Cognition, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Langage, Language, Production et perception du langage parlé, Production and perception of spoken language, Sciences medicales, Medical sciences, Neurologie, Neurology, Système nerveux (sémiologie, syndromes), Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes), Fonctions encéphaliques supérieures. Syndromes encéphaliques topographiques. Syndrome vestibulaire et surdité d'origine centrale. Syndromes du tronc cérébral, Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes, Psychopathologie. Psychiatrie, Psychopathology. Psychiatry, Etude clinique de l'adulte et de l'adolescent, Adult and adolescent clinical studies, Troubles mentaux organiques. Neuropsychologie, Organic mental disorders. Neuropsychology, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, PSYCHOPATHOLOGIE. PSYCHIATRIE, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Langage, Language, Lenguaje, Pathologie de l'encéphale, Cerebral disorder, Encéfalo patología, Pathologie du système nerveux central, Central nervous system disease, Sistema nervosio central patología, Pathologie du système nerveux, Nervous system diseases, Sistema nervioso patología, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Trouble de la communication, Communication disorder, Trastorno comunicación, Trouble du langage, Language disorder, Trastorno lenguaje, Trouble neurologique, Neurological disorder, Trastorno neurológico, Aphasie, Aphasia, Afasia, Cognition, Cognición, Homme, Human, Hombre, Mot, Word, Palabra, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Parole, Speech, Habla, Perception verbale, Verbal perception, Percepción verbal, Sémantique, Semantics, Semántica, Action semantics, Mirror neurons, and Speech perception

The discovery of mirror neurons in the macaque monkey has ignited intense interest in motor theories of cognition, including speech and language. Here we examine two such claims, that the perception of speech sounds critically depends on motor representations of speech gestures (the motor theory of speech perception) and that the representation of action-related semantic knowledge critically depends on motor representations involved in performing actions. We conclude that there is strong evidence against the claim that speech perception critically depends on the motor system and that there is no conclusive evidence in support of the view that the motor system supports action semantics. We propose instead that motor-related activity during perceptual processes stem from spreading activation in sensory-motor networks that are critical for speech and language production.

Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Langage, Language, Lenguaje, Pathologie de l'encéphale, Cerebral disorder, Encéfalo patología, Pathologie du système nerveux central, Central nervous system disease, Sistema nervosio central patología, Pathologie du système nerveux, Nervous system diseases, Sistema nervioso patología, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Trouble de la communication, Communication disorder, Trastorno comunicación, Trouble du langage, Language disorder, Trastorno lenguaje, Trouble neurologique, Neurological disorder, Trastorno neurológico, Aphasie, Aphasia, Afasia, Cognition, Cognición, Homme, Human, Hombre, Mot, Word, Palabra, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Parole, Speech, Habla, Perception verbale, Verbal perception, Percepción verbal, Sémantique, Semantics, Semántica, Action semantics, Mirror neurons, Speech perception, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Production et perception du langage parlé, Production and perception of spoken language, Sciences medicales, Medical sciences, Neurologie, Neurology, Système nerveux (sémiologie, syndromes), Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes), Fonctions encéphaliques supérieures. Syndromes encéphaliques topographiques. Syndrome vestibulaire et surdité d'origine centrale. Syndromes du tronc cérébral, Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes, Psychopathologie. Psychiatrie, Psychopathology. Psychiatry, Etude clinique de l'adulte et de l'adolescent, Adult and adolescent clinical studies, Troubles mentaux organiques. Neuropsychologie, Organic mental disorders. Neuropsychology, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, PSYCHOPATHOLOGIE. PSYCHIATRIE, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, and Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie

The discovery of mirror neurons in the macaque monkey has ignited intense interest in motor theories of cognition, including speech and language. Here we examine two such claims, that the perception of speech sounds critically depends on motor representations of speech gestures (the motor theory of speech perception) and that the representation of action-related semantic knowledge critically depends on motor representations involved in performing actions. We conclude that there is strong evidence against the claim that speech perception critically depends on the motor system and that there is no conclusive evidence in support of the view that the motor system supports action semantics. We propose instead that motor-related activity during perceptual processes stem from spreading activation in sensory-motor networks that are critical for speech and language production.

Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Homme, Human, Hombre, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Trouble de l'humeur, Mood disorder, Trastorno humor, Cortex préfrontal, Prefrontal cortex, Corteza prefrontal, Densité cellulaire, Cell density, Densidad celular, Etat dépressif, Depression, Estado depresivo, Grave, Severe, Neurone gabaergique, Gabaergic neuron, Neurona gabaminérgica, Neurone pyramidal, Pyramidal neuron, Neurona piramidal, Personne âgée, Elderly, Anciano, Postmortem, Sénescence, Senescence, Senescencia, Vieillissement, Ageing, Envejecimiento, Dépression gériatrique, Geriatric depression, Depresión geriátrica, aging, glutamatergic neurons, major depressive disorder, postmortem, prefrontal cortex, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences medicales, Medical sciences, Psychopathologie. Psychiatrie, Psychopathology. Psychiatry, Etude clinique de l'adulte et de l'adolescent, Adult and adolescent clinical studies, Troubles de l'humeur, Mood disorders, Gériatrie, Geriatrics, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, PSYCHOPATHOLOGIE. PSYCHIATRIE, Cognition, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, and Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie

Objective Frontal regions, including the orbitofrontal cortex (ORB) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dIPFC) have been implicated in the neuropathology of geriatric depression. Prominent reductions in pyramidal neuron density have been recently reported in the ORB of older depressed subjects. However, the cellular pathology of the dlPFC has not yet been examined in these subjects. Methods Postmortem tissue from the dlPFC (Brodmann's area 9, BA9) was collected from 10 older (>60 years old) subjects diagnosed with major depression and 10 age-matched non-psychiatric controls (CTRL). The majority of the subjects were the same as those used for our previous study on neuronal reductions in the ORB in older depressed. Overall (all six layers combined), and laminar density of pyramidal (presumably glutamatergic), and non-pyramidal (GABAergic) neurons as well as cortical and laminar width were measured using linear optical disector of Stereoinvestigator software. Results Neither the overall nor laminar density of pyramidal or non-pyramidal neurons was significantly different between groups. The cortical and laminar widths were also not affected. Conclusions These results suggest that neuronal prefrontal pathology in elderly depressed is region specific. No significant changes were detected in the density of any type of neurons in the dlPFC of elderly depressed subjects (present study) whereas, prominent reductions in the density of pyramidal glutamatergic neurons were observed previously in the ORB.

Cognition, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences medicales, Medical sciences, Psychopathologie. Psychiatrie, Psychopathology. Psychiatry, Etude clinique de l'adulte et de l'adolescent, Adult and adolescent clinical studies, Troubles de l'humeur, Mood disorders, Etat dépressif, Depression, Gériatrie, Geriatrics, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, PSYCHOPATHOLOGIE. PSYCHIATRIE, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Homme, Human, Hombre, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Trouble de l'humeur, Mood disorder, Trastorno humor, Cortex préfrontal, Prefrontal cortex, Corteza prefrontal, Densité cellulaire, Cell density, Densidad celular, Etat dépressif, Depression, Estado depresivo, Grave, Severe, Neurone gabaergique, Gabaergic neuron, Neurona gabaminérgica, Neurone pyramidal, Pyramidal neuron, Neurona piramidal, Personne âgée, Elderly, Anciano, Postmortem, Sénescence, Senescence, Senescencia, Vieillissement, Ageing, Envejecimiento, Dépression gériatrique, Geriatric depression, Depresión geriátrica, aging, glutamatergic neurons, major depressive disorder, postmortem, and prefrontal cortex

Objective Frontal regions, including the orbitofrontal cortex (ORB) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dIPFC) have been implicated in the neuropathology of geriatric depression. Prominent reductions in pyramidal neuron density have been recently reported in the ORB of older depressed subjects. However, the cellular pathology of the dlPFC has not yet been examined in these subjects. Methods Postmortem tissue from the dlPFC (Brodmann's area 9, BA9) was collected from 10 older (>60 years old) subjects diagnosed with major depression and 10 age-matched non-psychiatric controls (CTRL). The majority of the subjects were the same as those used for our previous study on neuronal reductions in the ORB in older depressed. Overall (all six layers combined), and laminar density of pyramidal (presumably glutamatergic), and non-pyramidal (GABAergic) neurons as well as cortical and laminar width were measured using linear optical disector of Stereoinvestigator software. Results Neither the overall nor laminar density of pyramidal or non-pyramidal neurons was significantly different between groups. The cortical and laminar widths were also not affected. Conclusions These results suggest that neuronal prefrontal pathology in elderly depressed is region specific. No significant changes were detected in the density of any type of neurons in the dlPFC of elderly depressed subjects (present study) whereas, prominent reductions in the density of pyramidal glutamatergic neurons were observed previously in the ORB.

Cognition, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Activités psychomotrices, Psychomotor activities, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Cognition, Cognición, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Motricité, Motricity, Motricidad, Perception, Percepción, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Cinématique, Kinematics, Cinemática, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Facilitation, Facilitación, Homme, Human, Hombre, Interférence, Interference, Interferencia, Mouvement corporel, Body movement, Movimiento corporal, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Observation, Observación, Vision, Visión, Action observation, Interference effect, Mirror neurons, Motor facilitation, and Observed kinematics

Previous studies demonstrate that observing the movements of others can interfere with concurrent movement execution. This interference effect is attributed to incongruence between the observed and executed movements. The study presented here examined different aspects of observed and executed movement congruency. Participants attempted to trace straight lines in the air using one of two movement tasks while observing an experimenter perform movements varied by their task and spatial congruency. The data revealed that kinematic aspects of the observed movements were incorporated into the observer's own movements. Observing the same kinematics led to interference or facilitation effects depending on whether the direction of the observed movement was congruent or incongruent with the movement the participant performed. These data suggest that low-level properties of observed movements can modulate participant performance.

Cognition, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Activités psychomotrices, Psychomotor activities, Perception, Vision, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Motricité, Motricity, Motricidad, Perception, Percepción, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Cognition, Cognición, Effet amorçage, Priming effect, Efecto priming, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Homme, Human, Hombre, Main, Hand, Mano, Mouvement corporel, Body movement, Movimiento corporal, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Objet, Object, Objeto, Observation, Observación, Pied, Foot, Pie, Vision, Visión, Action observation, Mirror neurons, Motor cognition, Object observation, and Sensory motor representations

To verify if the link between observed hand actions and executed foot actions found in aplasics is essentially induced by the constant use of foot substituting the hand, we investigated if the vision of a grasping hand is able to prime a foot response in normals. Participants were required to detect the time-to-contact of a hand grasping an object either with a suitable or a less suitable movement, an experimental paradigm known to induce a priming effect. Participants responded either with the hand or the foot, while having free or bound hands. Results showed that for hand responses motor priming effect was stronger when the hands were free, whereas for foot responses it was stronger when the hands were bound. These data are interpreted as a further evidence that a difficulty to move affects specific cognitive functions and that the vision of a grasping hand may prime a foot response.

Cognition, Cognición, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Motricité, Motricity, Motricidad, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Action, Acción, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Homme, Human, Hombre, Mouvement corporel, Body movement, Movimiento corporal, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Observation, Observación, Simulation, Simulación, Action observation, Action simulation, Mirror neurons, Object ownership, Peripersonal space, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Activités psychomotrices, Psychomotor activities, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, and Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie

It has been proposed that one means of understanding a person's current behaviour and predicting future actions is by simulating their actions. That is, when another person's actions are observed, similar motor processes are activated in the observer. For example, after observing a reach over an obstacle, a person's subsequent reach trajectory is more curved, reflecting motor priming. Importantly, such motor states are only activated if the observed action is in near (peripersonal) space. However, we demonstrate that when individuals share action environments, simulation of another person's obstacle avoiding reach path takes place even when the action is in far (extrapersonal) space. We propose that action simulation is influenced by factors such as ownership. When an owned object is a potential future obstacle, even when it is viewed beyond current action space, simulations are evoked, and these leave a more stable memory capable of influencing future behaviour.

Cognition, Cognición, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Motricité, Motricity, Motricidad, Perception, Percepción, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Cinématique, Kinematics, Cinemática, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Facilitation, Facilitación, Homme, Human, Hombre, Interférence, Interference, Interferencia, Mouvement corporel, Body movement, Movimiento corporal, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Observation, Observación, Vision, Visión, Action observation, Interference effect, Mirror neurons, Motor facilitation, Observed kinematics, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Activités psychomotrices, Psychomotor activities, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, and Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie

Previous studies demonstrate that observing the movements of others can interfere with concurrent movement execution. This interference effect is attributed to incongruence between the observed and executed movements. The study presented here examined different aspects of observed and executed movement congruency. Participants attempted to trace straight lines in the air using one of two movement tasks while observing an experimenter perform movements varied by their task and spatial congruency. The data revealed that kinematic aspects of the observed movements were incorporated into the observer's own movements. Observing the same kinematics led to interference or facilitation effects depending on whether the direction of the observed movement was congruent or incongruent with the movement the participant performed. These data suggest that low-level properties of observed movements can modulate participant performance.

Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Motricité, Motricity, Motricidad, Perception, Percepción, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Cognition, Cognición, Effet amorçage, Priming effect, Efecto priming, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Homme, Human, Hombre, Main, Hand, Mano, Mouvement corporel, Body movement, Movimiento corporal, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Objet, Object, Objeto, Observation, Observación, Pied, Foot, Pie, Vision, Visión, Action observation, Mirror neurons, Motor cognition, Object observation, Sensory motor representations, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Activités psychomotrices, Psychomotor activities, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, and Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie

To verify if the link between observed hand actions and executed foot actions found in aplasics is essentially induced by the constant use of foot substituting the hand, we investigated if the vision of a grasping hand is able to prime a foot response in normals. Participants were required to detect the time-to-contact of a hand grasping an object either with a suitable or a less suitable movement, an experimental paradigm known to induce a priming effect. Participants responded either with the hand or the foot, while having free or bound hands. Results showed that for hand responses motor priming effect was stronger when the hands were free, whereas for foot responses it was stronger when the hands were bound. These data are interpreted as a further evidence that a difficulty to move affects specific cognitive functions and that the vision of a grasping hand may prime a foot response.

Cognition, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Activités psychomotrices, Psychomotor activities, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Cognition, Cognición, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Motricité, Motricity, Motricidad, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Action, Acción, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Homme, Human, Hombre, Mouvement corporel, Body movement, Movimiento corporal, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Observation, Observación, Simulation, Simulación, Action observation, Action simulation, Mirror neurons, Object ownership, and Peripersonal space

It has been proposed that one means of understanding a person's current behaviour and predicting future actions is by simulating their actions. That is, when another person's actions are observed, similar motor processes are activated in the observer. For example, after observing a reach over an obstacle, a person's subsequent reach trajectory is more curved, reflecting motor priming. Importantly, such motor states are only activated if the observed action is in near (peripersonal) space. However, we demonstrate that when individuals share action environments, simulation of another person's obstacle avoiding reach path takes place even when the action is in far (extrapersonal) space. We propose that action simulation is influenced by factors such as ownership. When an owned object is a potential future obstacle, even when it is viewed beyond current action space, simulations are evoked, and these leave a more stable memory capable of influencing future behaviour.

Cognition, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Activités psychomotrices, Psychomotor activities, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Cognition, Cognición, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Motricité, Motricity, Motricidad, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Action, Acción, Cinématique, Kinematics, Cinemática, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Homme, Human, Hombre, Ion, Ions, Ión, Membre supérieur, Upper limb, Miembro superior, Mouvement corporel, Body movement, Movimiento corporal, Mouvement orienté, Goal directed movement, Movimiento orientado, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Observation, Observación, Préhension, Gripping, Prension, Action observation, Mirror neurons, Prehension, and Reaching

Previous studies have demonstrated that the observation of action can modulate motor performance. This literature has focused on manipulating the observed goal of the action, rather than examining whether action observation effects could be elicited by changing observed kinematics alone. In the study presented here, observed reach trajectory kinematics unrelated to the goal of the action were manipulated in order to examine whether observed movement kinematics alone could influence the action of the observer. Participants observed an experimenter grasp a target object using either a normal or an exaggeratedly high reaching action (as though reaching over an invisible obstacle). When participants observed the experimenter perform actions with a high reach trajectory, their own movements took on aspects of the observed action, showing greater wrist height throughout their reaching trajectory than under conditions in which they observed normal reaching actions. The data are discussed in relation to previous findings which suggest that kinematic aspects of observed movements can prime action through kinematic or intention based matching processes.

Cognition, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Activités psychomotrices, Psychomotor activities, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Cognition, Cognición, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Motricité, Motricity, Motricidad, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Traitement, Treatment, Tratamiento, Action, Acción, Dynamomètre, Dynamometer, Dinamómetro, Effet amorçage, Priming effect, Efecto priming, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Force, Fuerza, Homme, Human, Hombre, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Observation, Observación, Préhension, Gripping, Prension, Rééducation, Reeducation, Reeducación, Action observation, Grip force, Mirror neurons, Priming, and Rehabilitation

Research shows that action observation can prime execution. Evidence for this comes from experiments that show that action observation influenced temporal (e.g., speed) or spatial (e.g., peak grasp aperture or trajectory) aspects of executed movement. In the paper presented here, we for the first time show that observation can also prime executed action force. Following observation of force actions, participants executed grip-force responses using a dynamometer, and the data showed that their force was modulated by the condition observed. The findings of the study are discussed in terms of a likely cause of the force modulation effect and potential uses that the effect may have for strength rehabilitation.

Cognition, Cognición, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Motricité, Motricity, Motricidad, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Action, Acción, Cinématique, Kinematics, Cinemática, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Homme, Human, Hombre, Ion, Ions, Ión, Membre supérieur, Upper limb, Miembro superior, Mouvement corporel, Body movement, Movimiento corporal, Mouvement orienté, Goal directed movement, Movimiento orientado, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Observation, Observación, Préhension, Gripping, Prension, Action observation, Mirror neurons, Prehension, Reaching, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Activités psychomotrices, Psychomotor activities, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, and Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie

Previous studies have demonstrated that the observation of action can modulate motor performance. This literature has focused on manipulating the observed goal of the action, rather than examining whether action observation effects could be elicited by changing observed kinematics alone. In the study presented here, observed reach trajectory kinematics unrelated to the goal of the action were manipulated in order to examine whether observed movement kinematics alone could influence the action of the observer. Participants observed an experimenter grasp a target object using either a normal or an exaggeratedly high reaching action (as though reaching over an invisible obstacle). When participants observed the experimenter perform actions with a high reach trajectory, their own movements took on aspects of the observed action, showing greater wrist height throughout their reaching trajectory than under conditions in which they observed normal reaching actions. The data are discussed in relation to previous findings which suggest that kinematic aspects of observed movements can prime action through kinematic or intention based matching processes.

Cognition, Cognición, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Motricité, Motricity, Motricidad, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Traitement, Treatment, Tratamiento, Action, Acción, Dynamomètre, Dynamometer, Dinamómetro, Effet amorçage, Priming effect, Efecto priming, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Force, Fuerza, Homme, Human, Hombre, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Observation, Observación, Préhension, Gripping, Prension, Rééducation, Reeducation, Reeducación, Action observation, Grip force, Mirror neurons, Priming, Rehabilitation, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Activités psychomotrices, Psychomotor activities, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, and Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie

Research shows that action observation can prime execution. Evidence for this comes from experiments that show that action observation influenced temporal (e.g., speed) or spatial (e.g., peak grasp aperture or trajectory) aspects of executed movement. In the paper presented here, we for the first time show that observation can also prime executed action force. Following observation of force actions, participants executed grip-force responses using a dynamometer, and the data showed that their force was modulated by the condition observed. The findings of the study are discussed in terms of a likely cause of the force modulation effect and potential uses that the effect may have for strength rehabilitation.

Cognition, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Personnalité. Affectivité, Personality. Affectivity, Affectivité. Emotion, Affectivity. Emotion, Psychologie sociale, Social psychology, Interactions sociales. Communication. Processus de groupe, Social interactions. Communication. Group processes, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Affect affectivité, Affect affectivity, Afecto afectividad, Cognition, Cognición, Coopération, Cooperation, Cooperación, Emotion émotivité, Emotion emotionality, Emoción emotividad, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Homme, Human, Hombre, Interaction sociale, Social interaction, Interacción social, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Affect, Emotion, and Mirror neurons

Numerous studies indicate that observing or knowing about another's action automatically activates the same motor representations that are active when we perform the other's action by ourselves. We investigated how affect influences this mirror mechanism. Based upon findings that positive affect encourages and negative affect impairs spreading activation, we hypothesised that positive affect should increase and negative affect decrease the automatic co-representation of other individuals' actions during jointly performed tasks. Recent research has shown that joint-action effects in a go/ no-go variant of the Simon task provide a good index for co-representing another's action. Participants performed such a Simon task together with another person after the induction of neutral, positive, or negative affect. Consistent with our predictions, the joint Simon-like effect was strongest after positive affect induction and absent after negative affect induction. These results represent the first evidence of affect-induced differences in the mirroring of another's action and suggest that affect influences one of our essential abilities for successful social interactions.

Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Affect affectivité, Affect affectivity, Afecto afectividad, Cognition, Cognición, Coopération, Cooperation, Cooperación, Emotion émotivité, Emotion emotionality, Emoción emotividad, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Homme, Human, Hombre, Interaction sociale, Social interaction, Interacción social, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Affect, Emotion, Mirror neurons, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Personnalité. Affectivité, Personality. Affectivity, Affectivité. Emotion, Affectivity. Emotion, Psychologie sociale, Social psychology, Interactions sociales. Communication. Processus de groupe, Social interactions. Communication. Group processes, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, and Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie

Numerous studies indicate that observing or knowing about another's action automatically activates the same motor representations that are active when we perform the other's action by ourselves. We investigated how affect influences this mirror mechanism. Based upon findings that positive affect encourages and negative affect impairs spreading activation, we hypothesised that positive affect should increase and negative affect decrease the automatic co-representation of other individuals' actions during jointly performed tasks. Recent research has shown that joint-action effects in a go/ no-go variant of the Simon task provide a good index for co-representing another's action. Participants performed such a Simon task together with another person after the induction of neutral, positive, or negative affect. Consistent with our predictions, the joint Simon-like effect was strongest after positive affect induction and absent after negative affect induction. These results represent the first evidence of affect-induced differences in the mirroring of another's action and suggest that affect influences one of our essential abilities for successful social interactions.

Cognition, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Activités psychomotrices, Psychomotor activities, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Cognition, Cognición, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Motricité, Motricity, Motricidad, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Effet amorçage, Priming effect, Efecto priming, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Evitement, Avoidance, Evitación, Homme, Human, Hombre, Main, Hand, Mano, Mouvement orienté, Goal directed movement, Movimiento orientado, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Observation, Observación, Simulation, Simulación, Espace peripersonnel, Action priming, Mirror neurons, Obstacle avoidance, Peripersonal space, and Reaching

When another person's actions are observed it appears that these actions are simulated, such that similar motor processes are triggered in the observer. Much evidence suggests that such simulation concerns the achievement of behavioural goals, such as grasping a particular object, and is less concerned with the specific nature of the action, such as the path the hand takes to reach the goal object. We demonstrate that when observing another person reach around an obstacle, an observer's subsequent reach has an increased curved trajectory, reflecting motor priming of reach path. This priming of reach trajectory via action observation can take place under a variety of circumstances: with or without a shared goal, and when the action is seen from a variety of perspectives. However, of most importance, the reach path priming effect is only evoked if the obstacle avoided by another person is within the action (peripersonal) space of the observer.

Cognition, Cognición, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Motricité, Motricity, Motricidad, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Effet amorçage, Priming effect, Efecto priming, Etude expérimentale, Experimental study, Estudio experimental, Evitement, Avoidance, Evitación, Homme, Human, Hombre, Main, Hand, Mano, Mouvement orienté, Goal directed movement, Movimiento orientado, Neurone miroir, Mirror neuron, Neurona espejo, Observation, Observación, Simulation, Simulación, Espace peripersonnel, Action priming, Mirror neurons, Obstacle avoidance, Peripersonal space, Reaching, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Activités psychomotrices, Psychomotor activities, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, and Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie

When another person's actions are observed it appears that these actions are simulated, such that similar motor processes are triggered in the observer. Much evidence suggests that such simulation concerns the achievement of behavioural goals, such as grasping a particular object, and is less concerned with the specific nature of the action, such as the path the hand takes to reach the goal object. We demonstrate that when observing another person reach around an obstacle, an observer's subsequent reach has an increased curved trajectory, reflecting motor priming of reach path. This priming of reach trajectory via action observation can take place under a variety of circumstances: with or without a shared goal, and when the action is seen from a variety of perspectives. However, of most importance, the reach path priming effect is only evoked if the obstacle avoided by another person is within the action (peripersonal) space of the observer.

Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Vigilance. Attention. Sommeil, Vigilance. Attention. Sleep, Perception, Vision, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Cognition, Cognición, Perception, Percepción, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Article synthèse, Review, Artículo síntesis, Attention sélective, Selective attention, Atención selectiva, Attention visuelle, Visual attention, Atención visual, Champ récepteur, Receptive field, Campo receptor, Codage, Coding, Codificación, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Homme, Human, Hombre, Modèle mathématique, Mathematical model, Modelo matemático, Modèle théorique, Theoretical model, Modelo teórico, Neurone, Neuron, Neurona, Neurophysiologie, Neurophysiology, Neurofisiología, Vision, Visión, Voie visuelle, Visual pathway, and Vía visual

The neural theory of visual attention (NTVA) introduced by Bundesen, Habekost, and Kyllingsbæk (2005) is presented. NTVA is a neural interpretation of Bundesen's (1990) formal theory of visual attention (TVA). In NTVA, filtering (selection of objects) changes the number of cortical neurons in which an object is represented so that this number increases with the behavioural importance of the object (reallocation of processing resources by dynamic remapping of receptive fields). Another fundamental mechanism, pigeonholing (selection of features), scales the level of activation in individual neurons coding for a particular feature. The theory accounts both for a wide range of attentional effects in human performance (reaction times and error rates) and for a wide range of effects observed in firing rates of single cells in the primate visual system. NTVA provides a mathematical framework to unify the two fields of research¯formulas bridging cognition and neurophysiology.

Cognition, Cognición, Perception, Percepción, Système nerveux central, Central nervous system, Sistema nervioso central, Article synthèse, Review, Artículo síntesis, Attention sélective, Selective attention, Atención selectiva, Attention visuelle, Visual attention, Atención visual, Champ récepteur, Receptive field, Campo receptor, Codage, Coding, Codificación, Encéphale, Encephalon, Encéfalo, Homme, Human, Hombre, Modèle mathématique, Mathematical model, Modelo matemático, Modèle théorique, Theoretical model, Modelo teórico, Neurone, Neuron, Neurona, Neurophysiologie, Neurophysiology, Neurofisiología, Vision, Visión, Voie visuelle, Visual pathway, Vía visual, Sciences biologiques et medicales, Biological and medical sciences, Sciences biologiques fondamentales et appliquees. Psychologie, Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology, Psychologie. Psychophysiologie, Psychology. Psychophysiology, Niveaux d'activité. Psychomotricité, Activity levels. Psychomotricity, Vigilance. Attention. Sommeil, Vigilance. Attention. Sleep, Psychologie. Psychanalyse. Psychiatrie, Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry, Psychology, psychopathology, psychiatry, and Psychologie, psychopathologie, psychiatrie

The neural theory of visual attention (NTVA) introduced by Bundesen, Habekost, and Kyllingsbæk (2005) is presented. NTVA is a neural interpretation of Bundesen's (1990) formal theory of visual attention (TVA). In NTVA, filtering (selection of objects) changes the number of cortical neurons in which an object is represented so that this number increases with the behavioural importance of the object (reallocation of processing resources by dynamic remapping of receptive fields). Another fundamental mechanism, pigeonholing (selection of features), scales the level of activation in individual neurons coding for a particular feature. The theory accounts both for a wide range of attentional effects in human performance (reaction times and error rates) and for a wide range of effects observed in firing rates of single cells in the primate visual system. NTVA provides a mathematical framework to unify the two fields of research¯formulas bridging cognition and neurophysiology.