Orgs, Guido; Dombrowski, Jan-Henryk; Heil, Martin and Jansen-Osmann, Petra. 2008. Expertise in dance modulates alpha/beta event-related desynchronization during action observation. European Journal of Neuroscience, 27(12), pp. 3380-3384. ISSN 0953-816X [Article]

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Abstract or Description

We presented professional dancers and non-dancers with videos of two movement styles, dance movements and everyday movements. Participants were asked to indicate by a button press to which category a movement belonged. We computed event-related desynchronization (ERD) in alpha and beta frequency bands between 7.5 and 25 Hz relative to a visual baseline condition. Power in alpha and lower beta frequency bands was significantly reduced if dancers watched dance movements but not if non-dancers watched dance movements, in particular between 1 and 2 s after movement onset. During observation of everyday movements no such group difference was evident. Thus, ERD in alpha and beta frequency bands was modulated by a participant's expertise with a certain movement style. The results are discussed in light of a human observation-execution matching system similar to the macaque mirror neuron system and strengthen the idea of a functional relationship between such a system and rhythmical activity in the alpha and beta frequency bands.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2008.06271.x
Keywords:	electroencephalogram; human; imitation; mirror neurons; mu-rhythm
Departments, Centres and Research Units:	Psychology
Dates:	Date Event June 2008 Published
Item ID:	18485
Date Deposited:	03 Jun 2016 12:48
Last Modified:	04 Jul 2017 10:24
Peer Reviewed:	Yes, this version has been peer-reviewed.
URI:	https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/18485

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