We used TMS to study cortico-spinal excitability contingent upon the observation of painful events in different body parts in other individuals. The results show that the mere sight of painful stimulations in a given body part brings about a dramatic inhibition of the cortico-spinal representation of that body part, similar to that reported during the subjective experience of nociceptive stimuli. In agreement with simulation theory of empathy, these results could reflect a somatotopic organisation of the motor counterpart of a neural system supposedly recruited during perception and empathy of pain suffered by others
Selective inhibition of motor representation during observation of pain / Avenanti A.; Bufalari I.; Aglioti S.M.. - STAMPA. - (2004), pp. -------. (Intervento presentato al convegno 1st Congress of the European Neuropsychological Societies tenutosi a Modena, Italia nel 18-20/04/2004).
Selective inhibition of motor representation during observation of pain
AVENANTI, ALESSIO;
2004
Abstract
We used TMS to study cortico-spinal excitability contingent upon the observation of painful events in different body parts in other individuals. The results show that the mere sight of painful stimulations in a given body part brings about a dramatic inhibition of the cortico-spinal representation of that body part, similar to that reported during the subjective experience of nociceptive stimuli. In agreement with simulation theory of empathy, these results could reflect a somatotopic organisation of the motor counterpart of a neural system supposedly recruited during perception and empathy of pain suffered by othersI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
