Abstract
Observing actions made by others activates the cortical circuits responsible for the planning and execution of those same actions. This observation-execution matching system (mirror-neuron system) is thought to play an important role in the understanding of actions made by others. In an fMRI experiment, we tested whether this system also becomes active during the processing of action-related sentences. Participants listened to sentences describing actions performed with the mouth, the hand, or the leg. Abstract sentences of comparable syntactic structure were used as control stimuli. The results showed that listening to action-related sentences activates a left fronto-parieto-temporal network that includes the pars opercularis of the inferior frontal gyrus (Broca's area), those sectors of the premotor cortex where the actions described are motorically coded, as well as the inferior parietal lobule, the intraparietal sulcus, and the posterior middle temporal gyrus. These data provide the first direct evidence that listening to sentences that describe actions engages the visuomotor circuits which subserve action execution and observation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 273-281 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2005 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Cite this
Listening to action-related sentences activates fronto-parietal motor circuits. / Tettamanti, Marco; Buccino, Giovanni; Saccuman, Maria Cristina; Gallese, Vittorio; Danna, Massimo; Scifo, Paola; Fazio, Ferruccio; Rizzolatti, Giacomo; Cappa, Stefano F.; Perani, Daniela.
In: Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, Vol. 17, No. 2, 02.2005, p. 273-281.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Listening to action-related sentences activates fronto-parietal motor circuits
AU - Tettamanti, Marco
AU - Buccino, Giovanni
AU - Saccuman, Maria Cristina
AU - Gallese, Vittorio
AU - Danna, Massimo
AU - Scifo, Paola
AU - Fazio, Ferruccio
AU - Rizzolatti, Giacomo
AU - Cappa, Stefano F.
AU - Perani, Daniela
PY - 2005/2
Y1 - 2005/2
N2 - Observing actions made by others activates the cortical circuits responsible for the planning and execution of those same actions. This observation-execution matching system (mirror-neuron system) is thought to play an important role in the understanding of actions made by others. In an fMRI experiment, we tested whether this system also becomes active during the processing of action-related sentences. Participants listened to sentences describing actions performed with the mouth, the hand, or the leg. Abstract sentences of comparable syntactic structure were used as control stimuli. The results showed that listening to action-related sentences activates a left fronto-parieto-temporal network that includes the pars opercularis of the inferior frontal gyrus (Broca's area), those sectors of the premotor cortex where the actions described are motorically coded, as well as the inferior parietal lobule, the intraparietal sulcus, and the posterior middle temporal gyrus. These data provide the first direct evidence that listening to sentences that describe actions engages the visuomotor circuits which subserve action execution and observation.
AB - Observing actions made by others activates the cortical circuits responsible for the planning and execution of those same actions. This observation-execution matching system (mirror-neuron system) is thought to play an important role in the understanding of actions made by others. In an fMRI experiment, we tested whether this system also becomes active during the processing of action-related sentences. Participants listened to sentences describing actions performed with the mouth, the hand, or the leg. Abstract sentences of comparable syntactic structure were used as control stimuli. The results showed that listening to action-related sentences activates a left fronto-parieto-temporal network that includes the pars opercularis of the inferior frontal gyrus (Broca's area), those sectors of the premotor cortex where the actions described are motorically coded, as well as the inferior parietal lobule, the intraparietal sulcus, and the posterior middle temporal gyrus. These data provide the first direct evidence that listening to sentences that describe actions engages the visuomotor circuits which subserve action execution and observation.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=19944432816&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1162/0898929053124965
DO - 10.1162/0898929053124965
M3 - Article
C2 - 15811239
AN - SCOPUS:19944432816
VL - 17
SP - 273
EP - 281
JO - Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
JF - Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
SN - 0898-929X
IS - 2
ER -