Abstract
The present study aimed at determining whether or not the comprehension of symbolic gestures, and corresponding-in-meaning words, makes use of cortical circuits involved in movement execution control. Participants were presented with videos of an actress producing meaningful or meaningless gestures, pronouncing corresponding-in-meaning words or pseudo-words; they were required to judge whether the signal was meaningful or meaningless. Single pulse TMS was applied to forearm primary motor cortex area 150-200. ms after the point when the stimulus meaning could be understood. MEPs were significantly greater when processing meaningless signals as compared to a baseline condition presenting a still-and-silent actress. In contrast, this was not the case for meaningful signals whose motor activation did not differ from that for the baseline stimulus. MEPs were significantly greater for meaningless than meaningful signals and no significant difference was found between gesture and speech. On the basis of these results, we hypothesized that the observation-of/listening-to meaningless signals recruits motor areas. In contrast, this did not occur when the signals were meaningful. Overall, the data suggest that the processes related to comprehension of symbolic gestures and communicative words do not involve primary motor area and probably use brain areas involved in semantics.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 297-301 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Behavioural Brain Research |
| Volume | 259 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 1 2014 |
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Keywords
- Communicative word
- Meaningful intransitive gesture
- Meaningless gesture
- Primary motor cortex (M1)
- Pseudo-word
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Cite this
Does comprehension of symbolic gestures and corresponding-in-meaning words make use of motor simulation? / Campione, Giovanna Cristina; De Stefani, Elisa; Innocenti, Alessandro; De Marco, Doriana; Gough, Patricia M.; Buccino, Giovanni; Gentilucci, Maurizio.
In: Behavioural Brain Research, Vol. 259, 01.02.2014, p. 297-301.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Does comprehension of symbolic gestures and corresponding-in-meaning words make use of motor simulation?
AU - Campione, Giovanna Cristina
AU - De Stefani, Elisa
AU - Innocenti, Alessandro
AU - De Marco, Doriana
AU - Gough, Patricia M.
AU - Buccino, Giovanni
AU - Gentilucci, Maurizio
PY - 2014/2/1
Y1 - 2014/2/1
N2 - The present study aimed at determining whether or not the comprehension of symbolic gestures, and corresponding-in-meaning words, makes use of cortical circuits involved in movement execution control. Participants were presented with videos of an actress producing meaningful or meaningless gestures, pronouncing corresponding-in-meaning words or pseudo-words; they were required to judge whether the signal was meaningful or meaningless. Single pulse TMS was applied to forearm primary motor cortex area 150-200. ms after the point when the stimulus meaning could be understood. MEPs were significantly greater when processing meaningless signals as compared to a baseline condition presenting a still-and-silent actress. In contrast, this was not the case for meaningful signals whose motor activation did not differ from that for the baseline stimulus. MEPs were significantly greater for meaningless than meaningful signals and no significant difference was found between gesture and speech. On the basis of these results, we hypothesized that the observation-of/listening-to meaningless signals recruits motor areas. In contrast, this did not occur when the signals were meaningful. Overall, the data suggest that the processes related to comprehension of symbolic gestures and communicative words do not involve primary motor area and probably use brain areas involved in semantics.
AB - The present study aimed at determining whether or not the comprehension of symbolic gestures, and corresponding-in-meaning words, makes use of cortical circuits involved in movement execution control. Participants were presented with videos of an actress producing meaningful or meaningless gestures, pronouncing corresponding-in-meaning words or pseudo-words; they were required to judge whether the signal was meaningful or meaningless. Single pulse TMS was applied to forearm primary motor cortex area 150-200. ms after the point when the stimulus meaning could be understood. MEPs were significantly greater when processing meaningless signals as compared to a baseline condition presenting a still-and-silent actress. In contrast, this was not the case for meaningful signals whose motor activation did not differ from that for the baseline stimulus. MEPs were significantly greater for meaningless than meaningful signals and no significant difference was found between gesture and speech. On the basis of these results, we hypothesized that the observation-of/listening-to meaningless signals recruits motor areas. In contrast, this did not occur when the signals were meaningful. Overall, the data suggest that the processes related to comprehension of symbolic gestures and communicative words do not involve primary motor area and probably use brain areas involved in semantics.
KW - Communicative word
KW - Meaningful intransitive gesture
KW - Meaningless gesture
KW - Primary motor cortex (M1)
KW - Pseudo-word
KW - Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
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U2 - 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.11.025
DO - 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.11.025
M3 - Article
C2 - 24275380
AN - SCOPUS:84889579771
VL - 259
SP - 297
EP - 301
JO - Behavioural Brain Research
JF - Behavioural Brain Research
SN - 0166-4328
ER -