Temporal dynamics of motor cortex excitability during perception of natural emotional scenes.

ABSTRACT: Although it is widely assumed that emotions prime the body for action, the effects of visual perception of natural emotional scenes on the temporal dynamics of the human motor system have scarcely been investigated. Here, we used single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to assess motor excitability during observation and categorization of positive, neutral and negative pictures from the International Affective Picture System database. Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) from TMS of the left motor cortex were recorded from hand muscles, at 150 and 300 ms after picture onset. In the early temporal condition we found an increase in hand motor excitability that was specific for the perception of negative pictures. This early negative bias was predicted by interindividual differences in

SUBMITTER: Borgomaneri S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4187264 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature