title: Alpha, beta and gamma electrocorticographic rhythms in somatosensory, motor, premotor and prefrontal cortical areas differ in movement execution and observation in humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that both movement execution and observation induce parallel modulations of alpha, beta, and gamma electrocorticographic (ECoG) rhythms in primary somatosensory (Brodmann area 1-2, BA1-2), primary motor (BA4), ventral premotor (BA6), and prefrontal (BA44 and BA45, part of putative human mirror neuron system underlying the understanding of actions of other people) areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  ECoG activity was recorded in drug-resistant epileptic patients during the execution of actions to reach and grasp common objects according to their affordances, as well as during the observation of the same actions performed by an experimenter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both action execution and observation induced a desynchronization of alpha and beta rhythms in BA1-2, BA4, BA6, BA44 and BA45, which was generally higher in amplitude during the former than the latter condition. Action execution also induced a major synchronization of gamma rhythms in BA4 and BA6, again more during the execution of an action than during its observation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human primary sensorimotor, premotor, and prefrontal areas do generate alpha, beta, and gamma rhythms and differently modulate them during action execution and observation. Gamma rhythms of motor areas are especially involved in action execution.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oscillatory activity of neural populations in sensorimotor, premotor and prefrontal (part of human mirror neuron system) areas represents and distinguishes own actions from those of other people. This methodological approach might be used for a neurophysiological diagnostic imaging of social cognition in epileptic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy; IRCCS S. Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Babiloni
authors.affiliation: IRCCS S. Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: claudio.delpercio@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Del Percio
authors.affiliation: IRCCS S. Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vecchio
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sebastiano
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Gennaro
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Pier P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Quarato
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morace
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pavone
authors.affiliation: IRCCS SDN, SDN Foundation, Naples, Italy; Department of Studies of Institutions and Territorial Systems, University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soricelli
authors.affiliation: IRCCS SDN, SDN Foundation, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Noce
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy; IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.affiliation: IRCCS S. Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy; Neurology, Catholic University of Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo Maria
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gallese
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy; IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mirabella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000513:Alpha Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D001611:Beta Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000502:physiology*; D000069280:Electrocorticography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D065818:Gamma Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Alpha rhythms; Beta rhythms; Gamma rhythms; Movement execution; Movement observation; Subdural electrocorticography (ECoG)