Do gaze patterns predict mirror neuron activity during the observation of grasping actions?

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Do gaze patterns predict mirror neuron activity during the observation of grasping actions? Peter Donaldson1*, Caroline Gurvich1, Joanne Fielding2 and Peter G. Enticott1 1 Monash University and The Alfred, Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Australia 2 Monash University, School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Australia Background: The mirror neuron system (MNS) is hypothesised to be crucial to social cognition and interpersonal understanding, and has been linked to conditions such as autism. However, gaze patterns and visual processing in autism are atypical in many respects. Methods: To examine the relationship between gaze patterns and putative MNS activity, healthy right-handed participants aged 18-40 (n = 26) viewed short videos of transitive grasping actions or static hands, whilst the left primary motor cortex received transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) in contralateral hand muscles were recorded, and used to calculate an index of putative MNS activity. Participants also underwent eyetracking analysis in a counterbalanced manner, to determine gaze patterns whilst viewing the same videos (and other videos also displaying grasping actions). A separate test-retest group of healthy participants (n = 10) viewed the same videos twice with a short gap between viewings. Results: Preliminary results suggest no relationship between predictive gaze and inferred MNS activity. However, some relationships between MNS activity and fixation rates in certain areas of interest were found. Discussion: These are discussed with reference to the possibility that the MNS atypicalities sometimes observed in autism might be underpinned by more global visual or perceptual deficits. Keywords: mirror neuron system, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Electromyography, eye tracking, Predictive Gaze Conference: ACNS-2013 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia, 28 Nov - 1 Dec, 2013. Presentation Type: Poster Topic: Emotion and Social Citation: Donaldson P, Gurvich C, Fielding J and Enticott PG (2013). Do gaze patterns predict mirror neuron activity during the observation of grasping actions?. Conference Abstract: ACNS-2013 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2013.212.00014 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 15 Oct 2013; Published Online: 25 Nov 2013. * Correspondence: Mr. Peter Donaldson, Monash University and The Alfred, Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia, phdon1@student.monash.edu Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Peter Donaldson Caroline Gurvich Joanne Fielding Peter G Enticott Google Peter Donaldson Caroline Gurvich Joanne Fielding Peter G Enticott Google Scholar Peter Donaldson Caroline Gurvich Joanne Fielding Peter G Enticott PubMed Peter Donaldson Caroline Gurvich Joanne Fielding Peter G Enticott Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.