Can we simulate an action that we temporarily cannot perform?
Pouvons-nous simuler une action que nous sommes temporairement dans l’incapacité d’exécuter?
Résumé
Aims of the study. — The scope of individuals' motor repertoire and expertise influences the way they perceive the actions of others. When observing skilled actions, experts recruit the cortical network subserving action perception (action observation network, AON) to a greater extent than non-experts. However, it remains unknown whether and how a temporary motor injury affects activation within the AON. Materials and methods. — To investigate this issue, brain hemodynamic activity was recorded twice in thirteen national female gymnasts suffering from a lower extremity injury at the onset of the experiment. The gymnasts were scanned one month after the injury and were shown gymnastics routines they were able and temporarily unable to perform. Six months later, after complete recovery, they were scanned again and shown the same routines they were now able to practice. Results. — Results showed: first, that the level of activity within the inferior parietal lobule and MT/V5/EBA (extrastriate body area), areas constitutive of the AON, was independent of the gymnasts' physical condition. Second, when gymnasts were hurt (vs. when recovered), higher activity in the cerebellum was detected.