Non-congruent (circles) left hand movements. Behavioral results showed a similar interference of both the real and the imagined circles on the actually executed lines, suggesting that the coupling effect also pertains to motor imagery. Neuroimaging results showed that a prefrontal-parietal network, mostly involving the pre-Supplementary Motor Area (pre-SMA) and the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), was significantly more active in Non-congruent than in Congruent conditions, irrespective of task (Real or Imagery). The data also confirmed specific roles of the right superior parietal lobe (SPL) in mediating spatial interference, and of the left PPC in motor imagery. Collectively, these findings suggest that real and imagined Non-congruent movements activate common circuits related to the intentional and predictive operation generating bimanual coupling, in which the pre-SMA and the PPC play a crucial role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Italy. Electronic address: francesca.garbarini@unito.it.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Garbarini
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Italy; CCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Agata
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piedimonte
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Italy; CCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Katiuscia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Technology Department, Found. Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rabuffetti
authors.affiliation: Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Italy; CCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cauda
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pia
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Italy; CCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Geminiani
authors.affiliation: CCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duca
authors.affiliation: Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Simon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bimanual coupling effect; Circles–Lines paradigm; Intention-programming system; Motor execution; Motor imagery; fMRI