Perception of hand movement by mirror reflection evokes brain activation in the motor cortex contralateral to a non-moving hand

• Published in: Cortex Vol. 81; pp. 118 - 125
• Main Authors: Debnath, Ranjan, Franz, Elizabeth A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Italy Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2016
• Subjects: Adult; Brain Mapping - methods; Contingent Negative Variation - physiology; Electroencephalography - methods; Electromyography - methods; Event related potential; Female; Functional Laterality - physiology; Hand - physiology; Humans; Lateralized readiness potential; Male; Mirror visual feedback; Motor cortex; Motor Cortex - physiology; Movement - physiology; Perception - physiology; Visual perception; Mirror visual feedback; Event related potential; Motor cortex; Lateralized readiness potential; Visual perception
• ISSN: 0010-9452; 1973-8102
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2016.04.015

We investigated whether perception of hand movement via mirror reflection evokes activation in the motor cortex (M1) contralateral to the non-moving hand (the M1 ipsilateral to the moving hand). Continuous electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded from 14 participants while they performed unimanual extension–flexion hand movements in direct view and mirror view conditions. We measured the lateralized readiness potential (LRP) as a marker of M1 activation in both conditions. Both the direct and mirror view conditions produced LRPs, with the mirror view conditions revealing clear activation in M1 contralateral to the non-moving hand (ipsilateral to the moving hand) during both flexion and extension phases. This unambiguous demonstration of M1 activation in association with a non-moving hand (which is visually-perceived as moving), suggests that perception of movement can directly lead to M1 activation.