MEG Multivariate Analysis Reveals Early Abstract Action Representations in the Lateral Occipitotemporal Cortex

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1422-15.2015
• Publication Date: 2015-12-11T05:51:50Z
• Authors: Raffaele Tucciarelli; Luca Turella; Nikolaas N. Ooste...; Nathan Weisz; Angelika Lingnau
• Keywords: Magnetoencephalography; Mirror neuron; Motor area

Understanding other people's actions is a fundamental prerequisite for social interactions. Whether action understanding relies on simulating the of others in observers' motor system or access to conceptual knowledge stored nonmotor areas strongly debated. It has been argued previously that play crucial role should (1) distinguish between different actions, (2) generalize across ways which are performed (Dinstein et al., 2008; Oosterhof 2013; Caramazza 2014), and (3) have information around time recognition (Hauk 2008). Whereas previous studies focused first two criteria, little known about dynamics underlying understanding. We examined human brain regions able pointing grasping, regardless reach direction (left right) effector right hand), using multivariate pattern analysis magnetoencephalography data. show lateral occipitotemporal cortex (LOTC) earliest abstract representations, coincides with point from there was enough allow discriminating actions. By contrast, precentral regions, though recruited early, such representations substantially later. Our results demonstrate contrast LOTC, early recruitment does not contain detailed required recognize an action. discuss theoretical claims theories how they incompatible our SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT debated whether ability understand simulation system, based areas. Here, combination machine learning, we where at it possible grasping way (effector, direction). that, predictions understanding, earlier than regions.