Motor Cortex Activation Induced by a Mirror: Evidence From Lateralized Readiness Potentials

• Published in: Journal of neurophysiology Vol. 100; no. 1; pp. 19 - 23
• Main Authors: Touzalin-Chretien, Pascale, Dufour, Andre
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Am Phys Soc 01.07.2008
• Subjects: Adult; Brain Mapping; Contingent Negative Variation - physiology; Electroencephalography - methods; Female; Functional Laterality - physiology; Hand; Humans; Male; Motor Cortex - physiology; Motor Skills; Movement - physiology; Reaction Time - physiology; Task Performance and Analysis
• ISSN: 0022-3077; 1522-1598
• DOI: 10.1152/jn.90260.2008

Laboratoire d'Imagerie et de Neurosciences Cognitives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France Submitted 11 February 2008; accepted in final form 27 April 2008 Similar motor regions are activated during voluntarily executed or observed movements. We investigated whether observing movements of one's own hand through a mirror will generate activations in the cortical motor regions of both the moving and nonmoving hands. Using the lateralized readiness potential (LRP), an electrophysiological correlate of premotor activation in the primary motor cortex, we recorded evoked responses to movements while subjects were viewing the performing (right) hand through a mirror placed sagittally, giving the impression that the left hand was performing the task. Reliable LRPs were recorded in relation to the seen hand, indicating motor cortex activity in the contralateral hemisphere of the inactive hand while the opposite hand was performing the movement. Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: P. Touzalin-Chretien, Laboratoire d'Imagerie et de Neurosciences Cognitives, CNRS, ULP, 21 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France (E-mail: pascale.touzalin{at}linc.u-strasbg.fr )