Effects of observing own/others hand movement in different perspectives on mu rhythm suppression: an EEG study

TL;DR

This EEG study explores how observing hand movements from different perspectives affects brain activity linked to self-other discrimination.

Contribution

The study reveals perspective-dependent mu rhythm suppression differences during self and others' hand movement observation.

Findings

Mu suppression showed self-oriented responses in first-person perspective observation.

Third-person perspective observation did not show significant orientation in mu suppression.

Perspective differences influence mirror system activity related to self-other discrimination.

Abstract

Previous studies have reported that the sense of “self” is associated with specific brain regions and neural network activities. In addition, the mirror system, which functions when executing or observing an action, might contribute to differentiating the self from others and form the basis of the sense of self as a fundamental physical representation. This study investigated whether differences in mu suppression, an indicator of mirror system activity, reflect cognitions related to self-other discrimination.

The participants were 30 of healthy college students. The participants observed short video clips of hand movements performed by themselves or actors from two perspectives (i.e., first-person and third-person). The electroencephalogram (EEG) mu rhythm (8–13 Hz) was measured during video observation as an index of mirror neuron system activity. EEG activity related to self-detection was analyzed using participants’ hand movements as self-relevant stimuli.

The results showed that mu suppression in the 8–13-Hz range exhibited perspective-dependent responses to self/other stimuli. There was a significant self-oriented mu suppression response in the first-person perspective. However, the study found no significant response orientation in the third-person perspective. The results suggest that mirror system activity may involve self-other discrimination differently depending on the perspective.

In summary, this study examined the mirror system’s activity for self and others using the EEG’s mu suppression. As a result, it was suggested that differences in self and others or perspectives may influence mu suppression.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40101-024-00369-0.

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